ARTURO THE POLAR BEAR

CALLING ALL ANIMAL LOVERS

ARTURO THE WORLDS SADDEST POLAR BEAR NEEDS YOUR HELP

 

 

The way that society is heading at this moment, it is no surprise to me that those outside the environmental and animal world have not heard of Arturo the Polar Bear (but I bet they could tell me who the latest celebrity train wreck it).

 

 

The internet has recently caught on the plight of Arturo, currently held captive in Argentina's Mendoza Zoo. Arturo is currently held prisoner alone as his only friend Pelusa died two years ago. Since this time, Arturo has displayed behaviours that show he is suffering from depression. His cell currently includes 20 inch deep pool to keep him cool in temperatures that hit 40C or 104F. As anyone with common sense could tell you, these are not ideal conditions for any animal let only a Polar Bear.

 

There is currently a petition circulating that is calling for Arturo to be removed from these squalled conditions and transferred to Canada. The petition so far has accumulated over 500,000 signatures. Argentina so far has shown no willingness to improve the conditions of Arturo, or co-operate with others to find him a more suitable home. This has not only become damaging to the reputation of the zoo, but to Argentina's environmental and tourism image.

 

 

 

 In order for Arturo to be moved, Canada needs to be presented with the medical records and documents of Arturo from the last three years, but surprise, surprise, the zoo is unable to provide these documents. Argentina also argues that at the age of 29, Arturo is too old to be moved without placing great stress and stain on him. They have also reported that an expert has completed a VISUAL check of Arturo and believes that he is healthy and happy.

 

 

So what can you do to help Arturo. Well there are a number of ways. Firstly, sign the change.org petition to remove Arturo from these despicable living conditions. http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/please-allow-arturo-to-have-a-better-life-in-the-assiniboine-park-zoo-in-Canada

Every signature does count so please use your voice for something good, it will only take a few minutes.

 

Secondly, DO NOT visit any zoos that keep animals in appalling conditions. In fact if you can help it, don't visit any zoos at all. Animals are not ours to keep prisoner.

 

Thirdly, send a letter to the proper authorities and your local political members to let them know about these appalling conditions. Tweet to your hearts content about this issue, retweet, tweet celebrities, tweet politicians, Facebook it, instagram it, pinterest it, talk about it at school, talk to your teachers about it just spread the word and educate the world on these matters. Be the voice for the voiceless and make a difference in this world.

 

ARE YOU SECRETLY SUPPORTING ANIMAL ABUSE

THE CELEBRITIES WHO USE THEIR MONEY TO TORTURE ANIMALS

 

AND THOSE WHO DON'T

 

 

As animal supporters, you have probably all seen the posters which feature celebrities in the buff declaring that they would rather go naked then wear fur or encouraging people to ink not mink. While we can probably assume that these celebrities are supporters of animal rights and are not stocking their wardrobes full of the furs and skins of the tortured animals, what about the celebrities who are supporting animal cruelty and abuse. In a round about way you may be supporting animal abuse as well. Celebrities make their money from us. When we buy their cds, movies, books, go to the cinema, wear their clothes, buy their perfumes, attend their concerts or buy magazine they are featured in we are supporting them and their lifestyle. So here is an overview of some celebrities who support animal abuse and some who don't. Next time you buy one of their products, please think where your money is going.

 

 

 

 

Rihanna - The singer (I use the term loosely) is a massive fan of covering her body in the tortured remains of animals and calling it fashion. She has been seen countless times around the world wearing oversize fur coats, feathers, leather and snake skin. She has been called out countless times by Peta and other animal rights groups for her love of fur, but shows indifference to these animals who are tortured. Could this be where your hard earned money is going to?

 

 

Kanye and Kim - The man who refers to himself as a god, compared himself to Walt Disney and called the Kardashians the most remarkable people of our time. It really is no shock that a man (if we can call him this) would have the ability to think of anyone other then himself, let alone defenceless animals. He is famous for wearing fur coats and scarfs and has even started his own fashion line which incorporates crocodile skin, fox fur and the fur of unborn lambs (because wearing dead animal flesh was just not inhumane enough for him). While we are at it, add his now wife to the list. Kim is also a known fan of animal skin, with Peta targeting her at a fashion event in 2012 were she was flour bombed.

 

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen - The twins have been long time supporters of fur and skin as part of fashion. Mary-Kate once bragged that her closet contains thousands of dollars worth of fur. They also incorporate fur into their fashion label the row and have even been honoured with fashion awards for doing so.

 

Joan Rivers- As if her ghastly distasteful show wasn't enough to turn people violently ill, she has also been sporting the skin of animals on her plastic surgery riddled body for longer then most of us have been alive. If you watch her shows you are supporting her fur habit.

