Action Line Spring 2017

SPRING 2017

THE BIRDS & THE BEES...AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS ASHEVILLE, N.C.: WHERE BEER AND BEARS CO-EXIST JOIN US FOR THE PEOPLE'S CLIMATE MARCH

OUT OF AFRICA SECURING A FUTURE FOR WILDLIFE ABROAD

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SPECIAL SECTION: OUT OF AFRICA - FoA works to secure future for African wildlife - Toto's story has a happy ending - Protecting Red colubus monkeys - Bringing oryxes back from extinction

5 CALL TO ACTION

Help pass Cecil’s Law and join FoA’s wild horse registry 6 PRIMARILY PRIMATES

Okko is gone but his friendships live on 8 NEWS Victory Lap: The latest news about FOA’s advocacy 24

NEWS When it comes to the birds and the bees, native plants are typically more valuable than their cultivars

28 NEWS Meal delivery services are making it more convenient for people to go vegan 31 NEWS FoA joins Climate March coalition 32

FEATURE

Asheville, N.C.: Where beer and bears co-exist

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CHEERS & JEERS

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LETTERS FOA MERCHANDISE

WHO WE ARE Friends of Animals is an international non-profit animal-advocacy organization, incorporated in the state of New York in 1957. FoA works to cultivate a respectful view of nonhuman animals, free-living and domestic. Our goal is to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world.

CONTACT US NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 777 Post Road Darien, Connecticut 06820 (203) 656-1522 contact@friendsofanimals.org WESTERN OFFICE 7500 E. Arapahoe Rd., Ste 385 Cetennial, CO 80112 (720) 949-7791 PRIMARILY PRIMATES SANCTUARY P.O. Box 207 San Antonio, TX 7891-02907 (830) 755-4616 office@primarilyprimates.org VISIT US www.friendsofanimals.org www.primarilyprimates.org FOLLOW US facebook.com /friendsofanimals.org facebook.com /primarilyprimates.org MEMBERSHIP Annual membership includes a year’s subscription to Action Line. Students/Senior membership, $15; Annual membership, $25; International member, $35; Sustaining membership, $50; Sponsor, $100; Patron, $1,000. All contributions, bequests and gifts are fully tax-deductible in accordance with current laws.

REPRODUCTION No prior permission for the reproduction of materials from Action Line is required provided the content is not altered and due credit is given as follows: “Reprinted from Action Line, the Friends of Animals’ magazine, 777 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820.”

Action Line is a quarterly publication. Issue CLXXII Spring 2017 ISSN 1072-2068

Cover Photograph by Jane Seymour Taken in November, 2016, at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project in The Gambia

Printed on Recycled Paper

OUR TEAM PRESIDENT Priscilla Feral [CT] www.twitter.com/pferal www.twitter.com/primate_refuge feral@friendsofanimals.org VICE PRESIDENT Dianne Forthman [CT] DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Robert Orabona [CT] admin@friendsofanimals.org DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Dustin Rhodes [NC] dustin@friendsofanimals.org CORRESPONDENT Nicole Rivard [CT] nrivard@friendsofanimals.org SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Meghan McIntire [MA] www.twitter.com/FoAorg mmcintire@friendsofanimals.org DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION Donna Berlanda [CT] dberlanda@friendsofanimals.org ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT Donna Thigpen [CT] SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT Shelly Scott [CT] SPAY/NEUTER PROJECT Paula Santo [CT] DIRECTOR, WILDLIFE LAW PROGRAM Michael Harris [CO] michaelharris@friendsofanimals.org ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Jenni Best [CO] jennifer@friendsofanimals.org ATTORNEY'S Rachel Nussbaum[CO] rachel@friendsofanimals.org Elizabeth Rasheed [CO] elizabeth.rasheed@friendsofanimals.org Courtney McVean [CO] courtney.mcvean@friendsofanimals.org ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Marielle Grenade-Willis [CO] wlp_admin@friendsofanimals.org EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRIMARILY PRIMATES Brooke Chavez [TX] brooke@primarilyprimates.org CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jane Seymour [NY] jane@friendsofanimals.org

BY PRISCILLA FERAL, PRESIDENT. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STAN TEKIELA

IN MY VIEW THE JOY OF BACKYARD BIRDS Along with being an avid wildlife watcher, I’m an enthusiastic gardener, fixated on growing and nurturing plants, especially outside. How joyful it is when the two mesh, like last summer—while watering a row of hanging white geraniums with ivy, a sparrow hopped out of one of the planters and landed on a nearby lilac branch before scolding me for interfering.

I didn’t see the sparrow’s concealed nest until weeks later, after the parents and young had successfully moved on. I just stood there and marveled at its burrowlike construction.

Author and naturalist Stan Tekiela is equally fascinated by the lives and vocalizations of neighboring birds and devoted a beautifully photographed book to them called, Backyard Birds: Welcomed Guests at Our Gardens and Feeders. It’s a winner.

Sixty million U.S. residents feed birds in their yards, which Tekiela says reconnects urban and suburbanites

with nature. In his new book, he offers intriguing observations, such as how small birds in forests, who are hard to see, sing complex, loud songs to stand out and attract a mate.

Unfortunately, in the eastern half of the United States, backyard bird populations have declined by 50 to 70 percent, struggling to reproduce with nesting habitat destroyed by the development of homes and shopping malls.

Clearly, habitat preservation is paramount, and the good news is we can help restore it by creating our own wildlife refuges—halting the use of harmful pesticides and converting our backyards into inviting nesting and feeding areas.

INSECTS TACKLED Most birds are seasonal feeders. In my backyard in Rowayton, Conn., nuthatches, with extra-long claws on

Baltimore oriole

their hind toes, hitch Blue jays play down tree trunks a critical role in head first as they aim forest regeneration by for my bird and squirrel dispersing and hiding oak feeder—“defying gravity,” tree acorns, which means Tekiela says. Nuthatches some sprout into oak trees— actually spend lots of time outpacing squirrels as accomsearching for insect egg sacs plished oak tree planters. Birds also White-breasted nuthatch during winter, which defies logic to me, keep forests healthy by consuming leafbut in freezing climates, insects lay thousands eating caterpillars and other bugs. of eggs in sacs that survive the cold and hatch in spring.

At Friends of Animals, we’re occasionally asked for We’d feel overwhelmed by insects if birds weren’t advice about what to do when you find a bird nest in an always hunting and eating them on tree leaves, and unexpected place if the parents are off the nest. The wherever else they can be found. During spring and answer is: Look but don’t touch. summer, birds like northern cardinals, blue jays and roseFemale birds lay one egg per day or every other day, breasted grosbeaks feed their babies as many insects but parents don’t protect the eggs until after the entire as possible, stacking them in the corners of their beaks. clutch is laid. Most backyard birds spend around two Tekiela advises, “No matter how much you feed the weeks in the nest after hatching before they are out and birds, they won’t become dependent on your food supply. about in your yard learning how to fly. It’s a vulnerable Birds have wings and they know how to use them! They time for young birds, and Tekiela stresses the imporwill continue to forage for wild food even though your tance of leaving them alone and keeping pets away from feeder may be full. When your feeder runs dry, they them for a couple of days. After the chicks learn how to simply search for food in the wild like they did before fly, they will follow their parents around for two to three you started feeding them.” weeks.

In cold climates, birds with regular access to food This is one example of the wonder of nature Tekiela have higher survival rates—69 percent, and are in better captures, while educating readers about our backyard shape in spring when they nest. This is also the time bird neighbors, and the result is an intriguing book I when most songs are heard. couldn’t put down.

Male chipping sparrows have one simple song and they perch high in trees and belt out a rapid chip note $14.95, 144 pages repeatedly—telling other males to stay out of their territory. In contrast, brown thrashers sing more than 100 different songs, twice repeating each phrase. Northern cardinals and northern mockingbirds sing duets.

4 | Friends of Animals

CALL TO ACTION!

BY NICOLE RIVARD

WE NEED CT AND NY RESIDENTS TO HELP US PASS CECIL’S LAW FoA believes the most important office in a democracy is citizen.

And as US citizens, we have the responsibility to prevent African wildlife from going extinct. That’s why we drafted Cecil’s Law, which would ban the importation, possession, sale or transportation of African leopards, lions, elephants, black and white rhinos and their

to Washington and the rest of the country that trophy hunting needs to be stopped, as these endangered species are already fighting for their lives because of poaching and habitat loss.

We are urging all our Connecticut members to call their state representatives and state senators and tell them to support S.B. 284, An Act Concerning Cecil’s Law. (Research shows that calling and speaking directly with legislators is most effective).

You can get contact info for your

Stay tuned as we work to get Cecil’s Law across the finish line.

Nicole Rivard with Julie Capiello from CompassionWorks International at Rally for Cecil in NYC Feb. 4

AS US CITIZENS, WE HAVE THE SIGN UP FOR RESPONSIBILITY TO PREVENT AFRICAN OUR WILD HORSE WILDLIFE FROM GOING EXTINCT. REGISTRY body parts—all threatened and endangered species. We are heartened that the legislation was assigned a bill number in Connecticut—S.B. No. 942—and in New York—S.B. No. 1883. We are grateful to state Sen. Bob Duff, Senate Majority Leader and state Rep. Fred Camillo for introducing the bill in Connecticut, and state Sens. Tony Avella, Phil Boyle, Jessie Hamilton and George Latimer for introducing and supporting the legislation in New York.

The importance of Cecil's law is that it recognizes legal trophy hunting as one of the main reasons that Africa’s Big Five face extinction.

Cecil’s Law sends a strong message

legislators by calling 860.240.0100.

To find an online directory, use this web address cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/ cgafindleg.asp.

We are urging all our New York members to call their state assembly members and state senators and tell them to support S.B. 1883, Cecil’s Law. To find an online directory of assembly members, go here: nyassembly.gov/mem/search. Find your state senators here: nysenate. gov/find-my-senator.

We know there are more non-hunters in Connecticut and New York than hunters, and we need you to make your voices heard.

Do you occasionally visit wild horse herds in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah or Wyoming? If so, Friends of Animals would love to hear from you. We are creating a wild horse registry because our Wildlife Law Program is frequently filing interventions to stop roundups and sterilizations.

The registry will give us the ability use your experience to bolster our litigation. Please send an email to correspondent Nicole Rivard at nrivard@friendsofanimals.org with your name, address, and phone number and some details about the herd you spend time visiting.

