Guidelines now govern the use of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees, in federally funded U.S. research, and because of them, some biomedical studies are likely to come to an end.
In fact, nearly all research using chimpanzees to develop drugs or answer other questions with medical applications for humans should end, according to a committee charged with establishing the first set of criteria for research on chimpanzees. The committee released its report Thursday (Dec. 15).
Research into genetic or behavioral questions — such as looking for insight into human behavior by studying how chimpanzees help one another out, or searching for the genetic underpinnings of language — are acceptable, or could become so with only minor modifications, according the committee convened by the National Academy of Sciences.
These types of projects are typically less invasive than biomedical research, which could involve, for instance, infecting chimpanzees with a virus.
For example, in behavioral research, chimpanzees — which, like humans, are social — must live with others, and may not be anesthetized by being shot with a dart. However, chimpanzees can be trained to offer their arms to have blood drawn or accept anesthesia so they can be examined, according to the committee. [Chimps vs. Humans: How Different Are We?]
New principles
The criteria for both types of research are based upon three general guidelines: The knowledge gained by the research must be necessary to advance public health; the research cannot ethically be done on a human being, or is not possible on another animal or in something that is not a living organism; and the chimpanzees used in the research must be given appropriate places to live.
In practice, this means the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will not award any new grants for research until an assessment process is in place, and a project-by-project review will be conducted to determine if ongoing research fits the criteria, said NIH Director Francis Collins, who accepted the committee's recommendations.
"Chimpanzees are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, providing exceptional insights into human biology, and the need for special consideration and respect," Collins said in a statement on Thursday.
He estimated that about 37 research projects might be affected, and that, of these, about half may not be continued.
These criteria will only apply to research projects that receive some kind of NIH support, including animals used by private groups but housed using federal money, according to committee member Warner Greene, a virologist at the University of California, San Francisco.
Read more here ...
Showing posts with label animal research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animal research. Show all posts
Monday, December 19, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Stop wasting tax dollars on chimp abuse
The National Institutes of Health wants you to believe that chimpanzee experimentation is necessary. It so badly wants you to believe this that the agency just two months ago began to use your tax dollars to fund a propaganda campaign for "educating the public" regarding the "importance of chimpanzees in biomedical research."
Why is the NIH seemingly so desperate? Perhaps because the concept of ending this morally and scientifically bankrupt practice has become so mainstream, on so many fronts - scientific, political, ethical, financial - that on Sept. 28, Scientific American, the most prestigious general interest science magazine in the world, called for a ban, explaining, "Why it is time to end invasive biomedical research on chimpanzees."
One of the major reasons for its call for the ban was the groundbreaking McClatchy Newspapers special report "Chimps: Life in the Lab," published last April. This special report was based on McClatchy's independent review of thousands of pages of chimpanzee medical records.
Scientific American noted that the special report's review of these records and the details of experiments "painted a grim picture of life in the lab, noting disturbing psychological responses in the chimps."
The NIH's use of tax dollars to fund the abuse of chimpanzees, as documented in McClatchy's special report, is especially timely. Congress has created a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to produce a plan by November 23 to reduce our debt by at least $1.2 trillion over 10 years. The NIH spends more than $30 million annually on chimpanzee experimentation; ending it would save more than $300 million. It would also be completely consistent with the emerging scientific, political and ethical consensus elucidated by Scientific American: "The time has come to end biomedical experimentation on chimpanzees."
But the NIH seems stuck in a different time - circa 1970s, when the current chief of hepatitis research at the NIH, Dr. Robert Purcell, began experimenting on chimpanzees, as did his counterpart at the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Stephen Feinstone. On Aug. 11, a public workshop was convened by the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine Chimpanzee Committee, which was commissioned by the NIH to determine if chimpanzees are "necessary" for biomedical research.
Read more here ...
Why is the NIH seemingly so desperate? Perhaps because the concept of ending this morally and scientifically bankrupt practice has become so mainstream, on so many fronts - scientific, political, ethical, financial - that on Sept. 28, Scientific American, the most prestigious general interest science magazine in the world, called for a ban, explaining, "Why it is time to end invasive biomedical research on chimpanzees."
One of the major reasons for its call for the ban was the groundbreaking McClatchy Newspapers special report "Chimps: Life in the Lab," published last April. This special report was based on McClatchy's independent review of thousands of pages of chimpanzee medical records.
Scientific American noted that the special report's review of these records and the details of experiments "painted a grim picture of life in the lab, noting disturbing psychological responses in the chimps."
The NIH's use of tax dollars to fund the abuse of chimpanzees, as documented in McClatchy's special report, is especially timely. Congress has created a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to produce a plan by November 23 to reduce our debt by at least $1.2 trillion over 10 years. The NIH spends more than $30 million annually on chimpanzee experimentation; ending it would save more than $300 million. It would also be completely consistent with the emerging scientific, political and ethical consensus elucidated by Scientific American: "The time has come to end biomedical experimentation on chimpanzees."
But the NIH seems stuck in a different time - circa 1970s, when the current chief of hepatitis research at the NIH, Dr. Robert Purcell, began experimenting on chimpanzees, as did his counterpart at the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Stephen Feinstone. On Aug. 11, a public workshop was convened by the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine Chimpanzee Committee, which was commissioned by the NIH to determine if chimpanzees are "necessary" for biomedical research.