 

 

 

 

Beyoncé - Beyoncé is known for her love of fur, leather and skin. She frequently walks the streets of various cities donning this so called fashion. However, in 2013 Beyoncé and Jay Z decided to go vegan in order to become healthier. This is wonderful news you may say. Well lets not get ahead of ourselves. Beyoncé was seen entering three vegan restaurants in 2013 wearing fur and leather. One of the biggest rules of being a vegan broken and then rubbed in the face of her fellow vegan dieters. Her and Jay Z still wear fur, leather and skin to this day. If you spend your money on their merchandise you are helping them buy these animal products.  

 

 

Paris Hilton - The girl responsible for starting the trend of people being famous for being famous. Paris frequently declares her love of animals and showcases how well her dogs are treated. However, Paris is also a massive fan of fur and animal products. She was flour bombed by Peta back in 2006, however, this has not stopped her from wearing animal products. She is also the one who turned tiny puppies and dogs into fashion accessories to be carried around in purses.

 

Jennifer Lopez - Is a proud wearer of minks, foxes, rabbits and chinchillas. These were also incorporated into her clothing line.

Lady Gaga - Proudly wore a dress to an award ceremony that was entirely made out of the flesh of a dead animal, more commonly referred to as beef. So it is probably no surprise that she wears fur on a daily basis.

AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT ANIMAL RIGHTS

 

 

Leonardo Dicaprio - Leo has long been a massive supporter of environmental and animal conservation. He has started his own foundation the Leonardo Dicaprio foundation which has given $3 million to help protect the oceans, over $1 million to protect elephants and countless other millions to protect other threatened species and habitats. He also co-wrote, produced and narrated the film ' The 11th hour'.

 

Ellen DeGeneres - The host of the Ellen show and all around beautiful person, Ellen is a proud vegan who has rescued many animals.

 

Cate Blanchett - Cate is the co-artistic director of the Sydney Theater Company and was a key proponent of Greening the Wharf, a project that saw over 1900 solar panels be installed the the Whard Theatre. This means 70% of the theatres electricity source comes from solar power. The theatre has also started to reuse and recycle their props and costumes and is on the way to being carbon neutral.

 

Gisele Bundchen - She was hailed the Best Green International Celebrity thanks to her work in ecological conservation and education. She has an eco friendly shoe line and has raised funds for conservation efforts in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest. Her and her Husband also built a mega mansion which was completely self sufficient and environmentally friendly.

 

Maroon 5 - They encourage recycling at their concerts, donate a portion of ticket sales to Global Cool, played at Live Earth and headlines the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. They are strong supporters of Environmental Media Assoication and use biodiesel- powered tour buses.

 

Brad Pitt - His Make It Right Foundation is on track to finish 150 homes in New Orleans which will all sport environmentally friendly features. The U.S Green Building Council has celebrated the star for his role in establishing " the largest and greenest single family community in the world".

 

Al Gore - Enough said.

 

 



There are countless other celebrities out there who support animal and environmental rights. Please research who and what you are supporting before you hand over your hard earned money.



 



BLACKFISH SHINES LIGHT ON DOLPHIN AND WHALE CAPTIVITY

 

 

 

 

A recent independent film has brought to light the cruelty of keeping whales, dolphins, seals, polar bears and other marine creatures in captivity. The film 'Blackfish' was released in 2013 and premiered at the Sundance film festival. The film focuses on Tilikum a killer whale who was involved in the death of three individuals including a trainer at SeaWorld.

 

 

 

 

The film was later released on dvd and shown on tv channels including CNN. The impact of 'Blackfish' was felt immediately with entertainers such as Willie Nelson, Trisha Yearwood, Trace Adkins and Martina McBride cancelling proposed appearances at SeaWorld Orlando. SeaWorld announced that they had suffered a $15.9 million loss. Overall attendance at SeaWorld park and Busch Gardens also declined by 5%. Legislation has since been proposed by New York State Senator Greg Ball to ban keeping orcas in captivity and in March of 2014, Richard Bloom introduced the Orca Welfare and Safety Act, a bill in California that would ban entertainment-driven killer whale captivity and retire all current whales. So what exactly did we learn from 'Blackfish'.

 

 

 

 

Blackfish introduces its audience to the cruel practice of keeping whales, dolphins and other animals in captivity. Even though the film focuses on killer whales, it still brings to light animal captivity in general. At the end of the day. SeaWorld is a business that makes money by selling tickets and merchandise. While there is no doubt that SeaWorld has done amazing things for animals through their rescue and rehabilitation program, does this make the captivity and abuse of animals for entertainment purposes ok. Below are some facts about captivity. 

 

 

 



 

 

SeaWorld claims that it spends millions of dollars a year upgrading their enclosures and tanks to ensure that their captive animals live in a healthy environment. However, this has been disputed by former trainers who claim that the tanks have not been upgraded since the 80's with millions of dollars being spent on lights for the sets and food. The tanks also minimise the amount that these whales can swim with this being equivalent to us spending our lives in a bathtub. Below is one of SeaWorld's holding tanks. As you can see they do not provide nearly enough room for these animals.