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P R I M A R I LY P R I M AT E S

BY NICOLE RIVARD

O

Okko is gone, but his friendships live on

ur hearts broke on Jan. 19 when chimpanzee Okko, 37, passed away suddenly from a heart attack. He was enjoying a pineapple party with his best friends Willie, Koko and Chobe before he died.

Okko during the summer of 2016.

An imposing yet well-socialized individual, Okko always kept the peace among his spirited companions.

Okko especially loved red apples and Romaine lettuce.

Okko was one of five chimpanzees, including Willie, who starred in the 80s film Project X starring Matthew Broderick, who played an airman assigned to

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care for chimpanzees used in a secret Air Force project. Willie actually had the role of Virgil, the chimp that Broderick’s character bonds with.

In 1986, they were brought to Primarily Primates (PPI) after a lawsuit was brought against the film’s producers for alleged abuse of the chimps by their trainers. When the filming ended, Twentieth Century Fox planned to sell the chimpanzees to a lab—a reprehensible irony as the film focused on a young chimpanzee’s escape from radiation tests in an Air Force lab.

Don Barnes, a sensible technical advisor for the studio, warned Twentieth Century Fox of the public outcry likely to follow a transfer of the chimpanzees to a lab. He led the crusade to bring the chimps to PPI. Okko was born Nov. 25, 1980 at the Arnhem Zoo in the Netherlands and promptly put on exhibit. He was later traded away to a New York dealer, and sold again to Twentieth Century Fox. “I will remember his love for his caretaker Elicia the most. He would climb to the very top of his outdoor habitat and wait for her to arrive to work every morning,” said Brooke Chavez, director of Primarily Primates. “If she wasn’t close by, he would climb back up to make sure she was always in sight. It seemed that he was always looking after her.”

Okko will be missed by all of the members of his troupe, especially his Project X co-star Willie. Willie was born at San Antonio’s Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research. He was

Top: Matthew Broderick rehearses with a chimp during the filming of Project X. Middle & Bottom: Since Okko’s death, the friends he left behind have been holding hands a lot and hugging to comfort each other—Koko and Chobe, wouldn’t let go even during foraging.

raised by his mother only for six months, then moved to the lab’s nursery. He was transferred to the entertainment business around the age of three.

Willie and Okko knew each other for most of their lives from their time in the entertainment industry to their years at PPI. Care staff members say that these two made an interesting duo—as the alpha, Okko was the leader of the group but Willie was his second in command. Their personalities balanced each other out; Okko was social and outgoing while Willie is a bit more shy. Because of the damaging experience of the entertainment industry, Willie has a difficult time trusting humans.

Senior care staff member Elicia Bryant recalls that when she first started working at PPI, Willie wouldn’t even make eye contact with her. “But I believe that my close relationship with Okko helped strengthen my bond with Willie, perhaps because Okko showed him I could be trusted. Over time my friendship has grown stronger with Willie, and he even initiates play from time to time.”

She said after Okko’s passing Willie retreated a bit and showed signs of anxiety but he has returned to being social with Chobe and Koko. In fact all of Okko’s friends have been embracing each other a lot and holding hands in an effort to comfort eachother.

“As a group, the chimps and I have been mourning the loss of our dear friend, but it has brought all of us even closer,” Bryant said.

TO GIVE A DONATION IN HONOR OF OKKO, OR TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING, LIFE-SAVING WORK AT PRIMARILY PRIMATES, PLEASE VISIT: PRIMARILYPRIMATES.ORG

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VICTORY LAP

BY NICOLE RIVARD

ENVIRONMENT WINS AS CHRISTO ABANDONS CONTROVERSIAL ART PROJECT We celebrated a victory for the environment in January! Artist Christo has abandoned his “Over the River” project, which would have involved suspending 5.9 miles of fabric panels above the Arkansas River in Colorado, a

federally designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).

An ACEC is a place set aside primarily for protection of wildlife.

“The federal government is our landlord. They own the land. I can’t do a project that benefits this landlord,” Christo told the New York Times Jan. 26. Asked to elaborate on his views of the new president, he said only, “The decision speaks for itself.”

Friends of Animals (FoA) does not hate art. We just believed that Christo’s plan crossed the line

between art and environmental destruction. That’s why we decided to represent the group Rags Over the Arkansas River Inc. (ROAR), a grassroots organization that sued the Bureau of Land Management for approving the project, hoping to put a halt to the artist’s plans.

The project would have required more than three years of heavy construction in a federally protected area of critical environmental concern. Christo’s team would have drilled 9,100 holes, each approximately 30 to 50 feet deep,

Wolfgang Volz © 2011 Christo

Over the River- Christo and his late wife Jeanne-Claude at the Arkansas River in Colorado.

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THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT FOA’S ADVOCACY AND ACHIEVEMENTS

along the river bank and in bedrock for bolts nine feet long. They would also have needed to install 1,275 steel cables, which would have hovered 8 to 25 feet above the water, as well as 2,275 anchor transition frames, most of which would have been left behind when the project is over.

“The project would have impacted numerous wildlife,” said Michael Harris, director of FoA’s Wildlife Law Program. “In approving the project, the federal Bureau of Land Management acknowledged numerous impacts to bald eagle, golden eagle, peregrine falcon and osprey, including altered habitat, possible collision with cables and fabric panels leading to injury and death and disturbance to nesting birds had also been documented.

In addition, upwards of half of the bighorn sheep living in the canyon were presumed to be killed from construction related activities.

“Whether Christo’s decision will outlast the Trump administration is unknown. In the meantime, Friends of Animals and ROAR will continue legal efforts to make sure the canyon and its wildlife are forever protected from ‘Over the River.’"

FIVE SPECIES OF TARANTULAS POISED TO GET ESA PROTECTIONS In December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to list five Sri Lankan tarantula species

under the Endangered Species Act. Friends of Animals (FoA) litigated the case after WildEarth Guardians submitted a petition on Oct. 29, 2010. Mike Harris, director of FoAʼs Wildlife Law Program is confident that the five species— Poecilotheria fasciata, P. ornata, P. smithi, P. subfusca, and P. vittata— will be listed following the public comment period.

Poecilotheria is a genus of arboreal spiders native to Sri Lanka and India. Poecilotheria species are among the largest spiders in the world, with body lengths of one-and-a-half to three-and-a-half inches and maximum adult leg spans varying from six to 10 inches.

They are known for their very fast movements and potent venom that, in humans, typically causes extended muscle cramps and severe pain. They are hairy spiders and have striking coloration, with dorsal color patterns of gray, black, brown, and in one case, a metallic blue.

Unfortunately for them, their striking markings make them popular for commercial trade. A single adult can sell for $250, a strong incentive to collect them from the wild. The protections of the ESA would help eliminate the part played by the United States in the illegal trade in these spiders, and focus attention on their plight.

Poecilotheria species are typical tarantulas in many respects.

However, they differ from most tarantulas in that they are somewhat social and reside in trees rather than

ground burrows. Therefore, habitat loss and degradation are considered primary factors negatively affecting them because they eliminate or reduce the availability of trees required by them for reproduction, foraging and protection. And due to the limited ability of these spiders to travel far, as well as their sedentary habits, forest loss and degradation are also likely to result in direct mortality of individuals or populations, via physical trauma caused by the activities that result in forest loss and degradation, or the intentional killing of these spiders when they are encountered by humans during these activities.

Pesticides are also identified as a threat to these tarantulas in Sri Lanka. The five species addressed in this finding could potentially be exposed to pesticides via pesticide drift into forests that are adjacent to crop-growing areas; by traveling over pesticide treated land when dispersing between forest patches; or by consuming prey that have been exposed to pesticides.

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FoA out of

Friends of Animals has been assisting countries in Africa with protecting wildlife for decades—from law, policy, education and campaigning against wildlife markets, to direct anti-poaching efforts. This special section is devoted to celebrating some of our current work in honor of our 60th anniversary this year.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANE SEYMOUR Right: Mother and baby chimpanzee at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation ProjectofinAnimals The Gambia 10 | Friends

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TOTO THE CHIMPANZEE’S STORY HAS A HAPPY ENDING

BY JANIS CARTER

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Editor’s note: Janis Carter is director of the Gambia’s Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project, which Friends of Animals has been supporting since 2008. FoA President Priscilla Feral visited the open-air chimpanzee sanctuary called the River Gambia National Park, in November. In 2005, Smithsonian Magazine recognized Carter as one of 35 “Innovators of Our Time.”

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t was already early afternoon and we had roughly 30 more kilometers until we reached the border of Guinea. It had been more than 20 years since I had traveled this last piece of road and I remembered well the harrowing potholes deep enough to swallow my little Suzuki. Fortunately for us the flat, glimmering tarmac highway that stretched ahead was brand new and bore no resemblance at all to the one I knew. There were four of us in the car: MJ the driver, Dondo Kante, manager of the University of Iowa Fongoli Research Project, me and Toto.

Toto is a four-year-old chimpanzee with a strong-headed personality who weighs in just over 66 lbs. Much to his dismay he was traveling caged instead of seated next to us as was usually the case. Toto rode in the car several days a week traveling from my house to a forest nearby where he spent the day climbing trees in training to be a chimpanzee. If not watched closely he would jump into the car before the driver did and plop himself behind the steering wheel. With his two hands tightly gripping the wheel he would rapidly jerk it back and forth.

But today was not a short jaunt to the forest. It was the beginning of an arduous three-day trip from Senegal to Guinea. For the safety of everyone,

including himself, we made the decision to confine him to a cage. With detailed planning and several rehearsals we successfully trapped Toto the night before. Having never been in a cage before, he was in surprisingly good spirits in the morning and typically ready for fun and games. It was only after about an hour of driving that he seemed to figure out that we were not going on a routine trip to the forest, and he got a bit worried.

Arriving just three hours before the border closed, we found at least a dozen colorful bush taxis each jammed full with 20 people already waiting to cross the border. Hundreds of people swarmed the road changing their money from one country currency to the other, buying plastic packets of water and finding street food to eat.

These would be the last people to cross the border that day because it would close at 6:00 sharp, with no exceptions. I was intimately aware of this restriction, having once arrived at 6:15.

When refused entry I had no option but to sleep on the side of the road as there were no hotels to be found.