Read more here ...
Friday, September 9, 2011
Lab Chimps Laugh And Hug At Taste Of Freedom
The emotional moment a group of chimpanzees saw daylight for the first time after being kept in a laboratory for their whole lives has been caught on film.
This video has no audio.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video#video=26544785
The video shows the animals edging out of the door hesitantly at first and looking curiously up at the sky.
But they then appear to celebrate their new found freedom by hugging each other and laughing.
The 38 chimps were taken from their mothers shortly after they were born and kept in a research facility in Austria.
They were used for tests based on diseases such as HIV and hepatitis and kept in isolation.
They were rescued in 1997 after the pharmaceutical company behind the research was sold and taken to a farm where keepers have since tried to reintroduce them to the outside world.
It is only now that experts felt the time was right and the chimps were ready to experience fresh air.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/lab-chimps-laugh-hug-taste-freedom-162813744.html
This video has no audio.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video#video=26544785
The video shows the animals edging out of the door hesitantly at first and looking curiously up at the sky.
But they then appear to celebrate their new found freedom by hugging each other and laughing.
The 38 chimps were taken from their mothers shortly after they were born and kept in a research facility in Austria.
They were used for tests based on diseases such as HIV and hepatitis and kept in isolation.
They were rescued in 1997 after the pharmaceutical company behind the research was sold and taken to a farm where keepers have since tried to reintroduce them to the outside world.
It is only now that experts felt the time was right and the chimps were ready to experience fresh air.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/lab-chimps-laugh-hug-taste-freedom-162813744.html
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Calls for tighter rules on animal tests
A group of scientists is calling for greater controls on research which mixes human and animal DNA.
The Academy of Medical Sciences says a national body should be set up to provide advice on such experiments and warned against research which involves introducing large numbers of human brain cells into the brains of primates.
Fergus Walsh reports.
video at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14245064
The Academy of Medical Sciences says a national body should be set up to provide advice on such experiments and warned against research which involves introducing large numbers of human brain cells into the brains of primates.
Fergus Walsh reports.
video at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14245064
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Entire pride of desert lions wiped out by hunting and poison
Entire pride wiped out by hunting and poisoning
July 2011. In April 2001 four lions came walking into the Hoarusib River valley on Namibia's Skeleton Coast. The three adult males and one adult female came walking all the way in from the upper Barab River, two hundred and fifty kilometres to the south. It was the first time in thirteen years that lions had taken up residence in the Hoarusib River valley.
Mixed feelings
The human population received them with mixed emotions. Local tour operators were happy to have them back while the pastoral residents of Purros were up in arms. The lions got into trouble from the outset. Their first meal in the Hoarusib was the prized stud bull belonging to Headman Daniel Karotjaiva's, followed by several cows and donkeys.
Compensation scheme
Wilderness Safaris and other operators started a compensation scheme in order to ensure the survival of the lions. This was the start of an uneasy relationship between man and lion in the Hoarusib River.
The lions soon moved down river into the Skeleton Coast Park. Shortly after their arrival the female gave birth to two female cubs at the fresh water spring at the mouth of the Hoarusib River. These were the first cubs to be born in sight of the sea in the Park for more than a decade.
Oryx diet
During the dry season the lion remained within the boundaries of the Park. Large herds of oryx concentrated on the banks of the river where they were ambushed by the lions. The lions were safe within the boundaries of the Park.
The trouble started during the rainy season when the oryx dispersed to feed on the plains where the rain had fallen. It was difficult for the lions to hunt. They would then leave the Park and kill live stock around Purros village.
2002 - More cubs
In 2002 another two female cubs were born at the mouth of the river. These two females became the regular residents of the Hoarusib River for the next decade. They were often seen on safari.
These lionesses were closely monitored by Dr. Flip Stander of the Desert Lion Conservation Fund. They became known as Tawney and Morada; they were often visited by Leonardo, the dominant male.
Living in close proximity to humans
The lions became bolder as they grew older. They started frequenting the settled areas. Dr. Stander and Wilderness Safaris addressed the problem by creating a lion task force from local community members. A 4x4 vehicle was bought. The members were trained by Dr. Stander in the use of and given radio telemetry equipment. Now the local community could monitor the lions. If the lions came close to Purros the cattle could be herded out of the river. The telemetry equipment was also used by local guides to take tourists to the lions.
One of the main threats to the lions was that the community has got so used to living without lions for more than a decade, that they have stopped herding their cattle. Now with the lions back, they were reluctant to resume herding.
Problem lions
In the course of time the lions reared cubs. In 2009 things came to a head when Leonardo, Tawney and Morada and three sub adult cubs stayed at the villages of Purros and Okongombe Themba, killing donkeys and scaring people.
Translocation
In November 2009 Dr. Stander recruited the help of Wilderness Safaris again. Wilderness staff, vehicles, fuel and equipment was used to remove the lions from Purros. All six lions were translocated to Sarusas spring in the Skeleton Coast Park. When they returned eight days later, they were physically prevented from re-entering the village by Wilderness staff and the lion task force. However one of the females slipped through the lines to kill another donkey. She was immobilized again and taken to the Hoarusib mouth.
