Should Animals Be Kept in Zoos?

This post is part of KQED’s Do Now U project. Do Now U is a weekly activity for students and the public to engage and respond to current issues using social media. Do Now U aims to build civic engagement and digital literacy for learners of all ages.  Hear opposing thoughts from a field biologist at the University of York and the president of the Born Free Foundation about keeping animals in zoos for conservation purposes.

http://tinyurl.com/gtmcr9g

Save Black Rhinos From Poachers By Moving Them

The black rhinoceros went extinct in Chad in 1990 owing to high levels of poaching. But one park in the Central African nation will likely get a welcome boost of biodiversity in the near future.  Conservation organization African Parks plans to introduce between five and 10 black rhinos to Zakouma National Park in Chad next year, The Guardian reports.

http://tinyurl.com/n9d7z83

Which Countries Are Kindest To Animals?

From French poodles to South African rhinos to Australian kangaroos, it’s no surprise that animals in different countries can lead startlingly different lives. But when it comes to animal protection, how do they compare?  The organization World Animal Protection has created a useful tool to answer just that — an interactive map of animal welfare and conservation policies of 50 countries. The map is based on an “Animal Protection Index” that measures each country’s efforts to protect animals with legislation, improve animal welfare and recognize animals’ emotional and cognitive abilities.

http://tinyurl.com/nujmopn

Ugly Animals Rule, Cute Is Creepy

Why do we find some animals cute and not others? And why do the cute ones get all the attention when it comes to conservation? Thanks to the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, that may be about to change

http://tinyurl.com/l3qswph

Closer Look at ‘Nonhuman Personhood’ and Animal Welfare

Is it ethical to draw a line between animals we see as deserving “personhood” and those we see more as features of a landscape or the source of food on a plate? Is a dolphin more deserving of special consideration for its care than a pig?

http://tinyurl.com/m9b2pw3

Wild Animals Give 'Stamp' Of Approval For Conservation

Australian animal activists have taken a new approach towards conservationism by gathering 'signatures' from all furry, scaly, and feathery animals to protect elephants in Thailand. Animals of all walks of life dipped their talons, paws, hooves, and flipper into animal-friendly paint and provided their stamp of approval at the Taronga Zoo in Australia. As of recently, the project has gathered over 4,000 critter signatures over the course of a few weeks.

http://tinyurl.com/p6y3t4

Snow Leopard Discovery In Tajikistan Shows Need For Conservation

A recent biodiversity survey in a remote corner of Tajikistan has yielded surprising results. Fauna & Flora International (FFI) recently teamed up with local and international scientists to conduct a survey of life in the Zorkul nature reserve, near the Afghan border. FFI's team planted camera traps which captured images of five different snow leopardsin one valley, according to a press release.

http://tinyurl.com/7hcsvun

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

Endangered Snow Leopards in Afghanistan

A healthy population of rare snow leopards has been discovered in mountainous northeastern Afghanistan, with the world's "most elusive" cat caught on camera by a wildlife group.

http://tinyurl.com/4x7xpx5

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

More than 1,000 Species Discovered in New Guinea

A new type of tree kangaroo, a 2.5-metre-long river shark, a frog with vampire-like fangs and a turquoise lizard are among hundreds of new creatures found and being documented in a report by conservationists working in the Pacific island of New Guinea.

http://tinyurl.com/6hshmzl