I grew anxious as time passed without any movement ahead of us. Parked way at the back we were unable to catch the attention of the policeman controlling the passage of

vehicles. Dondo maneuvered his way through the crowd to the front where he explained we were on official business with proper documents. Within moments he motioned to me to come and I quickly joined him on foot with my pile of papers. I was ushered into the customs office right away where the policeman in charge, Officer Bah, kindly offered me a chair. We went through Toto’s papers, which had taken me almost a year to obtain; the CITES export document from the Senegal government; a letter from the Guinean Minister of Environment allowing Toto’s transfer into Guinea; a health certificate; an acceptance letter from the Centre de Conservation pour Chimpanzees (CCC) sanctuary in Guinea; my passport and visa; and the international insurance papers for the vehicle.

After reading every document word for word the officer looked at me and asked what I wanted to do in Guinea. Taking a deep breath I removed my glasses for a moment while pondering the possibility that we were not going to make it across the border tonight. It was clear that I needed more than just documents to convince this official. And so as any good African story teller would do, I began to recount Toto’s short life story.

Infancy

In August 2011, a student of Dr. Jill Pruetz, now Dr. Stacy Lindshield, and her research assistant Michel Sadiakho, found two-month old Toto lying on the ground near the body of his chimpanzee mother Tia who was dead. An investigation into her death determined that she had been bitten by a snake prior to falling to the ground.

Jill, a professor of anthropology at Iowa State University, had been studying the behavior of this population of chimpanzees, the Fongoli group, living Spring 2017 | 13

in Senegal, for the past 10 years. Jill happened to be in the United States at the time dealing with the imminent death of her own mother who was in hospital intensive care. She asked if I could help with Toto and without hesitation I said yes. In retrospect I should have thought through my response a bit more carefully.

Our decision, which was authorized and supported by the Senegal government, was to intervene in the affairs of the Fongoli chimpanzee population to save Toto from dying

of wild populations for 35 years when Toto came into my life. It had been almost 10 years since I had actually raised a baby chimpanzee and more like 20 since I had one as young as Toto.

When Jill contacted me it felt kind of surreal that I would have another baby chimp, as I was certain those days were over for me. I brought Toto to my house in Kedougou, a small town located in the southeastern corner of Senegal and not too far from where Toto was found. Though my compound was large, space would not be an issue until

Toto’s little body inside. This allowed me a bit of freedom for other activities while still providing him with constant physical contact. Toto’s feeding schedule was initially every two hours, which gradually spread to three and then four. I have always been nocturnal so the night shift was not so difficult for me, but continuing into the morning hours was rough. Fearful that he might hurt himself when I was asleep I put him in a small box in my bed next to me. When he awakened, I could hear him hitting the sides of the box and I

of exposure or being eaten by a wild animal. Our initial hope was to care for and nurture him until he was sufficiently independent to be released back to his wild natal group. Although we were acutely aware that the odds of Toto successfully rejoining his family were slim we felt it was worth the risk considering the impracticality and lack of appeal of the other options, which included leaving him on the ground, placement in Senegal’s national zoo in Dakar or establishing a new chimpanzee sanctuary in Senegal. Although the later alternative was a great idea, and would help more chimpanzees than just Toto, it required extensive amounts of time to organize and secure adequate financing. Neither Jill nor I had that kind of time.

I had been working with chimpanzee rehabilitation and the conservation

Toto was mobile and that wouldn’t be for quite some time.

At three to four months of age, all he could really do was wiggle, flail and vocalize. And Toto was by far the most vocal baby I had ever known. I picked up a couple of baby carriers in the second hand market and slipped

Above: As an infant, all Toto could do was wiggle, flail and vocalize.

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knew it was time to get up.

As it was impossible for me to stay in Senegal on a full-time basis, I brought someone from Guinea to help care for Toto. After a few months I brought in a second person. Jill and I shared the costs. With two full-time people Toto had 24-hour attention and constant physical contact, which simulated as close as possible what he would have with his mother. This also allowed me to come and go from my home in The Gambia.

The only contact Toto had was with those of us who cared for him.

We restricted his contact with anyone else in order to prevent disease transmission but also to reduce to an absolute minimum his exposure to humans. He fared well for the first couple of months but soon succumbed to a series of very serious respiratory infections, which he survived. By 12 months of age Toto’s health stabilized and he seemed to get bigger by the day.

He was in and out of diaper sizes in a flash. He was at least two times larger than any chimp of a similar age in The Gambia sanctuary and Jill confirmed the same was true for those in her wild study group.

First steps

After what seemed like a lifetime on the bottle I introduced solid foods to Toto.

We began with small pieces of soft papaya. Toto was domineering from the start and insisted that he hold the food himself and put it in his mouth.

I was fine with this but as he had no coordination at all there was more on his face and in his tight pudgy fists then in his stomach. It was the same with the liquid antibiotic. He insisted on holding the spoon and I struggled against his tight grip to ensure that some of the sticky substance ended up in his mouth. Trying to change his diaper required a near professional; when one side was secure I would start

with the opposite side but before I was finished he had already wiggled free from the other side.

Once Toto became mobile, the world was his and so was my compound. Watching him every second was an absolute necessity that made naptime a paradise for all of us.

We watched excitedly as his development and loco-motor skills advanced, including the first day he built up the momentum to scoot and, of course, his first tottering step. The day Toto learned to jump off the front step of my house was the biggest day of his life.

He struggled to climb up the six-inch step, grunting as he tried to raise his chubby short legs high enough. Once he finally made it up the step he turned to me and threw himself in the air for me to catch him. He wriggled to the ground immediately and breathing hard climbed up again. He repeated this at least 25 times before tiring.

As soon as Toto could walk with a degree of balance we started taking him out to a forested area where there were no people. We referred to these outings as “going on safari.” He was so curious and full of life it was a delight to watch him discover the world. If we even covered five square meters of space this was considered a big day. I photographed him constantly, even at night when he slept. Jill and I laughed hysterically at his antics. It was hard for him not to be central to our existence.

Toto was the happiest chimp I had ever known. He carried none of the emotional baggage I was used to with other chimps I had raised. The only characteristic that Toto had in common with them was that he was an orphan.

Perhaps because he lost his mother at such an early age he didn’t manifest the loss in the way older chimps did. Fortunately for him he had never experienced the horrors of capture, mistreatment or malnutrition. Toto had never skipped a meal and no one

had ever been unkind to him. Nevertheless we were all aware that what we provided was all only a poor substitute for life in the wild.

Change of plans

Once Toto reached the age of two we began to assess more seriously our original aim of returning him to the wild. Though we had rigidly restricted Toto’s exposure to people during his first two years, his behavior towards humans changed from one of fear to both curiosity and dominance. He took every opportunity to sneak away from supervision and climb over the fence to harass my neighbors. Although one could think of these actions as somewhat humorous at the time, they would have no survival value if exhibited by him in the wild.

In addition, during these early years of Toto’s development, conditions for his wild natal family changed dramatically in ways that did not favor his release. The destruction of their natural habitat had expanded and intensified with the growing human population involved in the practice of artisanal gold mining. Toto’s experience with humans, and his lack of fear, would increase his chances of being caught or being involved in an altercation with humans if he was found stealing food or in close proximity to human habitation. An altercation such as this could have a negative effect not only on Toto and the human involved, but also on the attitude of local communities toward chimpanzees in general.

These factors and the disappearance of his only known relative, his older sister Aimee, convinced us that release to his natal group was no longer a viable option.

We were now confronted with the same obstacles and frustrations of any private owner of a young chimp —what do we do with Toto? As my career had focused on rehabilitation one would

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have thought I was well placed to easily resolve this dilemma—but this proved not to be the case at all.

In early 2015, I reported my assessment of Toto’s situation to the Senegal Forestry authorities in Kedougou, providing them with a list of options for Toto and my evaluation of each one. My position was that as he could not be released into the wild without great risk to his life the next best option was to transfer him to a chimpanzee sanctuary. In a sanctuary he could live in a protected environment with some degree of freedom but more importantly he could share his life with other chimpanzees his own age. I emphasized that the longer we waited, the more difficult would be his socialization process as Toto’s experience with chimpanzees was limited to only his first two months of life.

The major drawback with this option was that Senegal did not currently have a chimpanzee sanctuary, meaning Toto would need to be transferred to another country.

Although sympathetic to my request, the local forestry authorities said that if Toto could not be released, he should be placed in the Dakar Zoo. They emphasized, that as an endangered species he should not be transported across international borders, as per the terms of the CITES convention.

Although I understood the purpose behind the regulations and policies, I wanted more for Toto.

In early 2016 I flew to Dakar to meet with the national director of forestry and asked that Toto’s case be treated as an exception. I specifically asked for permission to look outside Senegal for an appropriate placement for him in a chimpanzee sanctuary.

The director’s response was positive.

As great as this news was, it did not automatically translate into finding a home for Toto. There were only three chimpanzee sanctuaries in our sub-region of West Africa. As was the case

16 | Friends of Animals

for all primate sanctuaries in Africa, they were all bursting at the seams in terms of space and functioning on less than a skeleton budget.

Releasing Toto on the islands of the sanctuary in The Gambia, which I currently direct, was as risky as releasing him to the wild. Our four social groups were free roaming and closed to new membership. We could no longer intervene or protect a newly introduced individual. Sierra Leone had a policy of only accepting individuals from their own country and at the time I asked they were not accepting any chimpanzees due to the risks of Ebola transmission.

The sanctuary in Guinea, Centre de Conservation pour Chimpanzes, was at capacity with 52 chimps and without funds or space. However, it agreed to accept Toto if we provided sufficient funds for a new habitat.

With the sanctuary acceptance letter, the national director of forestry gave me permission to proceed. This next step took months and required extensive contact with the bureaucracies of both Senegal and Guinea.

Souleye N’diaye, a friend, colleague but more importantly the director of National Parks in Senegal, helped me navigate through the tedious obstacle course. Once I obtained the required Senegal documents I sent them to Guinea. But by the time I acquired permission from Guinea the documents from Senegal had expired and I had to start all over again.

Finally, in September 2016 I had a short window of time in which all documents were valid and I began to work on the complicated logistics of Toto’s trip to the sanctuary in Guinea.