Hunting safari
After three weeks the lions left the vicinity of Purros and moved down river. The community thanked Dr. Stander and the Wilderness Safaris staff, saying that they acknowledge that people are concerned about their plight. Dr. Stander pleaded with them not to kill Leonardo, the breeding male. He asked that they rather shoot one of the younger males for compensation for their stock losses. This was done a few months later in a legal hunt.
Everyone felt that a breakthrough was made. It was a good example of cooperation by all parties, buying time for the lions. Dr. Stander estimated that the operation had cost Wilderness Safaris close to 100,000 Nam dollars.
Leonardo killed by hunter
All of this was made undone shortly afterwards when Leonardo the breeding male was killed by an independent hunter in controversial circumstances that created a media outcry. The other male was also later shot by herders when it wandered into a different conservancy.
Rest of the pride poisoned
That left only the two sisters, Tawney and Morada and a young female, Maya in the Hoarusib River. Their lives came to an end on Saturday 10 July 2011. They were killed by strychnine poisoning fifteen kilometres north of Purros. Strychnine is often used by stock owners to poison predators. One can only wonder who killed the lions.
Benefits and losses
For a decade a lot of people worked together to try and find a compromise between humans and lions in the Hoarusib River. For a decade the lions caused losses, but also brought benefits to the people in the valley.
Was their death inevitable? Could a solution be reached? Are we any closer to sustainable lion tourism in the Kunene Region? Are their still too many rogue elements around? Be as it may-the lions of the Hoarusib River are dead.
Leonardo's death
The shooting of Leonardo is surrounded by controversy. He was apparently shot by a hunter, Keith Wright, and his client, who only had a permit to shoot a female lion on a different conservancy.
Furthermore, Leonardo was carrying a large collar which marked him out as a ‘research' lion. We believe that the collar has never been recovered and that the hunter has been charged by the authorities over this incident.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/desert-lions.html#cr
July 2011. In April 2001 four lions came walking into the Hoarusib River valley on Namibia's Skeleton Coast. The three adult males and one adult female came walking all the way in from the upper Barab River, two hundred and fifty kilometres to the south. It was the first time in thirteen years that lions had taken up residence in the Hoarusib River valley.
Mixed feelings
The human population received them with mixed emotions. Local tour operators were happy to have them back while the pastoral residents of Purros were up in arms. The lions got into trouble from the outset. Their first meal in the Hoarusib was the prized stud bull belonging to Headman Daniel Karotjaiva's, followed by several cows and donkeys.
Compensation scheme
Wilderness Safaris and other operators started a compensation scheme in order to ensure the survival of the lions. This was the start of an uneasy relationship between man and lion in the Hoarusib River.
The lions soon moved down river into the Skeleton Coast Park. Shortly after their arrival the female gave birth to two female cubs at the fresh water spring at the mouth of the Hoarusib River. These were the first cubs to be born in sight of the sea in the Park for more than a decade.
Oryx diet
During the dry season the lion remained within the boundaries of the Park. Large herds of oryx concentrated on the banks of the river where they were ambushed by the lions. The lions were safe within the boundaries of the Park.
The trouble started during the rainy season when the oryx dispersed to feed on the plains where the rain had fallen. It was difficult for the lions to hunt. They would then leave the Park and kill live stock around Purros village.
2002 - More cubs
In 2002 another two female cubs were born at the mouth of the river. These two females became the regular residents of the Hoarusib River for the next decade. They were often seen on safari.
These lionesses were closely monitored by Dr. Flip Stander of the Desert Lion Conservation Fund. They became known as Tawney and Morada; they were often visited by Leonardo, the dominant male.
Living in close proximity to humans
The lions became bolder as they grew older. They started frequenting the settled areas. Dr. Stander and Wilderness Safaris addressed the problem by creating a lion task force from local community members. A 4x4 vehicle was bought. The members were trained by Dr. Stander in the use of and given radio telemetry equipment. Now the local community could monitor the lions. If the lions came close to Purros the cattle could be herded out of the river. The telemetry equipment was also used by local guides to take tourists to the lions.
One of the main threats to the lions was that the community has got so used to living without lions for more than a decade, that they have stopped herding their cattle. Now with the lions back, they were reluctant to resume herding.
Problem lions
In the course of time the lions reared cubs. In 2009 things came to a head when Leonardo, Tawney and Morada and three sub adult cubs stayed at the villages of Purros and Okongombe Themba, killing donkeys and scaring people.
Translocation
In November 2009 Dr. Stander recruited the help of Wilderness Safaris again. Wilderness staff, vehicles, fuel and equipment was used to remove the lions from Purros. All six lions were translocated to Sarusas spring in the Skeleton Coast Park. When they returned eight days later, they were physically prevented from re-entering the village by Wilderness staff and the lion task force. However one of the females slipped through the lines to kill another donkey. She was immobilized again and taken to the Hoarusib mouth.
Hunting safari
After three weeks the lions left the vicinity of Purros and moved down river. The community thanked Dr. Stander and the Wilderness Safaris staff, saying that they acknowledge that people are concerned about their plight. Dr. Stander pleaded with them not to kill Leonardo, the breeding male. He asked that they rather shoot one of the younger males for compensation for their stock losses. This was done a few months later in a legal hunt.
Everyone felt that a breakthrough was made. It was a good example of cooperation by all parties, buying time for the lions. Dr. Stander estimated that the operation had cost Wilderness Safaris close to 100,000 Nam dollars.
