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Darlene and Shunka out for a morning walk
for mayor Mayor of Divide Election 2016 Vote through April 5th $1 per vote and proceeds support TCRAS tcrascolorado.org
Our January bonfire & BBQ was a success... thanks to all who joined us!
A big howl of thanks to our friends at the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau for their continued support of the center!
Wakanda and Diane celebrating another Valentine’s Day together
Stem Lab Magnet School
Exclusive: Hard Numbers Reveal Scale of America’s Trophy-Hunting Habit
A new analysis from the Humane Society finds American hunters import more than 126,000 animal trophies a year. By Rachael Bale · PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 6, 2016 for National Geographic
Recently sport huntConservationists, aners placed bids on at imal welfare advocates, least 600 permits at Saand many scientists, fari Club Internationhowever, say sport al’s annual convention, hunting puts pressure or, as it’s also called, on vulnerable popula“the ultimate hunter’s tions, disrupts social market.” The auction networks, and doesn’t drew sharp criticism, pump up local econobut those 600 permits mies as much as huntare only a sliver of ers argue. Many also American hunters’ inargue that destroying volvement in the sport wildlife for pleasure is hunting industry. unethical. Sport hunters, those It may surprise some who kill animals for that the biggest source recreation rather than of trophy imports is Trophies on display at Safari Club International’s annual convention in 2011. PHOTOGRAPH BY MAX WHITTAKER, REUTERS out of necessity, imCanada. But it’s close ported more than 1.26 and easy to get to for million trophies to the U.S. in the decade from 2005 Americans, and it offers iconic North American spethrough 2014, according to a new analysis of the U.S. cies such as black bears, grizzly bears, moose, and Fish and Wildlife Service’s import data by Humane wolves. Society International and the Humane Society of For similar reasons, Mexico is also a big destination United States. That’s an average of 126,000 trophy im- for sport hunters. Its hunting industry is valued at ports a year, or 345 a day. about $200 million, according to the Humane Society, “What we hope the report accomplishes is that we with nearly 4,000 hunting ranches in operation. shed light on the scale of the role we play in killing “Mexico really incentivizes U.S. hunters to come some of the world’s vulnerable and endangered spe- over,” Kalinina said. “The affordability of that type of cies,” said Masha Kalinina, an international trade pol- hunt is really what appeals to U.S. hunters.” icy specialist at Humane Society International. The Big Five African species are especially coveted— Sport hunters say their activities support conserva- lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, and leopards. Not tion by boosting local economies and providing in- only are they some of Africa’s most iconic species, centives for the preservation of land and wildlife for but they’re also some of the most dangerous to hunt, high-paying hunters. which ups the prestige of the kill.
In the decade from 2005 through 2014, American trophy hunters imported nearly 32,500 lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, and leopards. Lions: Lion hunting is particularly controversial, especially after Cecil. For Americans, canned hunting in South Africa—where lions are bred on ranches to be shot by hunters within a fenced area—is especially popular. More than 1,500 captive lions were imported to the U.S. as trophies from 2005 through 2014, out of a total of 5,587 lion trophies. But the tide is turning against canned hunting—South Africa’s hunting association recently voted to distance itself from the practice. Lions recently gained new protections from American trophy hunters. As of January 22, all lions are listed as “endangered” under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, meaning anyone wanting to import a lion trophy must get a permit. Getting a permit requires proving that the hunt enhances the survival of wild lions, and that’s a bar few hunts are likely to meet, the Humane Society says. Elephants: Elephant trophies too have recently been restricted. In 2014, the U.S. suspended elephant trophy imports from Tanzania and Zimbabwe over concerns about sustainability. The poaching crisis played a big role in that decision. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which regulates trophy imports, also found that there was no clear evidence that trophy hunting money was actually benefiting elephants by supporting conservation efforts. It cited widespread corruption and mismanagement of hunting programs.
Leopards: Leopard trophy imports are also restricted. The U.S. lists southern Africa’s leopards as threatened, and all others as endangered. Just recently, South Africa effectively banned trophy hunting of leopards because no one’s sure how many the country has. The government singled out trophy hunting mismanagement and the illegal trade in leopard skins as the biggest threats. Rhinos: Black rhinos are critically endangered and almost never hunted, with a small number of very high-profile exceptions. Southern white rhinos are somewhat more common, though they’re still considered near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an international body that sets the conservation status of species. But southern white rhinos face a major threat from poachers supplying the rhino horn trade, with at least 1,305 killed illegally in 2015. Home to about 80 percent of the world’s rhinos, South Africa is one of the main sources of U.S.-imported rhino trophies. African buffalo: African buffalo are the most common, and commonly imported, of the Big Five. There are nearly 900,000, with about three-quarters in protected areas, according to the IUCN. African buffalo have gone extinct in Gambia and Eritrea, but they’ve been reintroduced successfully in Swaziland and South Africa, from where Americans imported more than 4,200 trophies in the decade since 2005.