I scheduled his transfer for the end of October when the rains would be over and travel on the mountainous roads of northern Guinea easier. Aware that the voyage would take at least two weeks, which I didn’t have at that time, I organized to rent a vehicle from Conakry to meet me at the border and take Toto to the sanctuary in southeastern Guinea. The sanctuary agreed to send one of their ex-employees to ensure that the trip went smoothly and to help with Toto if necessary. Dondo agreed to accompany Toto and stay with him the first two weeks to provide him with moral support. My job at this point would end with the handover of Toto.

Clockwise From Top Left: As a youngster, Toto loved to explore the forested area in Senegal. Jane Seymour captures Souleye N'diaye, Director of National Parks in Senegal. Dondo Kante captures a playful Toto before they head to Guinea.

Toto forages for food at his new home in Guinea.

‘King Kong’s’ next chapter Throughout my story, Officer Bah listened intently and without interruption as he barked at and waved away anyone attempting to enter his office.

I had the luxury of his complete attention. At the end he gave his summation of my prolonged story: “So Toto is Senegalese? And you are from Gambia? And Toto is alone in Senegal?

And you want him to go to Faranah to be with people of his own kind?”

Relieved, I said yes, yes and YES! With that he sprung up from his chair and with the full authority of his position I watched as he moved the world.

Out in the middle of the busy road, he swung his arms in the air motioning to our vehicle to come forward to the rope that divided the two countries. He then called various customs officials to my car, pointed to Toto and to my amazement recounted an accurate but shortened version of his life story. From there he moved in a zigzag fashion across the road from one office to the next: customs, immigration, forestry and other local government offices. Wherever he walked, the crowds gave way and I quickly followed in the fleeting open space so as not to be swallowed up by them. Office by office, he explained Toto’s story; some explanations were in

French, some in Malinke and some in Fulani. The common denominator of all was the word “Toto” accompanied by the gesture of his extended arm and index finger pointing to the car.

In no time at all, he had cleared our administrative path acquiring all the necessary official stamps on our documents, a feat which would have easily taken me several hours. His repeated reference to Toto attracted uncontrollable crowds to gather around the car.

This disturbed me immensely because I have seen caged chimps recently confiscated or mistreated by people suffer in similar situations. Fearful of humans they typically cry and quiver while trying to withdraw and hide in the corner of their cage.

But this was not the case with Toto, who seemed to adore and revel in the attention. With his hair bristled to make him look larger than he really was he stamped his feet up and down on the floor of his cage daring anyone to think for a moment that he was none other than King Kong.

We had one last customs post to clear and it was about 30 kilometers ahead of us in Guinea territory. With

Spring 2017 | 17

a handwritten letter from the authorities to facilitate our passage, we left just before six. As he dropped the rope for us to pass, Officer Bah assured me that if we returned that night he would make an exception and allow us to cross back into Senegal. On arrival at the final post I found the rented vehicle waiting for us. While I met with the final authorities, Dondo and the others transferred Toto’s cage from my vehicle to the rented vehicle. With the final document stamped I left the office to find the sun had already set taking with it the bright colors of day. And Toto was no longer in my car.

Cutting the Apron Strings Feeling a sudden rush of emotion, I realized the time had come to say goodbye. Throughout the frustrations and deliberations of the last days I had momentarily forgotten that achieving my goal meant that I was not going to see Toto again. Having planned this day for months, it seemed incongruous to me that there was no time for a proper goodbye; even worse that it had to take place in front of hundreds of strangers.

As I moved through the crowd, Toto’s eyes followed me. He stopped display-

18 | Friends of Animals

ing for the audience and grew quiet.

As I got close he arched his back pressing his fat stomach against the cage wire for me to touch. Curling his lips back and exposing his toothless grin he whimpered like a baby as he often did to get what he wanted. I scratched his stomach and pressed my face against his and softly said goodbye.

Backing away, I called to Dondo who was ready to join the vehicle. I heard my voice crack and realized I wasn’t going to be able to say goodbye without bursting into tears. But when my eyes met Dondo’s, I realized that he understood and speech wasn’t necessary after all. Dondo had been Jill’s research assistant for 12 years, during which time we had occasionally worked together on education programs that benefitted both Jill’s and my work with wild chimp populations. I ventured a guess that his knowledge and understanding of chimpanzee behavior had been enhanced immeasurably by his recent time caring for Toto. I was certain that Toto’s name would live forever in stories told by Dondo to his family and friends and from theirs on to the next generation. And through these stories, Toto would become the King Kong he thought he was.

Standing alone in the dark, I watched the rented car pull out onto

the dirt road, turn right and head south.

It would take them at least two long days of driving to get to the sanctuary.

I had given up trying to hold back my tears and was in full crying mode by now, which seemed to embarrass MJ the driver. Despite the fact that I had often complained that Toto ruled my life, I already missed him. But I knew Toto would be fine. I had no doubts of that. He was a robust little fellow and in perfect health. More importantly I had finally found him a home and he would soon have friends. My only regret was that I would miss his first meeting with another chimpanzee.

As the dust obscured my view of the departing vehicle I climbed into my car and, turning left, we headed north.

Author’s note: A big thanks to Friends of Animals for contributing to Toto's life. Toto's arrival in my life was sudden and unexpected, not to mention expensive. FoA responded quickly to my request for funds and its assistance was indispensable including a large donation to the Centre de Conservation pour Chimpanzees for a new enclosure to organize Toto's integration with his new colleagues.

BY NICOLE RIVARD

Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project extends help to

T

he daily work of the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project (CRP) in the River Gambia National Park does not only focus on critically endangered chimpanzees—it concerns the protection of many wildlife species, including the critically endangered indigenous red colobus inhabiting both the islands and the mainland.

While visitors to the River Gambia National Park can take boat expeditions through the river and estuaries to get a view of chimpanzees, baboons, hippos, crocodiles, manatees, and more than 240 species of birds, red colobus monkeys scamper around the mainland campsite, providing a very rare up close and personal glimpse into their marvelous lives and behaviors.

This place, where you can explore a mosaic of gallery, woodland and savanna forests, and the opportunity it provides to see wildlife, is unlike any other.

Spring 2017 | 19

Unfortunately, mainland red colobus populations are increasingly under threat by the alteration and destruction of their habitat. Located in the midst of their remaining habitat, the CRP camp has become a refuge for this very visible but rare primate, and that’s why CRP is increasing its efforts to protect the red colobus.

In the coming year, the CRP plans to take a more proactive role in protecting the mainland habitat in conjunction with its community development projects, which provide wells and gardens for village neighbors.

The striking red colobus, with its red or chestnut-brown limbs and black, slate-grey and dark brown head and shoulders, are mainly active during the day. Red colobus monkeys are herbivores who mainly eat leaves and are usually found in large groups of 20 to 80 individuals, although they split into smaller groups when foraging.

They are extraordinarily adapted to their entirely vegetarian and widely varied diet. They have special salivary glands, which are larger and produce more specialized saliva to help facilitate the breakdown of leaves before they even reach their digestive tract. The stomach of the red colobus is divided into chambers and is larger than those of other monkeys of a comparative size. This allows for longer digestion, so that most nutrients can be gleaned from the relatively low nutrient food.

Red Colobus monkeys at CRP

Interestingly, they are members of the group of primates called Old World monkeys and have non-prehensile tails, which means they can’t be used to cling onto branches in the way New World monkeys use their tails.

Contributions to Friends of Animals will help support the CRP’s efforts to protect these amazing creatures in conjunction with the local community, which is key to successful conservation work. In addition to making a donation, please consider a visit to the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project in the River Gambia National Park. Activities include a variety of boat tours, hikes to different locations, visits to neighboring projects and simple relaxation.

And you just might catch one of the most breathtaking sunrise vistas in The Gambia from the cliffs overhanging the River Gambia.

Accommodations are designed to allow guests to appreciate the environment while ensuring their presence does not damage the wilderness. To make a donation, visit www.friendsofanimals.org. To plan a trip, visit the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project in The Gambia Facebook page or email baboonislands@gmail.com for more information.

REVERSING CRIMES AGAINST NATURE FOA HELPS BRING ORYXES BACK FROM EXTINCTION

BY NICOLE RIVARD

I

t took scimitar-horned oryxes hundreds of years to evolve to the point of being fine-tuned to their African savannah habitat, an environment most creatures would find unbearable.

They developed a metabolism that functions at high temperatures so they need less water for evaporation to help conduct heat away from the bodies, enabling them to go for long periods without water. They can allow their body temperatures to rise to almost 115.7 degrees Fahrenheit before beginning to perspire.

And the inside of their nose is like a car radiator—when they breathe they remove heat from their blood before it reaches the brain. This feature, called carotid rete, protects them from heat that would be lethal to most mammals.

But just like that, oryxes and their fascinating biological traits were wiped out by hunters—it was reported the last survivors were killed

off in 1987 in Chad’s Wadi Achim Faunal Reserve. Since there had been no confirmed evidence of the survival of the species since the early 1990s, they were declared extinct in the wild by 2000.

“That humans could come along and kill them all is a crime; not just against the individual animals, but against nature itself,” said conservationist Bill Clark.

People in Africa were left to read about oryxes in the journals of 19th century explorers, who wrote about seeing herds stretching to the distant horizon and beyond.

That was before Friends of Animals became a beacon of hope for the oryx back in 1999, when the organization helped facilitate the return of the scimitar horned oryxes to their Sahelian habitat in Senegal, marking a historical project of faith, compassion and planning.

It is with great pride the organization can say that today 350 oryxes thrive within two expansive, fenced, fully-protected reserves (4,693 acres) —Guembeul Faunal Reserve and Ferlo Reserve—re-establishing a presence in their African homeland.

The ultimate goal is for them to live in protected freedom one day; certainly they are reproducing enough for that to happen. However, it is several years off due to lack of viable habitat outside of the reserves. An unre-

Oryxes at Guembeul Faunal Reserve in Senegal

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stricted meat economy, where the size of cattle herds is counted as the most important measure of a family’s wealth, has resulted in overgrazing and ecological ruin in the Sahel, much like America’s public lands out west.

Seeing hundreds of oryxes in their ancient habitat during a recent visit to Senegal was beyond gratifying for Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, who recalled that the project started with just eight adolescent oryxes delivered from a captive population living at the Hai Bar Animal and Nature Reserve in Israel.