Leonardo killed by hunter
All of this was made undone shortly afterwards when Leonardo the breeding male was killed by an independent hunter in controversial circumstances that created a media outcry. The other male was also later shot by herders when it wandered into a different conservancy.
Rest of the pride poisoned
That left only the two sisters, Tawney and Morada and a young female, Maya in the Hoarusib River. Their lives came to an end on Saturday 10 July 2011. They were killed by strychnine poisoning fifteen kilometres north of Purros. Strychnine is often used by stock owners to poison predators. One can only wonder who killed the lions.
Benefits and losses
For a decade a lot of people worked together to try and find a compromise between humans and lions in the Hoarusib River. For a decade the lions caused losses, but also brought benefits to the people in the valley.
Was their death inevitable? Could a solution be reached? Are we any closer to sustainable lion tourism in the Kunene Region? Are their still too many rogue elements around? Be as it may-the lions of the Hoarusib River are dead.
Leonardo's death
The shooting of Leonardo is surrounded by controversy. He was apparently shot by a hunter, Keith Wright, and his client, who only had a permit to shoot a female lion on a different conservancy.
Furthermore, Leonardo was carrying a large collar which marked him out as a ‘research' lion. We believe that the collar has never been recovered and that the hunter has been charged by the authorities over this incident.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/desert-lions.html#cr
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Dinosaurs were animal world's top bone heads
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13968525
Scientists have compared a dinosaur with several modern-day animals to settle who wins the heavy-weight head-butting title.
The new findings confirm that the ancient bipedal dinosaur Stegoceras could knock out any of today's top head-butters.
Stegoceras probably used their domed skulls to ram each other over access to fertile females.
Read on...
Scientists have compared a dinosaur with several modern-day animals to settle who wins the heavy-weight head-butting title.
The new findings confirm that the ancient bipedal dinosaur Stegoceras could knock out any of today's top head-butters.
Stegoceras probably used their domed skulls to ram each other over access to fertile females.
Read on...
Friday, July 1, 2011
Singing Penis Insect Proves Size Does Matter
http://weirdnews.aol.com/2011/06/30/singing-penis-insect-size-matters_n_887778.html#s301085&title=Insect_with_Singing
Courtship never sounded so sweet -- at least in the insect kingdom. It appears that a tiny bug known as the singing penis (also, water boatman, or Micronecta scholtzi) -- is the loudest creature on Earth, relative to its body size and the way in which it uses its penis.
BBC Nature News reports that French and Scottish scientists have determined that the male variety of the 2mm freshwater insect "sings" so loud -- at almost 100 decibels -- it's like sitting in the front row of a concert hall while a loud orchestra plays.
Read on...
Courtship never sounded so sweet -- at least in the insect kingdom. It appears that a tiny bug known as the singing penis (also, water boatman, or Micronecta scholtzi) -- is the loudest creature on Earth, relative to its body size and the way in which it uses its penis.
BBC Nature News reports that French and Scottish scientists have determined that the male variety of the 2mm freshwater insect "sings" so loud -- at almost 100 decibels -- it's like sitting in the front row of a concert hall while a loud orchestra plays.
Read on...
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Bats' hairs are 'airspeed sensor'
Tiny hairs that cover bats' wings seem to act as a complex airspeed sensor, researchers report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Experiments showed that bats' brains distinguished between airflow direction when air flowed over them at low speed.
However, with the hairs removed, the bats executed fewer tight turns and flew at higher speeds.
The researchers suggest the hairs allow fine control over aerodynamics as airflow changes during manoeuvres.
Read on...
Experiments showed that bats' brains distinguished between airflow direction when air flowed over them at low speed.
However, with the hairs removed, the bats executed fewer tight turns and flew at higher speeds.
The researchers suggest the hairs allow fine control over aerodynamics as airflow changes during manoeuvres.
Read on...
Sunday, April 3, 2011
First record of tadpoles hatching and feeding on tree bark (Via HerpDigest)
First record of tadpoles hatching and feeding on tree bark 3/29/11 Wildlife Extra.com -Unusual frog behaviour discovered in India's Western Ghats
Written by Ben Tapley
April 2011. In July of last year we were working on an amphibian ecology study at the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS) in Karnataka, India (http://www.agumberainforest.com/)
We found several egg clutches and tadpoles of the brown leaping frog (Indirana semipalmata). The 11 species of the genus Indirana are all endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It has been documented by several authors that the tadpoles of Indirana frogs breed on rock faces surrounding splashing water and that tadpoles are semi terrestrial. We were surprised one night when we heard a frog vocalisation we had not heard before.
After a short search we located a single Indirana semipalmata sitting by a clutch of eggs laid on the bark of a tree. These eggs later hatched and we found tadpoles from a previous clutch feeding on the bark of the same tree. In total we found three Indirana semipalmata egg clutches all of which were at least 3m away from any standing water. To our knowledge this is the first recorded case of tadpoles feeding on a bark substrate and subsequently metamorphosing on the bark of a tree. This may be a localised phenomenon as Agumbe has the second highest annual rainfall in India and therefore these semi terrestrial tadpoles do not desiccate. Living in Agumbe during the monsoon was literally like living in a cloud.
This work was funded by the Gerry Martin project (http://www.gerrymartin.in/).
