| Poachers target rhinos' ivory
Johannesburg - Images of rhinos with severed horns and elephants with bleeding feet mangled by snares illustrated a report on wildlife poaching in southern Africa released by an animal rights group on Monday. Rhinos and elephants are being increasingly targeted by poachers for the rhino horn and ivory trades, while smaller mammals such as antelope are being tracked for bush meat, said Animal Rights Africa (ARA). In its Consuming Wild Life: The Illegal Exploitation of Wild Animals in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia report, the group notes the illegal killing of wild animals, using guns, snares, poison or hunting dogs, falls into three categories. Traffickers, often operating as part of international criminal networks, trade meat, ivory and rhino horn on local and international markets.
Pondering payback? Just sleep on it first
If you have never been kicked, thrashed or jabbed in your sleep by your bed partner, you might not be able to relate to this one. We have overnight guests, which has forced the two early-twenty-something daughters, home for the weekend, to share a double bed. Around 2 a.m., the younger sister, having a particularly vivid dream, punches her older sister in the head. The sister who was punched is now fully awake and contemplating throttling her bedmate, but what good is revenge when the recipient is not awake to feel it? The dilemma, then, is this: Can she extract some measure of satisfaction in the morning? Say, wring a little guilt, demand a latte from the corner coffee bar, or a bagel from the bagel shop, something along those lines. Naturally, the one who was punched says yes. The one who did the punching says no, you cannot be held accountable for your behavior on a safari along the mosquito-infested Nile while dressed like a leprechaun, wrestling monkeys dropping from trees.
Treasure Coast fishing report: April 20
George Silva, at Whitey's Bait and Tackle north of the Sebastian Inlet, said slot-size redfish were being taken in the inlet on shrimp, fiddler or blue crabs and Berkley Gulf Shads. He also said bluefish and whiting are in the surf, as are a number of spinner sharks. Silva said he had reports of tarpon rolling in the Sebastian River. Capt. Jack Jackson, of Vero Beach, said Red Tail Hawks worked at night along the shadow lines in deeper water around the 17th Street and Barber bridges were taking a few snook. |ST. LUCIE COUNTY .
Warning over dumping of contaminated pet food
Pet owners must not dump food they fear may be contaminated with melamine because it might cause environmental damage or poison animals and people. The South African Veterinary Association (Sava) issued this warning on Friday and urged pet owners to return all possibly contaminated food to their vets. So far, 30 animals have died after a batch of food produced by the company Royal Canin (RC) was contaminated with melamine. "Owners must return all possibly contaminated food to their vets so that RC can incinerate it," said association spokesperson Gerhardt Steenkamp. "Dumping it in the refuse bin could expose the environment to the toxin, which could lead to human or animal exposure." Steenkamp said Sava was particularly concerned about exposed dogs that had not been seriously ill and would strongly advise owners to have their pets examined by their veterinarian.
|