Lara Logan asked if it were better to have scimitar-horned oryxes exist in Texas on hunting ranches if they can’t live free in Africa, I explained that they belong in Africa; that Friends of Animals initiated and supports a steadily increasing oryx population in Senegal and that these antelopes thrive on thousands of acres within protected reserves. I also said that being bred in Texas for the degrading and violent purpose of being killed to be turned into a wall ornament is no bargain.”

Another person delighted by the success of the return of oryxes to Senegal is Clark, who was working

they were first re-introduced: adjusting to drinking local, untreated unfiltered water; adjusting to feeding on local vegetation; and adjusting to the numerous nuisances and illnesses that naturally exist in Africa, such as flies, mosquitos, beetles and other insects that sting and bite and sometimes transmit pathogens.

“The project in Senegal has been so successful. We have the numbers—the proof of the pudding is in the tasting as they say,” Clark said.

“We have 350 oryxes in Senegal and the project is less than 20 years old.

We taught the Senegalese how to take care of these animals, and the lesson

Oryxes at Guembeul Faunal Reserve in Senegal

“We visited Guembeul, one of the lovely reserves in November 2016, and after seeing so much land in northern Senegal saturated with goat and cow grazing, it’s rewarding to see antelopes and patas monkeys protected in the reserve where they don’t have to compete with animal farming for grasses and water, and are never subject to hunters,” Feral said.

“In January 2012, when I was interviewed for ‘60 Minutes,’ and

22 | Friends of Animals

with Israel’s Nature and National Parks Protection Authority at the time of the transfer and who helped train several Senegalese park officials in animal nutrition and veterinary techniques before the animals arrived in Africa. Clark represents Israel at UN wildlife meetings and works on numerous international conservation projects.

He knows better than anyone the challenges the oryxes faced when

was properly learned.”

Clark explained that the most important lesson he taught the Senegalese was to take a hands-off approach with the oryxes and “just leave them alone.”

“A lot of reintroduction projects involve frequently handling the animals. People put radio collars on them, and take blood from them every three weeks, they do this and that, all kinds of manipulations. And

“In January 2012, when dollars in funding and enormous technical expertise.”

I was interviewed for But relatively speaking, Clark ‘60 Minutes,’ and Lara says, the oryx project in Senegal has Logan asked if it were operated on a shoestring budget.

“People shy away from reintroducbetter to have scimi- tion because of the expense. But tar-horned oryxes exist the success of this project proves projects can be done. Here the in Texas on hunting these biggest expense is wire fencing—two ranches if they can’t dollars a foot. You can have as much live free in Africa, I land as you can fence.”

While it is typical to think of explained that they fencing as an enclosure, in terms of belong in Africa; that the oryx project the fencing serves Friends of Animals initi- as an enclosure keep the cattle and other livestock out. “We have our ated and supports a habitat and we want to exclude them steadily increasing oryx from that to preserve it,” Clark said.

More fencing to enlarge the population in Senegal reserves to approximately 50 square and that these ante- miles is what Clark envisions for lopes thrive on thou- the oryx project to have continued success. He would like to see buffer sands of acres within protected reserves. I also said that being then they wonder why the animals bred in Texas for the aren’t reproducing so very well,” degrading and violent Clark explained. “Well they are purpose of being killed stressed out half of the time because they’ve got humans following them to be turned into a around. They’re looking over their wall ornament is no shoulder because there’s a guy with bargain.” - Priscilla Feral a radio receiver in his hand following him all over the place.

“The best thing to do is leave them at peace, monitor them from a distance and only make interventions when it’s really necessary.

The Senegalese have a very enviable accomplishment. Their record stands very well when compared to other endangered species recovery projects. For example, the California condor project started in 1982 with 23 birds, and now there are 410. And the black-footed ferret project started in 1986 with 13 and now there are about 300 in the wild. The big difference being the condor and ferret projects benefited from millions of

areas around the edge of the reserves negotiated as well. Buffer areas would be restricted to very limited numbers of livestock, so more habitat could recover. “Seeds from the prairie grass will spread beyond the wire fence, and if it doesn’t get gobbled up by cattle and goats right away, it will sprout and regenerate and in about three years it could be restored to a large part,” Clark said. “Of course it would be nice to see oryxes with no fencing someday, however there just isn’t enough habitat for them. So then why release them out into the Sahel.”

TAKE ACTION You can support Friends of Animals work in Africa by making a donation at www.friendsofanimals.org.

Clark also sees incorporating local people into the future plans of the oryx project by teaching them to grow productive vegetable gardens and discouraging their reliance on cattle-based economies. “The local community has to understand the benefits of improving their own landscapes, which will inevitably improve their quality of life,” he said.

Lastly Clark said he hopes some new young males from a captive population can be introduced into the project to ensure there is no risk of a genetic bottleneck down the road.

None of these efforts will happen overnight or be simple. However, FoA and Clark know they are worth the time and investment to rescue oryxes from extinction. “Simply put, oryxes deserve it,” he says. “They were hunted to extinction, mostly for trophies. Hunters just killed them off. Every last one of them.”

Standing at about four feet at shoulder height and weighing up to 440 pounds, the Scimitar is an impressive species of oryx. Its distinctive arc-shaped horns are used to give a swift upper cut when predators attack, but they are also used during courtship. Interestingly, it is believed that the unicorn myth may have originated from sightings of a scimitar oryx with a broken horn.

“They may look alike but each one is truly and individual. They are thinking all the time. They are wonderful,” Clark said.

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NATURE VERSUS NURSERY?

When it comes to the birds and bees, native plants are typically more valuable than their cultivars

BY NICOLE RIVARD

W

e know you are reading Action Line because you care about animals and the environment, and we know that, like us, you are concerned about the sixth great extinction the world is facing.

The good news is you actually have the power to slow the rate of extinction by what you do in your own garden and backyard, and that’s empowering!

The best thing you can do for animals and the environment is plant flowering plants, shrubs and trees that are native to the area in which you live, according to Dr. Douglas Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, and a professor at University of Delaware.

24 | Friends of Animals

Native plants are the indigenous terrestrial and aquatic species that have evolved and occur naturally in a particular region, ecosystem and habitat.

Species native to North America are generally recognized as those occurring on the continent prior to European settlement.

Tallamy lectures all over the country about how specialized relationships between animals and plants are the norm in nature rather than the exception. Of course native species will differ according to where you live in the United States. But overall his message is simple: Plants that evolved in concert with local animals provide for their needs better than plants that evolved elsewhere.

“He argues that almost all birds need to feed their young on

insects. He talks about things like the importance of growing native plants that will attract native caterpillars, because birds need caterpillars to rear their young,” said Dr. Kimberly Stone, a bee researcher at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station who, on Jan.1, 2017, published A Citizen’s Guide to Creating Pollinator Habitat in Connecticut.

“In his book he shares statistics on how many caterpillars a chickadee needs to eat in order to successfully raise a clutch of young. And he talks about which native plants attract the greatest diversity of caterpillars and presents that as a good thing, because of course gardeners for a long time have been wanting plants that don’t have caterpillars feeding on them. They saw that as a bad thing.

His research is changing that whole mindset.”

Tallamy’s research has shown that alien ornamentals support 29 times less biodiversity than do native ornamentals. He points out that in the United States gardeners often plant Kousa dogwood, a species from China that supports no insect herbivores, instead of our native flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) that supports 117 species of moths and butterflies alone.

“In hundreds of thousands of acres we have planted golden raintree from China instead of one of our beautiful oaks and lost the chance to grow 532 species of caterpillars, all of them nutritious bird food,” Tallamy writes.

THE MOVEMENT TOWARDS NATIVE—AVOIDING THE PITFALLS As a bee researcher, Stone is thrilled that Tallamy has developed a constituency over the last several years, and says that when you combine that with the fact that initiatives to address pollinator decline are widespread and growing in the United States—there truly is a movement towards cultivating habitats that foster pollinators.

However, while a growing demand for native plants and ecological landscaping sounds fantastic, there is more to the story.

The demand has led to the selection and breeding of native cultivars by the nursery and landscape industry. A cultivar is a human-bred variety of a native plant that has been selected, cross-bred, or hybridized for more “desirable” characteristics.

In fact, cultivars are becoming more readily available for purchase at garden centers than true “straight” natives.

The problem is that some of the traits humans find attractive in

cultivars when they try to create that jaw-dropping garden that is the envy of their neighbors—such as larger flowers, double flowers, shorter stems, or unique color—can actually make the plant less attractive to pollinators, according to research like that from PhD. candidate Annie White at the University of Vermont, and Penn State’s Pollinator Trial, a study that took place from 2012-2105.

“There are several different people who are doing research on this, but its research in progress, so there’s not really a simple story to tell,” Stoner said.

In some cases, the research is showing these forced characteristics may actually decrease the quantity, quality and accessibility of the nectar and pollen rewards.

Research at the University of Vermont indicated that of the 13 plant pairs being evaluated, seven of the cultivars attracted significantly fewer bee pollinators than the straight species. There was no significant difference in pollinator visits in five of the pairs, and one cultivar attracted significantly more native bee pollinators than the straight species. One clear trend was observed across all species; the more manipulated the cultivars became, the less attractive they became to pollinators. Although the research didn’t answer why some pollinators preferred the straight native species, researchers hypothesized the color differences and decreased nectar and pollen production in hybridized cultivars were leading factors.

In Penn State’s experiment, there were 14 direct comparisons and about 50 percent of the time the straight native species was better than the cultivar. For example, Monarda fistulosa, was substantially better than the cultivar, Monarda ‘Claire Grace’. On the other hand the cultivar Symphyotrichum ‘October Skies’ was substan-

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF POLLINATION

CLEAN AIR Flowering plants produce breathable oxygen by utilizing the carbon dioxide produced by plants and animals as they respire. Levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have been rapidly increasing in the last century, however, due to increased burning of fossil fuels and destruction of vital forests, the “earth’s lungs.” Pollinators are key to reproduction of wild plants in our fragmented global landscape.

Without them, existing populations of plants would decline, even if soil, air, nutrients, and other life-sustaining elements were available.

WATER AND SOILS Flowering plants help to purify water and prevent erosion through roots that holds the soil in place, and foliage that buffers the impact of rain as it falls to the earth. The water cycle depends on plants to return moisture to the atmosphere, and plants depend on pollinators to help them reproduce.