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Faster Early Development Might Have Its Costs, Study in Salamanders Suggests (Via Herp Digest)
Faster Early Development Might Have Its Costs, Study in Salamanders Suggests
ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2011) - Fast development is often perceived as an advantage, as it enables better harmony with one's environment and readiness to cope with the challenges that it poses. However, research conducted at the University of Haifa, Israel, and University of California, Santa Cruz, and published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE, found that the acceleration of developmental rate incurs potentially lethal physiological costs for the developing individual. "Our findings are consistent with research findings on other animals and call for further research on rates of development in humans," said Asaf Sadeh who led the study.
This study, part of Sadeh's PhD research, was conducted on the fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata) in conjunction with Prof. Leon Blaustein and Noa Truskanov from the University of Haifa, and with Prof. Marc Mangel from the University of California. The fire salamander in Israel breeds in temporary pools that fill during the winter rains and usually dry up in the spring. The larvae that are born into these pools must complete their development and metamorphose into terrestrial life before their pools dry. Larvae failing in this developmental race are destined to die from desiccation.
In the first part of the study, the scientists examined whether salamander larvae employ some early warning mechanism that alerts them to step up their rates of development to avoid drying. They reared an experimental group of larvae in water, to which they added a minute quantity of powder of ground larvae that had desiccated in natural temporary ponds. The development of these larvae was compared to a control group that was not exposed to the powder. They found that immediately after their birth into the pond, the larvae detected the presence of the dried remains and developed more quickly than the control group. Sadeh and colleagues propose that the chemical composition of the flesh of the dead larvae changes as they toast in the sun, producing a unique "scent of death." These chemicals are released back into the water during the next rains, when the pond fills up again. This apparently provides information to the newborn larvae on the expected water-holding capacity of t!
heir pond, and signals them to set a high developmental rate to avoid a similar fate.
While chemicals from previously desiccated larvae can inform as to possible drying of pools in a relatively short time, reducing water levels can serve as a more reliable predictor of imminent pond drying and risk of desiccation. In the second part of the study, the researchers manipulated the water-levels for both groups, to simulate actual drying or non-drying conditions. They found that, after a while, the larvae will adjust their initial rates of development according to the actual water levels of their ponds.
However, they also found that accelerated development carries costs: larvae that developed more quickly suffered greater rates of mortality. Larvae that falsely perceived the pond environment as long-lasting, and thus started life with a slow developmental rate, but then realized their misperception and compensated with significant acceleration, suffered the greatest rates of mortality. The physiological mechanisms underlying these costs are unknown, but are thought to involve both cellular causes such as oxidative damage from increased metabolic rates, and tissue-level causes such as overexploitation of undifferentiated stem cells or disrupted balance between the differentiation and growth of different tissues in the body. These physiological costs may also lead to increased vulnerability to environmental stresses other than drying, such as heat, disease and parasites, and might result in death.
According to Sadeh, these results are consistent with those of recent studies on the costs of acceleration in growth following starvation in various other organisms, including insects, fish, amphibians and mammals. He suggests that this calls for further research on human development, such as motor, immune, sexual and cognitive development. "These new findings are thought-provoking when considered in relation to widespread perceptions of optimal child development. Boosting a certain aspect of a child's development allows the child to cope better with the corresponding aspect of the environment, but may be traded off with some other aspect of development, potentially rendering the child less competent for other environmental challenges," suggested Sadeh, but emphasized that the study of the costs of development rates is in its infancy, and that more work needs to be carried out before any applicable conclusions can be drawn for human development.
ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2011) - Fast development is often perceived as an advantage, as it enables better harmony with one's environment and readiness to cope with the challenges that it poses. However, research conducted at the University of Haifa, Israel, and University of California, Santa Cruz, and published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE, found that the acceleration of developmental rate incurs potentially lethal physiological costs for the developing individual. "Our findings are consistent with research findings on other animals and call for further research on rates of development in humans," said Asaf Sadeh who led the study.
This study, part of Sadeh's PhD research, was conducted on the fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata) in conjunction with Prof. Leon Blaustein and Noa Truskanov from the University of Haifa, and with Prof. Marc Mangel from the University of California. The fire salamander in Israel breeds in temporary pools that fill during the winter rains and usually dry up in the spring. The larvae that are born into these pools must complete their development and metamorphose into terrestrial life before their pools dry. Larvae failing in this developmental race are destined to die from desiccation.
In the first part of the study, the scientists examined whether salamander larvae employ some early warning mechanism that alerts them to step up their rates of development to avoid drying. They reared an experimental group of larvae in water, to which they added a minute quantity of powder of ground larvae that had desiccated in natural temporary ponds. The development of these larvae was compared to a control group that was not exposed to the powder. They found that immediately after their birth into the pond, the larvae detected the presence of the dried remains and developed more quickly than the control group. Sadeh and colleagues propose that the chemical composition of the flesh of the dead larvae changes as they toast in the sun, producing a unique "scent of death." These chemicals are released back into the water during the next rains, when the pond fills up again. This apparently provides information to the newborn larvae on the expected water-holding capacity of t!
heir pond, and signals them to set a high developmental rate to avoid a similar fate.
While chemicals from previously desiccated larvae can inform as to possible drying of pools in a relatively short time, reducing water levels can serve as a more reliable predictor of imminent pond drying and risk of desiccation. In the second part of the study, the researchers manipulated the water-levels for both groups, to simulate actual drying or non-drying conditions. They found that, after a while, the larvae will adjust their initial rates of development according to the actual water levels of their ponds.