This story was produced by National Geographic’s Special Investigations Unit, which focuses on wildlife crime and is made possible by grants from the BAND Foundation and the Woodtiger Fund. Read more stories from the SIU on Wildlife Watch. Send tips, feedback and story ideas to ngwildlife@ngs.org.
Spirit Wolf Energetics, LLC Holistic Care for Pets & Their People Healing Touch for Animals · Reiki Craniosacral Therapy · Gem Essences Color Therapy · Aromatherapy I am a compassionate and dedicated practitioner with 16 years of experience providing holistic care for all of the animals in your life in the comfort of their own home. Through the use of gentle and safe holistic therapies, your animals are more relaxed and better able to navigate through life’s challenges. Some of the ways your animals may benefit include: • Disease prevention and wellness • Improved healing from illness, injury, and surgery • Recovery from physical and emotional trauma • Smoother transition into a new home environment • Relief of stress from separation anxiety and fears • Improved confidence and focus for training or competitions • End-of-life nurturing and support Beth Shemo – HTAP, RMP 719.650.5071 · spiritwolfenergetics@gmail.com
Princess Princess was rescued from the snow in southern Colorado one night when it was 20 below. She could hardly walk because of two large tumors on her abdomen. How sad to be abandoned in the cold snow when she did not feel well. The grade 3 tumors have been removed. She is a lovable boxer mix, about 30 lbs. spayed, estimated 10 years old. Seven - Such a mellow sweetheart. Young, neutered. Appears to get along with other dogs. About 60 lbs. Perhaps Mastiff/boxer.
Feel free to call or email if you have questions about how your animals’ particular needs can be addressed. I look forward to helping your animals live a more balanced and healthy life!
San Luis Valley Animal Welfare Society · slvaws.org · 719.587.woof (9663) Non-Profit NO-KILL Shelter · Monetary Donations Always Needed TCRAS · The no-kill shelter in Divide, Colorado
Teller County Regional Animal Shelter · tcrascolorado.com 719.686.7707 PEARL 3 Year Old Female/Spayed White Australian Cattle Dog/Retriever, Labrador Hi! I’m Pearl. Nice to meet you. It would be so nice to have a home and family of my own. I’m a gentle and sweet little girl with plenty of love to share. I can be a little timid at first but give me some time and I’ll be your best friend. I can be a little assertive with some animals so I would also need someone willing to work with that and help me with my socialization. Would you like to take me home? I would love that so much. FELIX 8 Year Old Male/Neutered Black/White Domestic Shorthair/Mix
love birds Micah and Keara
Hello. My name is Felix. I am a mature cat looking for a lap. My person recently passed away and the family tried to make room in their home for me, but the other cats did not want me at their house. They decided to bring me to TCRAS so they could help me find a new home. I am a quiet boy. I love nothing better than to have a warm place to lay and a person to pet me. Please come and meet me.
Gardening Tips by Katie Geist
Baby Geraniums There’s something so hopeful about starting plants from seeds. The process of taking a seed, giving it some moisture, warmth and light, and then then having it sprout is simply amazing. My plan for starting geranium seeds early this winter got a slight setback when my seed order was delayed. I use a specific dome and starter mixture. They were on back order and my start date was delayed. Another lesson learned. But the seeds germinated after only a few days. Yea! Seed starting is easy and inexpensive. You don’t need to be as picky as me about what you use. You simply need a container, seeds, seed starting soil, good light and a warm spot to put them. Containers can be cleaned yogurt or coffee cups,
egg cartons, plastic trays or the more expensive domed trays. Good seed starting soil is essential for the best success, no potting or outdoor soil please. Seed packets contain a wealth of information. If you take the time to read the back of the seed packet, and follow the instructions, you will have lots of plants ready at the right time to transplant into your garden.I’m watching my baby geraniums daily to make sure they’re thriving. Some will be planted in pots at the Wolf Center after the average last frost date. Some will be on my deck this summer. And some will be available for sale by my brother at local farmers markets. All for a very small price! That makes me howling happy!