Spring 2017 | 25

tially better than the straight native species Symphyotrichum oblongifolium. Researchers concluded it was not possible to generalize that cultivars are always poorer than straight native species when it comes to being attractive to pollinators.

Since research is just in the beginning stage of what needs to be more scientific evaluations of native species and all their cultivars, what’s a gardener to do?

Stoner advises gardeners who want to guarantee their plants will fit into their native ecosystem in a natural way and will attract pollinators should ask nurseries and garden centers for straight native species as opposed to cultivars.

“Asking for straight species will ensure you have a plants that fit into your local ecosystem that the animals in your area have evolved with. You may have to go to smaller more specialized nurseries in order to find the straight species,” Stoner said. “I know, for example, that in Connecticut

there are some really small nurseries focused on straight species of native plants that are native to Connecticut that don’t ship their plants to other places. I assume there are other nurseries like that around the country if you do some investigating.”

In terms of future research, Tallamy is currently looking at the straight species of woody plants and comparing them to cultivars that have been selected for interesting foliage, increased fruiting, disease resistance and plant habit. He and other researchers are comparing the diversity and abundance of caterpillars in the food webs of straight species to their cultivars.

Tallamy is forgiving when it comes to people who don’t realize their yards are wildlife preserves that represent the last chance we have for sustaining plants and animals that were once common throughout the United States.

“If this is news to you, it’s not your fault,” he writes. “We were

taught from childhood that gardens are for beauty; they are a chance to express our artistic talents, to have fun with and relax in. And, whether we like it or not, the way we landscape our properties is taken by our neighbors as a statement of our wealth and social status.

“But no one has taught us that we have forced the plants and animals that evolved in North America to depend more and more on human-dominated landscapes for their continued existence. We have always thought that biodiversity was happy somewhere out there ‘in nature;’ in our local woodlot, or perhaps our state and national parks. We have heard nothing about the rate at which species are disappearing from our neighborhoods, towns, counties and states. Even worse, we have never been taught how vital biodiversity is for our own well-being.”

Flies

WHO ARE THE POLLINATORS?

Wasps Bats Birds

Beetles Bees Ants 26 | Friends of Animals

WEBSITES TO VISIT FOR RESEARCH ON NATIVE PLANTS AND POLLINATORS

NATIVE PLANT SOCIETIES These organizations promote preservation, conservation, and knowledge about native plants. Most include a wide array of activities and information including field trips, wild wildflower walks, wildflower presentations, seed exchanges, native plant gardening, restoration information, photo galleries, botanical references, newsletters, plant lists, information about invasive plants and plant classes. www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/links.shtml THE XERCES SOCIETY The Xerces Society is a non-profit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. Established in 1971, the Society is at the forefront of invertebrate protection worldwide, harnessing the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of citizens to implement conservation programs. Their website is loaded with information including plant lists, identification guides, videos and more. The Xerces Society is a great resource hub for gardeners and landscapers seeking information on creating pollinator and beneficial insect-friendly gardens. www.xerces.org

THE POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP The Pollinator Partnership’s mission is to promote the health of pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education, and research. Their signature initiatives include the NAPCC (North American Pollinator Protection Campaign), National Pollinator Week, and Ecoregional Planting Guides. www.pollinator.org UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT PhD. candidate Annie White under advisor Dr. Leonard Perry is conducting research at the University of Vermont focused on evaluating flowering plant selection for pollinator habitat enhancement on open-pollinated natives vs. native cultivars. This project is funded in part through a Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education grant. More information: mysare.sare. org/sare_project/ONE12-169/ and Annie’s website: pollinatorgardens.org

WILD ONES Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities.

They are a national non-profit organization with local chapters educating about the many benefits of growing native wildflowers in people’s yards. www.wildones.org

Butterflies

Moths

Spring Spring 2017 2017 || 27 27

BY

MEG

MC

INT

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

I

f everyone could have a vegan personal chef, there would likely be less excuses for why it’s too hard to adopt a plant-based lifestyle.

While that scenario is a pipe dream, we are encouraged that meal delivery services, perhaps the next best thing to having a personal chef, which are certainly on the uptrend, are offering plant-based meals on their menu— and some are completely vegan.

The global “meal kit” market topped $1 billion in 2015 and is positioned to change the way consumers think about food at home. The U.S. market alone is projected to increase tenfold in the next five years and grow to a multi-billion dollar market, according to Technomic, a research and consulting firm for the food industry. Today there are more than 100 meal delivery services in the United States, and new ones are springing up all the time.

The idea behind meal-kit companies—you may have heard of the big ones like Blue Apron, Plated or Hello Fresh—is that each week you're sent a box with perfectly

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IRE

MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES ARE MAKING IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR PEOPLE TO GO VEGAN

portioned ingredients and step-by-step instructions that show you how to cook a meal from scratch.

Even the New York Times has bought into the trend— over the summer it partnered with meal-delivery startup Chef’d and has begun selling ingredients for recipes from its NYT Cooking website. Ingredients are sent to readers within 48 hours.

What’s intriguing about this trend is that many of the delivery services market themselves as healthy and fresh alternatives to the typical last minute, microwavable or take-out dinner many Americans fall back on. The companies offering plant-based, cruelty-free meals also claim they make transitioning to a vegan diet a little easier because they offer pre-planned options and step-by-step

instructions to guide customers through the sometimes daunting process of adopting a plant-based lifestyle.

It’s easy to be skeptical of these services but given the fact that they’ve become ubiquitous and that entirely vegan meal delivery services are now taking off, we decided to think outside the box and take a look inside the box of a few popular meal delivery kits that contain vegan meals, as well as examine the companies that sell them:

This is an entirely vegan company that provides natural, plant-based food and recipes to customers on a weekly basis. Interestingly, 30-year career journalist and noted New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman left the paper to join Purple Carrot to put some of his principles into action.

Vegans aren't Purple Carrots’ only demographic: The company, which received a “very good” from Consumer Reports, aims to provide flavorful, filling and creative meals to anyone interested in incorporating nutritious and cruelty-free meals into their diets, vegan or not.

The meals are delivered straight to your door (you have a window of several days to choose the arrival of your delivery, which is nice for planning purposes) and the items are separated and labeled based on recipe.

Everything is portioned already, but you do need basic kitchen equipment: cutting knives, pots, pans, etc.

This is not the meal plan service for you if you don't want to get messy in the kitchen. A lot of the recipes require multiple cooking appliances and not all of the recipes are for total beginner cooks, but the photos do help. There are also only two options to choose from currently for The Purple Carrot: three meals for two people, two meals for four people. This might be limiting — especially if you live by yourself.

SAMPLE MENU: Creamy polenta with awesome bolognese, falafel hash with grapefruit-arugula tabbouleh, crispy rutabaga rosti with garlicky balsamic spinach WHAT CONSUMERS ARE SAYING: “I switched to a vegan lifestyle in June of 2016, but as a busy professional, was finding it difficult to plan, shop and cook. I signed up

for TPC in November 2016 and couldn't be happier. Even though there have been one or two meals I didn't care for, I love the variety. I love trying things I would not normally eat or cook with (like sweet potatoes and fresh fennel). I love that all the prep work is done. I love the peace of mind knowing I have all the ingredients needed. I love not having to do the grocery shopping and then throwing away the unused stuff.”

“Note of caution about Purple Carrot: You have to be an experienced cook to prepare the meals in the time specified on the recipes. Also, recipes do call for specialized gadgets such as blenders, food peelers, etc., so if you do not own them, it may not be possible for you to prepare some of the meals. Finally, this service is not cheap—buying the same ingredients at the store would cost much less. However, if you can afford it, TPC will save you a lot of time by doing the shopping and looking for recipes for you.”

Green Chef, which got an “excellent” from Consumer Reports, is actually one of the most expensive meal delivery options currently on the market, but it only uses certified organic and sustainably sourced ingredients, which sets them apart from other services. It is not entirely vegan but offers a vegan menu.

Green Chef offers more “done for you” ingredients, which means the meal requires less work—things like salad dressings, marinated veggies, and sauces arrive pre-mixed (but fresh). This also means fewer dishes in the sink when you’re done. One thing that stood out about Green Chef is that it packages ingredients in sustainable materials, unlike other companies that seem to use unnecessary amounts of plastic to ship their ingredients.

SAMPLE MENU: Maple-glazed tofu with veggie-studded couscous and apple-celery root salad; chorizo seitan flautas CUSTOMER COMMENTS: “Green Chef food is good.

However their customer service is terrible. Unlike other delivery companies, they do not provide an email reminder when a delivery is about to ship. If you have an unexpected business trip pop up or friends who visit, you cannot modify or skip

Spring 2017 | 29

your order. And it's more expensive than other companies.”

“The natural flavors pop a tiny bit more, probably because everything is organic and the meals are created more to exploit the natural tastes rather than trying to layer on deep multidimensional flavors. A lot of the sauces are already made and come in a plastic jar so that cuts on prep time but also means that you may not learn how to make the sauce for yourself.

We've gotten pretty good at making these such that we can get everything done in under 20-25 minutes. There will be some chopping and often a bit of finishing in the oven at the end but in general, you're working on 2 or 3 aspects of preparation.”

choose from more than 40 meals a la carte, selecting their favorite meals personally or with a preset meal pack, such as a high-protein meal plan or a low-calorie pack.

Alternatively, busy customers can subscribe to Veestro’s meal subscription service, with meal packs delivered every two weeks, either for three days a week, five days a week, or seven days a week.

Veestro costs more than your average frozen dinner and some customers have complained about varying pre-heating instructions that come along with the meals. Veestro also does use plastic packaging, although it is working on a more sustainable way of delivering meals.

SAMPLE MENU: Lentil meatloaf; portobello steak dinner; golden chickpea stew; veggie pesto pizza.

Veestro is a little different from the other services mentioned above because it provides the option of having fully cooked vegan meals delivered to your door. According to its website, the company uses ingredients that are “all organic, no preservatives, and non-GMO. Chef-prepared meals and juices are delivered right to your door, ready to heat and eat when you are.” Veestro claims that it takes the pain out of living a healthy lifestyle by providing three different methods of ordering. Customers can

CUSTOMER COMMENTS: “This is vegan, yes, but not vegetable-forward. I wanted more vegetables versus consuming processed meat/dairy substitutes. I think the ’WHY PLANTS’ section of their page turned into ’WHERE PLANTS.’ I feel I barely had any vegetables on Veestro. Maybe that's a lot to ask from frozen food delivered from across the country?”