However, they also found that accelerated development carries costs: larvae that developed more quickly suffered greater rates of mortality. Larvae that falsely perceived the pond environment as long-lasting, and thus started life with a slow developmental rate, but then realized their misperception and compensated with significant acceleration, suffered the greatest rates of mortality. The physiological mechanisms underlying these costs are unknown, but are thought to involve both cellular causes such as oxidative damage from increased metabolic rates, and tissue-level causes such as overexploitation of undifferentiated stem cells or disrupted balance between the differentiation and growth of different tissues in the body. These physiological costs may also lead to increased vulnerability to environmental stresses other than drying, such as heat, disease and parasites, and might result in death.
According to Sadeh, these results are consistent with those of recent studies on the costs of acceleration in growth following starvation in various other organisms, including insects, fish, amphibians and mammals. He suggests that this calls for further research on human development, such as motor, immune, sexual and cognitive development. "These new findings are thought-provoking when considered in relation to widespread perceptions of optimal child development. Boosting a certain aspect of a child's development allows the child to cope better with the corresponding aspect of the environment, but may be traded off with some other aspect of development, potentially rendering the child less competent for other environmental challenges," suggested Sadeh, but emphasized that the study of the costs of development rates is in its infancy, and that more work needs to be carried out before any applicable conclusions can be drawn for human development.
Faster Early Development Might Have Its Costs, Study in Salamanders Suggests (Via Herp Digest)
Faster Early Development Might Have Its Costs, Study in Salamanders Suggests
ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2011) - Fast development is often perceived as an advantage, as it enables better harmony with one's environment and readiness to cope with the challenges that it poses. However, research conducted at the University of Haifa, Israel, and University of California, Santa Cruz, and published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE, found that the acceleration of developmental rate incurs potentially lethal physiological costs for the developing individual. "Our findings are consistent with research findings on other animals and call for further research on rates of development in humans," said Asaf Sadeh who led the study.
This study, part of Sadeh's PhD research, was conducted on the fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata) in conjunction with Prof. Leon Blaustein and Noa Truskanov from the University of Haifa, and with Prof. Marc Mangel from the University of California. The fire salamander in Israel breeds in temporary pools that fill during the winter rains and usually dry up in the spring. The larvae that are born into these pools must complete their development and metamorphose into terrestrial life before their pools dry. Larvae failing in this developmental race are destined to die from desiccation.
In the first part of the study, the scientists examined whether salamander larvae employ some early warning mechanism that alerts them to step up their rates of development to avoid drying. They reared an experimental group of larvae in water, to which they added a minute quantity of powder of ground larvae that had desiccated in natural temporary ponds. The development of these larvae was compared to a control group that was not exposed to the powder. They found that immediately after their birth into the pond, the larvae detected the presence of the dried remains and developed more quickly than the control group. Sadeh and colleagues propose that the chemical composition of the flesh of the dead larvae changes as they toast in the sun, producing a unique "scent of death." These chemicals are released back into the water during the next rains, when the pond fills up again. This apparently provides information to the newborn larvae on the expected water-holding capacity of t!
heir pond, and signals them to set a high developmental rate to avoid a similar fate.
While chemicals from previously desiccated larvae can inform as to possible drying of pools in a relatively short time, reducing water levels can serve as a more reliable predictor of imminent pond drying and risk of desiccation. In the second part of the study, the researchers manipulated the water-levels for both groups, to simulate actual drying or non-drying conditions. They found that, after a while, the larvae will adjust their initial rates of development according to the actual water levels of their ponds.
However, they also found that accelerated development carries costs: larvae that developed more quickly suffered greater rates of mortality. Larvae that falsely perceived the pond environment as long-lasting, and thus started life with a slow developmental rate, but then realized their misperception and compensated with significant acceleration, suffered the greatest rates of mortality. The physiological mechanisms underlying these costs are unknown, but are thought to involve both cellular causes such as oxidative damage from increased metabolic rates, and tissue-level causes such as overexploitation of undifferentiated stem cells or disrupted balance between the differentiation and growth of different tissues in the body. These physiological costs may also lead to increased vulnerability to environmental stresses other than drying, such as heat, disease and parasites, and might result in death.
According to Sadeh, these results are consistent with those of recent studies on the costs of acceleration in growth following starvation in various other organisms, including insects, fish, amphibians and mammals. He suggests that this calls for further research on human development, such as motor, immune, sexual and cognitive development. "These new findings are thought-provoking when considered in relation to widespread perceptions of optimal child development. Boosting a certain aspect of a child's development allows the child to cope better with the corresponding aspect of the environment, but may be traded off with some other aspect of development, potentially rendering the child less competent for other environmental challenges," suggested Sadeh, but emphasized that the study of the costs of development rates is in its infancy, and that more work needs to be carried out before any applicable conclusions can be drawn for human development.
ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2011) - Fast development is often perceived as an advantage, as it enables better harmony with one's environment and readiness to cope with the challenges that it poses. However, research conducted at the University of Haifa, Israel, and University of California, Santa Cruz, and published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE, found that the acceleration of developmental rate incurs potentially lethal physiological costs for the developing individual. "Our findings are consistent with research findings on other animals and call for further research on rates of development in humans," said Asaf Sadeh who led the study.