 

 



 

 

SeaWorld claims that it does not capture any orcas from the wild and that their breeding program is a ground-breaking success even though they have produced several inbred babies and they have a 50% infant mortality rate. Captive whales also have a shorter life expectancy then those who are swimming and living free, which leads us to believe that eventually, SeaWorld will resort to capturing wild orcas again.

 

 

SeaWorld claims that they do not separate killer whale mums and calves, however, they contradict this by saying that whales are moved in order to "maintain a healthy social structure". Young whales are removed from their families and placed in tanks with other unfamiliar whales. There are several whales still living at SeaWorld which have been separated from their mothers including Taku, Takara, Keet and Keto.

 

SeaWorld also claims that their captive whales have the same lifespan as those living in the wild. However, only two out of countless amount of whales held captive by SeaWorld have lived to or beyond their average non-captive lifespan.

 

 

You can help these whales, dolphins, seals, polar bears, sharks and all other animals which have been imprisoned for no other reason then for the entertainment of humans and to line our greedy pockets with money. Do not attend any event, including circuses, zoos or aquariums. Do not give your money to companies which make their CEO'S rich through the suffering of such beautiful creatures. Take a stand and change the world for the better. 

 

 

P&G

P&G have agreed to ensure their products contain 100% sustainable Palm Oil by 2020, but is it enough?

 

As many of you in the Environmental world know, Greenpeace recently launched a campaign against the global products giant, Proctor and Gamble (P&G), with activists climbing to the top of the P&G headquarters and unfurling a massive banner. The campaign attacked P&G's use of palm oil from unsustainable sources in its products. Unsustainable palm oil is a leading cause of deforestation in Indonesia and Borneo. These deforestation leads to climate change as well as the loss of habitat and subsequent abuse and murder of animals who call these forests home such as Orangutans  and Tigers.

 

 

 

 

 

 Palm Oil plantations and deforestation have also been linked to severe human rights violations. P%G's pledge to stamp out deforestation from its products is a good start, however, by the time that 2020 rolls around, will it be to late?. Will the impact of deforestation and climate change be irreversible?. Many environmental groups believe this to be the case. So the question remains, what else can be done to stop the destruction of these unique and diverse habitats?

 

 

 

 

 

Well that power lies in your hands. Make sure that you buy products that do not contain palm oil or palm oil that is sourced from sustainable sources. Send a message to companies and businesses that you will not stand idly by while habitats and animals are wiped from the planet never to return again. You are the consumer, you have the power. Do not let the money hungry mega companies of this world wipe out a valuable area of the natural world in order to line their pockets with money and increase they profit margin. Help save this area of the world for your children and their children.

 

 

THESE ANIMALS NEED YOUR HELP

ANOTHER HELL ZOO

 

 

 

This is another hell zoo which has recently come to my attention. Located in the city of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, the Gilkrand Zoo was named as one of the world's worst zoos. Animals including wolves, baboons, bears, birds, camels and lions are kept in concrete hovels with caged doors. They gaze silently and sadly at the few people who come to the zoo. 

 

 

 

 

 

Witnesses have talked about animals being abused by these visitors including having their cages kicked and stones thrown at them while zoo employees look on. It is an unhealthy and inhumane environment for these animals with many animals being kept in unnatural habits and showing signs of depression such as wolves eating grass and seen pacing their tiny concrete cages.

 

 

 

A lion can be found, injured when it was transported to the zoo from Syria. It is also believed that this zoo is a seeling point at which Iraq's wealthier citizens can buy exotic animals as pets. This zoo needs to be closed down and the animals released back into their natural habitats. Please help these animals out and sign the petition. It will only take a few minutes of your time but it will mean the world to these animals. http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/president-massoud-barzani-masoud-barzani-sign-rt-stop-barbaric-animal-torture-in-kurdistan-iraq

SUNDER

PETITION TO FREE SUNDER

 

 

Some of you may have heard of the elephant Sunder before. Sunder is a 14 year old temple Elephant in Kolhapur in Maharashtra who is regularly beaten and chained. In August last year, Sir Paul McCartney and Pamela Anderson worked together in order to have Sunder released. The state forest department ordered Sunder to be released to a sanctuary, however, Sunder was not released and was simple just moved to a tin shed were this beating and confinement continues to today. Animal rights group Peta has taken this battle to the Bombay high court. To help Sunder gain freedom, please go to the link below and sign the petition.

 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/832/590/862/free-sunder-the-elephant/

THE DEATH ZOO

Surabaya zoo is one of the largest zoos in Asia and has a reputation as one of the most inhumane zoos in the world. Located in Indonesia, the animals are found in emaciated conditions with many covered in open sores. They have an extremely high death rate with many animals cut up and sold into the wildlife trade once they have passed on. There are many animal rights groups attempting to have this "zoo" closed down. Please ensure that as consumers, you are making choices that are not going to have a negative impact on animals or the environment. Stay away from Surabaya zoo.