“Bottom line: We are saving money and time and stress. We are eating healthier and smarter. The food is great. We have not had one single ‘bad’ item. The service is quick and convenient.”

THE GLOBAL “MEAL KIT” MARKET TOPPED

$1

BILLION IN 2015 AND IS POSITIONED TO CHANGE THE WAY CONSUMERS THINK ABOUT FOOD AT HOME.

30 | Friends of Animals

BY MEG MCINTIRE

FoA JOINS THE PEOPLE'S CLIMATE MARCH We’re proud to be part of the 2017 People’s Climate March coalition, which will be mobilizing crowds on April 29, 2017 in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate against the new administration's environmental policies.

Friends of Animals will be the only animal advocacy organization taking part in the march and we’re glad to have the opportunity to connect the dots between the planet’s climate and the drastic effects it has on animals around the world.

At Friends of Animals, we are concerned about much of our population’s reckless and irresponsible attitude about what it means to be human on a planet with finite resources. They represent an insistence on occupying and conquering every square inch of

this planet, with complete disregard for the billions of nonhuman animals we share this planet with; that’s not to mention diminishing resources like access to clean water,which is already a burden for millions across the globe.

As humans expand and continue to devour land and other natural resources, we must remember that our ecosystem is complex and dynamic.

Animals—both human and nonhuman— depend on one another.

That’s why it is critical humans start considering the animals with which we share the planet and start changing our course of action if we are to ensure there is room for all of us. You can learn more about overpopulation and the negative impact it's having on the planet by checking out our Winter issue of Action Line magazine available on our website.

The People's Climate effort is recreating the coalition that put together the largest climate march in history: when 400,000 people gathered in the streets of New York City in September 2014

to coincide with the United Nations' general assembly.

This time, groups are turning their sights on Washington, where the new administration is unleashing an agenda that aims to sweep aside climate protections and expand fossil fuel development.

Climate activist Bill McKibben, the co-founder of 350.org, wrote in a story in Rolling Stone magazine that the purpose of the march was "to show the election didn't cancel physics."

"Politicians need to be reminded, even as they do the bidding of the industry, that the rest of us are watching," McKibben wrote, noting that the march will take place on the 100th day of the Trump administration. "His early surge can't be avoided, but it can be slowed."

Get updates about how you can take action and participate in the march by signing up for our email alerts or by visiting the People’s Climate March website peoplesclimate.org.

Spring 2017 | 31

ASHEVILLE, N.C.:

A

WHERE BEER AND BEARS COEXIST

BY DUSTIN RHODES

sheville, a small city of 90,000 in the mountains iPhone and suddenly a yearling black bear was in my face, of western North Carolina, is known for many having encroached on my personal space. We both scared things: stunning views, outdoor sports of all types, each other and stumbled back several feet to appraise the artists of every variety, almost unanimously lefty politics situation. The young bear decided that Ferdinand was in a reddish state. It’s been named the "#1 Best in the U.S. more interesting than me; they sniffed each other, and Travel 2017 Destination" by Lonely Planet, the largest travel then parted company.”

Julian added that, “Every year we see all sizes and guide book publisher in the world. It’s also affectionately known as the beer capitol of the United States—boasting shapes of bears in our yard and in the neighborhood. Our more breweries per capita than any other city. It’s a hippie favorites are the momma bears with cubs. Three cubs make for a three-ring-circus— mecca that exudes Southbouncing off trees, rocks, ern charm. their mothers, and each Black bears have other. Using any object decided that Asheville in your yard as a baby toy, is pretty cool, too. And and as a friend once called unlike people in most them, ‘power raccoons.’ If cities, the residents not they can't break it they will only don’t mind, many bend it. On these occasions love it. And Friends of Animals couldn’t be you have to remember that happier. a female bear is rightfully Mary Julian is a protective of her cubs, so retired high school it is always best to observe history and government their antics from either teacher who calls Asheindoors or from a safe ville home, and emboddistance.”

Juvenile black bear peers curiously through Julian's car window. ies everything wonderful Even though omnivabout the Asheville community: intelligence, fierceness orous black bears can reach 500 pounds and sprint at and animal-friendly. With some frequency, like many resi- 35 mph, they generally are shy and try to avoid humans. dents here, she encounters bears while walking Ferdinand, Mothers with cubs pose the most danger to humans, so it’s best to keep a safe distance and avoid startling them. her beloved lab.

Julian’s attitude echoes that of many Asheville resi“My most recent encounter began with me mistaking the bear for a black dog,” she said. “I was texting on my dents—a live-and-let-live attitude that is unusual when

32 | Friends of Animals

it comes to wildlife living in close proximity to humans.

Julian says, “Wildlife is an integral part of making one's life complete. Our neighborhood is blessed with wildlife large and small: from birds to foxes, and recently, an increase in the number of bears. Being able to watch and observe such a rich variety of wildlife in close proximity to one's home enriches your life. Many neighborhoods in Asheville are open for the opportunity to interact with the outdoors and bears are a bonus.”

It’s estimated that 20,000 black bears live in the state of North Carolina, although it’s unknown how many live in and pass through the city of Asheville, although sightings and reports from residents suggest that there are quite a few. Biologists used to believe that bears and humans could not co-exist, but Asheville is modeling peaceful co-existence with wildlife.

North Carolina, as a whole, is unsurprisingly not as progressive about black bears and wildlife in general— possessing, like most state governments, an attitude of human dominance and control. For example, 3,000 black bears were killed by hunters in 2015 in the state—although not in Asheville, where hunting is illegal.

Currently, a bear study—which is at the half-way point—is being conducted by North Carolina State University, to determine where bears live and travel, how many there are and what their habits are. Biologists believe that bears travel through the city to reach dense forest on its outskirts, including Asheville’s 22,000-acre watershed to the northeast and national forest to the southwest. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs between those areas.

Unfortunately, this study also entails capturing and placing monitors on the bears, so they can be tracked.

This could lead to calls for more bear hunting in North Carolina, as wildlife biologists often play god—claiming to know how many of each animal has the right to exist and issuing state-sponsored hunts aimed at “curbing” populations. Thankfully, Asheville—in myriad ways—remains decidedly independent on countless issues, which is good for bears and humans alike.

When Julian is asked what other communities could learn from Asheville’s progressive attitude toward black bears, she offered sage advice: “They can learn tolerance. A bear is seeking food and safety. If communities give bears respect for their territory and give them space to be a wild bear, conflicts won't occur.”

Friends of Animals couldn’t agree more.

SOME TIPS FOR CO-EXISTING WITH BLACK BEARS: Secure bags of trash inside cans stored in a garage, basement or other secure areas.

Place trash outside, as late as possible, on trash pick-up days -- not the night before. Keep all garbage sites clean.

If a bear is in the area, remove bird feeders and hummingbird feeders, even those advertised as “bear proof.”

Avoid “free-feeding” pets outdoors.

Do not leave pet foods out overnight.

If you must feed pets outdoors, make sure all food is consumed and empty bowls are removed.

Clean all food and grease from barbecue grill after each use. Bears are attracted to food odors and may investigate.

Sprinkling ammonia or other strong disinfectants on garbage can mask the odor of food.

Frighten the bear. Shouting, clapping, blasting a car horn or motion-sensitive lights may scare off a bear temporarily.

If a black bear does aggressively make contact, fight back.

Leave the bear alone. Crowds of people can unnerve a bear, causing it to act unpredictably. The crowd should disperse and allow the bear to move on undisturbed.

Talk to your neighbors. Make sure your neighbors and community are aware of ways to prevent bear conflicts.

Spring 2017 | 33

IN MEMORIAM Friends of Animals has received kind donations in memory of the following individuals:

ELAINE LAWSON

REILLY HOUGH

GILBERT

SHERWIN BASH

GANSETT & MULLIGAN NOWYGROD

BELLA & ZIGGY

ALICE M. ALEXANDER CAROL SCOTT PILIGIAN MORTICIA ADDAMS HOFFMAN LUCIE HUNT RICHARD LLOYD FAITH JAMGOTCHIAN SHARYN L. EZZO MEGAN MITCHELL GREORGE PIDANY HAROLD SILVER SHIRLEY D. EVERITT ALBERT MYERS TERESA GIAMANCO ETHYL WOLF SHANNON JUENGLING MARY VANDERLIP FRANK DELVIN KAREN RUTH BORTNICK CHARENE SMITH ELLEN WENDY WEISS CHARLES

ROVER, TIGGER & REBECCA

34 | Friends of Animals

TOMMY AGAPE RUDOLPH BRANDI & SAM SIMBAH ANDY OMBI POOKIE TRILLION BOB AXEL MAXWELL NICO QUEE REX WINKIE BENTLEY

BUDWEISER OZZIE OLIVE HATCH PAUL MOLLY BEAN MAGGIE ANDERSON KONA ETHEL BUFFY, MIDNIGHT, BAILEY, MADDIE, MILTON, KALI, ANGEL & ABU COSMO SOPHIE MARSHMELLOW & EDDIE LUCY TROUBLE WOODY

GIGI

ANNIE, ZOE, BENJI, BAILEY & ABBY

JOSH

JESSE BEAR & DUKE

DORA, RASCAL & DIANA

LUCKY

COOPER

BEULLA

XIAN

SPOOK & MAX

MILLIE

BOO

NEWMAN

INKY DOO

CHEERS

JEERS

VEGAN POWERED We have a humongous cheer for vegan professional race car driver Leilani Munter. Not only is she considered one of the top 10 female drivers, she puts the pedal to the metal when it comes to advocating for a better planet.

And she made headlines on Feb. 18 because she drove the first vegan-powered race car during the Automobile Racing Club of America race in Daytona, Fla. Painted bright green and blue with the words “Vegan Powered, Munter’s No. 15 Toyota Camry, fielded by Venturini Motorsports, marked the first time a vegan-themed race car competed at Daytona. Munter also partnered with vegan hunger relief and food justice nonprofit A Well-Fed World to bring vegan food and vegan starter guides to thousands of race car fans attending that race, as well as the Daytona 500 NASCAR finale Feb. 26. Stay tuned for our interview with Munter in Summer Action Line.