This study, part of Sadeh's PhD research, was conducted on the fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata) in conjunction with Prof. Leon Blaustein and Noa Truskanov from the University of Haifa, and with Prof. Marc Mangel from the University of California. The fire salamander in Israel breeds in temporary pools that fill during the winter rains and usually dry up in the spring. The larvae that are born into these pools must complete their development and metamorphose into terrestrial life before their pools dry. Larvae failing in this developmental race are destined to die from desiccation.
In the first part of the study, the scientists examined whether salamander larvae employ some early warning mechanism that alerts them to step up their rates of development to avoid drying. They reared an experimental group of larvae in water, to which they added a minute quantity of powder of ground larvae that had desiccated in natural temporary ponds. The development of these larvae was compared to a control group that was not exposed to the powder. They found that immediately after their birth into the pond, the larvae detected the presence of the dried remains and developed more quickly than the control group. Sadeh and colleagues propose that the chemical composition of the flesh of the dead larvae changes as they toast in the sun, producing a unique "scent of death." These chemicals are released back into the water during the next rains, when the pond fills up again. This apparently provides information to the newborn larvae on the expected water-holding capacity of t!
heir pond, and signals them to set a high developmental rate to avoid a similar fate.
While chemicals from previously desiccated larvae can inform as to possible drying of pools in a relatively short time, reducing water levels can serve as a more reliable predictor of imminent pond drying and risk of desiccation. In the second part of the study, the researchers manipulated the water-levels for both groups, to simulate actual drying or non-drying conditions. They found that, after a while, the larvae will adjust their initial rates of development according to the actual water levels of their ponds.
However, they also found that accelerated development carries costs: larvae that developed more quickly suffered greater rates of mortality. Larvae that falsely perceived the pond environment as long-lasting, and thus started life with a slow developmental rate, but then realized their misperception and compensated with significant acceleration, suffered the greatest rates of mortality. The physiological mechanisms underlying these costs are unknown, but are thought to involve both cellular causes such as oxidative damage from increased metabolic rates, and tissue-level causes such as overexploitation of undifferentiated stem cells or disrupted balance between the differentiation and growth of different tissues in the body. These physiological costs may also lead to increased vulnerability to environmental stresses other than drying, such as heat, disease and parasites, and might result in death.
According to Sadeh, these results are consistent with those of recent studies on the costs of acceleration in growth following starvation in various other organisms, including insects, fish, amphibians and mammals. He suggests that this calls for further research on human development, such as motor, immune, sexual and cognitive development. "These new findings are thought-provoking when considered in relation to widespread perceptions of optimal child development. Boosting a certain aspect of a child's development allows the child to cope better with the corresponding aspect of the environment, but may be traded off with some other aspect of development, potentially rendering the child less competent for other environmental challenges," suggested Sadeh, but emphasized that the study of the costs of development rates is in its infancy, and that more work needs to be carried out before any applicable conclusions can be drawn for human development.
Monday, December 20, 2010
TO ALL BLANDING'S TURTLE ENTHUSIASTS
MidWest PARC recently held their annual meeting which included two days of talks and discussion regarding Blanding's Turtle research and conservation. The meeting concluded with the general agreement that Blanding's turtles are special critters that could and should be the flagship species of wetland conservation.
We (MWPARC Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force) are seeking people who have radio-telemetry data on movements of adult, juvenile, or hatching Blanding's Turtles.
Please forward this email to anyone you know that radio-tracks Blanding's Turtles or continue reading this email if that person is you.
One way to highlight the unusual (if not unique) combination of Blanding's Turtle spatial biology and life-history traits and the conservation issues they raise, is to produce a synthesis of the existing data on home range size, movements of adult females and males, and habitat use of adults and juveniles. The synthesis would be made into a manager/conservationist friendly format by MidWest PARC to make presentations about the need for protection of both the wetland and terrestrial components of Blanding's Turtle core areas. Depending on the quantity and quality of data compiled, the following could result: 1) a PARC document aimed at conservation and management of Blanding's Turtle, or 2) a multi-authored paper for publication.
We think that a synthesis is possible given the large number of people and agencies dedicated to and collecting data on Blanding's Turtles. Therefore, the Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force was created to explore whether enough people are willing to cooperate by providing relevant data from unpublished theses, grey literature, and reports.
If you have radio-telemetry data on Blanding's Turtles and might be interested in contributing to this project, please email Tracy Rittenhouse
trittenhouse@wisc.edu for more details.
The MWPARC Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force:
Justin Congdon, Emeritus Professor, Savannah River Ecology Lab- University of Georgia
Jennifer Anderson-Cruz, Biologist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Services Iowa
Jamie Forberg, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Illinois
Jeff LeClere, Zoologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Michael Pappas, Restaurant Owner and Independent Researcher Minnesota
Tracy Rittenhouse, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin
Daniel Thompson, Ecologist, DuPage County Forest Preserve District Illinois
Celeste Troon, Director of Living Collections, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Illinois
From: Herp Digest
Volume # 10 Issue # 54 12/16/10
We (MWPARC Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force) are seeking people who have radio-telemetry data on movements of adult, juvenile, or hatching Blanding's Turtles.
Please forward this email to anyone you know that radio-tracks Blanding's Turtles or continue reading this email if that person is you.