MENU MAKES YOU LOSE YOUR APPETITE Jeers to Edible Canada’s president and executive chef Eric Pateman, who will feature Newfoundland seal pappardelle as one of his entrees for the Dine Out Vancouver menu, which highlights Canadian cuisine for the country's 150th birthday.

Canada's barbaric seal hunt has been the subject of protest for decades, with Friends of Animals (FoA), other animal advocacy groups and celebrities calling for an end to the inherently inhumane killing of young seals. Sealers can use rifles, shotguns, clubs and hakapiks.

We encourage visitors to boycott Edible Canada.

You can also call or email Edible Canada [Phone: (604) 558-0040 (604) 682-6681/Email: info@ediblecanada.com] to let Pateman know his menu turns your stomach.

FoA knows all too well how horrifying seal kills are. In 1968, it led the movement to end an equally horrifying seal kill in Alaska. And in the 1980s, FoA successfully lobbied the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to end the commercial fur treaty between the USA, USSR, Japan and Canada that required the annual slaughter of approximately 25,000 fur seals on their Pribilof Island breeding grounds in Alaska. The treaty lapsed, and seals were no longer clubbed to have their skins divided with those countries.

SAFE ACT WOULD PROTECT U.S. HORSES Cheers to Florida Congressman Vern Buchanan, who kicked off the 115th Congress by introducing the SAFE Act, which permanently bans the killing of horses for human consumption in America. The bill also bans the export of live horses to Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses where the animals are killed and then shipped overseas.

This legislation would protect America’s wild horses in a way that the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971 has not been able to—we know that wild horses who have been stolen from America’s public lands by the Bureau of Land Management have ended up at slaughter houses.

And we know the agency has gotten away with it.

If that wasn’t horrific enough, don’t forget that in September, the agency’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board backed a position that could see some wild horses, who have been rounded up and imprisoned in holding facilities, slaughtered.

The Advisory Board is a mouthpiece for the cattle and sheep ranching industry (ranchers have always sat on the board). The industry’s vendetta against wild horses has reached an all-time high as other special interests compete for space on America’s public lands such as mining companies, hunting businesses and oil and gas companies.

YES, ALL FUR IS BAD Jeers to New York Times' Fashion Director, Vanessa Friedman, and her praise-filled article “Is All Fur Bad Fur?” about the niche world of the Alaskan trapping and fur industry. Friedman implores readers to open their minds while reading the article and consider a type of “ethical” fur, but we say there’s no right way to do the wrong thing. Friedman focused on Peter Paul Kawagaelg Williams, the founder of Shaman Furs, who identifies as an environmental activist and member of the Yup’ik tribe.

Companies like Williams’ claim that they treat the animals who they are slaughtering with respect, which sets them apart from the industrial fur industry. But we know that any time an animal’s life is taken for the fashion industry, it is a travesty.

The truth is there is no way to regulate the atrocities of the fur industry...whether you’re talking about large scale fur farms or small, local operations. That’s why the only option is to never wear fur so the industry fails and disappears for good.

Spring 2017 | 35

LETTERS HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE MOST INVASIVE SPECIES You’re right—inflicting pain in order to limit the spread of other invasive species is indefensible unless we reverse the expansion of the most invasive species of all, human beings.

Not only does human overpopulation contribute to animal abuse but to most of the environmental and social calamities now overtaking us.

Is there hope? The evidence is not encouraging, but the only honorable thing to do, if we love this beautiful world that has been entrusted to us, is to keep trying to educate people and thereby to change the situation.

Thank you for setting an example of courage.

KERSTIN AND ROBERT ADAMS • VIA EMAIL

HUMAN OVERPOPULATION ARTICLE IS SPOT ON Your current magazine article on human overpopulation is brilliant.

Homo sapiens are the first to destroy other species, their own and their environment by not controlling reproduction. It is why we are losing the battle to preserve and protect wildlife and why the horrific factory farms are booming.

China is the first known country to reduce its population (from 2 billion to 1.2 billion) by its 1-child incentives (now 2-child) and received criticism for this. With some religions against birth

36 | Friends of Animals

control and our federal plans to defund Planned Parenthood, we are moving toward extinction. In many societies, women are subject to forced sex, producing untold unwanted babies.

An organization I belong to (Universal Spirit) believes that the basis for human suffering is our brutal treatment of animals, including each other. In the first book of the Bible, God tells Adam and Eve, "You shall eat the fruit of the vine, and it shall be as meat to you ... and so it shall be with all other living creatures ... " It is a clear command to be vegetarian.

I welcome the suffering to end through our self-extermination--the only way I see for renewal to occur.

Meanwhile, education, saving and helping every creature we can, and going vegan continue to alleviate the abominable torture. Friends of Animals is a leader in this effort. I don't know how Priscilla Feral and the FoA staff can bear the horror stories that come to their attention every day. You are angels of mercy in a world of atrocities.

CLAIRE CONNELLY • ANGELS DEPOT RESOURCE CENTER INC.

HUMAN OVERPOPULATION A VITAL ISSUE Your article on human overpopulation was overdue. When I'm asked if I have children, I reply eight—dogs, cats and rabbits. My husband and I decided all our children would be adopted, and everyone, including us, would be spayed or neutered (so to speak).

Thank you for your forward-thinking philosophy and exploring an issue vital to animal rights, human rights, and the well-being of our planet. An additional donation will be forthcoming.

SUE HOUSE • VIA EMAIL

ATTENTION TO HUMAN OVERPOPULATION LONG OVERDUE Thanks to the editor for having the bravery to print the article, “Humans Are the Most Overpopulated Species,” in Winter Action Line, 2016-17. It’s good to see someone put the correct label on the poison.

I’ve heard plenty of “climate change” people tell us we must trade our SUV’s in for bicycles, shut off the lights and air conditioners, and go back to the lifestyles of the 1800s. But these same people are so afraid of the radical, religious extremists to even mention the root cause of climate change, which is the “runaway human population worldwide.”

Birth control, contraception and Planned Parenthood are the best things that ever came to the human species.

HERMAN LENZ • SUMMER, IA

THANK YOU FOR EXCELLENT STORY Nicole Rivard writes excellent material.

All of her writings are good, especially the one titled, "Humans Are the Most

Overpopulated Animals on the Planet Period." (Winter 2016-17, Action Line).

Thank you Nicole.

LOUIE GENZANO • VIA EMAIL

MISLEADING ADS CONCEAL ANIMAL CRUELTY I remember reading the story of the 18 elephants who were robbed of their natural lives some months ago and could not believe how “John Q. Public” remains consistently deaf and blind to the lies told by zoos and theme parks with regard to what they are really all about: the money. The photo in Action Line of one of the Swaziland elephants really bothered me. To see a young, wonderfully sentient and intelligent being already exhibiting manic behaviors because of its captivity and lack of family is nothing short of heartbreaking. What is in store for this young life? Another 50 years of torture at the Sedgwick Zoo? How can the people responsible for the welfare of animals not see what is really happening and stop it from happening?

Before the summer began, I was floored by the television commercials SeaWorld produced and aired. Can those lies really be told? That SeaWorld takes the best care of its animals? Sure, by keeping them in pools that can never begin to mimic the residents’ natural home or forcing animals to perform tricks for human audiences. Is that how they are cared for?

What of those commercials about the wonderful California dairy farms (family businesses, of course) where

a calf is gently lifted by the farmer, so the baby could be bottle fed? Are these folks kidding? The only time they lift a new calf is to hurl it into the back of a pickup truck, to be sold to slaughter without ever once having the benefit of its mother’s milk. Frankly it begs a question: Why would a calf need to be bottle fed, isn’t his mom right there? It’s just a bunch of baloney.

These commercials don’t make any sense and yet the lies can be perpetuated as long as they are paid for, I suppose.

The shame of it is that people believe the lies.

By the way, love what you wrote about pigeons. I am often amazed by how smart these birds are—they know my car! When I leave work, I often have seeds and nuts for them and as I come up the street in my car, they are flying above and next to me as I am driving until I throw the food out the window for them. Living in Brooklyn, there is limited “wild” to observe and enjoy, and as for me, pigeons and other winged beings are a treat to have around, though I know my opinion is definitely in the minority.

studios and classes all surrounding the topic of trash. In my group we focused on making art that represents a global issue of our choice. The issue my partner Caroline and I focused on was animal rights and equality. Since I adore animals, I have always strongly opposed all forms of animal cruelty. Part of our task was to e-mail an organization that we support and share our project with them. I chose you!!

We used trash and recycled materials to create a scale, and on top created a hand and a paw. We placed them on equal tiers of the scale to reflect animal equality. Here are some images of the project.

KARINA PEAK • VIA EMAIL

ILENE LURIE • ASTORIA, OR

LET’S HEAR FROM YOU! WINSOR SCHOOL ANIMAL CRUELTY ART PROJECT My name is Karina Peak and I go to the Winsor School in Boston, Massachusetts. I'm in seventh grade and I'm 12 years old. Throughout the past week, my school has been doing a Global Forum with several different

MAIL US: Editor, Action Line Friends of Animals 777 Post Road Darien, CT 06820 E-MAIL US: contact@friendsofanimals.org

Spring 2017 | 37

CROSS OUT T-SHIRT “There’s no right way to do the wrong thing” Navy 100% combed and ring-spun cotton T-shirt. Women’s sizes S, M, L, XL and Men’s sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL as available.

Females should consider ordering up a size for great fit. $24 including shipping

BE VEGAN T-SHIRT Dark gray heathered high quality ring-spun cotton/polyester T-shirt.

Women’s sizes S, M, L, XL and Men’s sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL as available. Females should consider ordering up a size for great fit.

VEGAN COOKBOOKS Extraordinary recipes, representing cuisines from around the planet—original recipes and from the world’s great chefs.

Recipes for every occasion, from easy, everyday meals to festive, elegant dining

$24 including shipping

$20 each including shipping

38 | Friends of Animals

FOA LIGHTWEIGHT HOODIE Unisex triblend full-zip lightweight hoodie. Modern fit, hood, front zip, and kangaroo pocket. Designed with a soft refined ribbed triblend fabric. Available in XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL.

SPARE AN ANIMAL T-SHIRT High-quality 100% combed cotton shirt in black. Available in women’s sizes S, M, L, XL. Men’s sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL.

$36 including shipping

$14 including shipping

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You're invited

60

FoA is turning

WE'RE CELEBRATING IN BROOKLYN, NY

July 14th, 2017

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