One way to highlight the unusual (if not unique) combination of Blanding's Turtle spatial biology and life-history traits and the conservation issues they raise, is to produce a synthesis of the existing data on home range size, movements of adult females and males, and habitat use of adults and juveniles. The synthesis would be made into a manager/conservationist friendly format by MidWest PARC to make presentations about the need for protection of both the wetland and terrestrial components of Blanding's Turtle core areas. Depending on the quantity and quality of data compiled, the following could result: 1) a PARC document aimed at conservation and management of Blanding's Turtle, or 2) a multi-authored paper for publication.
We think that a synthesis is possible given the large number of people and agencies dedicated to and collecting data on Blanding's Turtles. Therefore, the Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force was created to explore whether enough people are willing to cooperate by providing relevant data from unpublished theses, grey literature, and reports.
If you have radio-telemetry data on Blanding's Turtles and might be interested in contributing to this project, please email Tracy Rittenhouse
trittenhouse@wisc.edu for more details.
The MWPARC Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force:
Justin Congdon, Emeritus Professor, Savannah River Ecology Lab- University of Georgia
Jennifer Anderson-Cruz, Biologist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Services Iowa
Jamie Forberg, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Illinois
Jeff LeClere, Zoologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Michael Pappas, Restaurant Owner and Independent Researcher Minnesota
Tracy Rittenhouse, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin
Daniel Thompson, Ecologist, DuPage County Forest Preserve District Illinois
Celeste Troon, Director of Living Collections, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Illinois
From: Herp Digest
Volume # 10 Issue # 54 12/16/10
TO ALL BLANDING'S TURTLE ENTHUSIASTS
MidWest PARC recently held their annual meeting which included two days of talks and discussion regarding Blanding's Turtle research and conservation. The meeting concluded with the general agreement that Blanding's turtles are special critters that could and should be the flagship species of wetland conservation.
We (MWPARC Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force) are seeking people who have radio-telemetry data on movements of adult, juvenile, or hatching Blanding's Turtles.
Please forward this email to anyone you know that radio-tracks Blanding's Turtles or continue reading this email if that person is you.
One way to highlight the unusual (if not unique) combination of Blanding's Turtle spatial biology and life-history traits and the conservation issues they raise, is to produce a synthesis of the existing data on home range size, movements of adult females and males, and habitat use of adults and juveniles. The synthesis would be made into a manager/conservationist friendly format by MidWest PARC to make presentations about the need for protection of both the wetland and terrestrial components of Blanding's Turtle core areas. Depending on the quantity and quality of data compiled, the following could result: 1) a PARC document aimed at conservation and management of Blanding's Turtle, or 2) a multi-authored paper for publication.
We think that a synthesis is possible given the large number of people and agencies dedicated to and collecting data on Blanding's Turtles. Therefore, the Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force was created to explore whether enough people are willing to cooperate by providing relevant data from unpublished theses, grey literature, and reports.
If you have radio-telemetry data on Blanding's Turtles and might be interested in contributing to this project, please email Tracy Rittenhouse
trittenhouse@wisc.edu for more details.
The MWPARC Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force:
Justin Congdon, Emeritus Professor, Savannah River Ecology Lab- University of Georgia
Jennifer Anderson-Cruz, Biologist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Services Iowa
Jamie Forberg, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Illinois
Jeff LeClere, Zoologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Michael Pappas, Restaurant Owner and Independent Researcher Minnesota
Tracy Rittenhouse, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin
Daniel Thompson, Ecologist, DuPage County Forest Preserve District Illinois
Celeste Troon, Director of Living Collections, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Illinois
From: Herp Digest
Volume # 10 Issue # 54 12/16/10
We (MWPARC Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force) are seeking people who have radio-telemetry data on movements of adult, juvenile, or hatching Blanding's Turtles.
Please forward this email to anyone you know that radio-tracks Blanding's Turtles or continue reading this email if that person is you.
One way to highlight the unusual (if not unique) combination of Blanding's Turtle spatial biology and life-history traits and the conservation issues they raise, is to produce a synthesis of the existing data on home range size, movements of adult females and males, and habitat use of adults and juveniles. The synthesis would be made into a manager/conservationist friendly format by MidWest PARC to make presentations about the need for protection of both the wetland and terrestrial components of Blanding's Turtle core areas. Depending on the quantity and quality of data compiled, the following could result: 1) a PARC document aimed at conservation and management of Blanding's Turtle, or 2) a multi-authored paper for publication.
We think that a synthesis is possible given the large number of people and agencies dedicated to and collecting data on Blanding's Turtles. Therefore, the Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force was created to explore whether enough people are willing to cooperate by providing relevant data from unpublished theses, grey literature, and reports.
If you have radio-telemetry data on Blanding's Turtles and might be interested in contributing to this project, please email Tracy Rittenhouse
trittenhouse@wisc.edu for more details.
The MWPARC Blanding's Turtle Core Area Task Force:
Justin Congdon, Emeritus Professor, Savannah River Ecology Lab- University of Georgia
Jennifer Anderson-Cruz, Biologist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Services Iowa
Jamie Forberg, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Illinois
Jeff LeClere, Zoologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Michael Pappas, Restaurant Owner and Independent Researcher Minnesota
Tracy Rittenhouse, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin
Daniel Thompson, Ecologist, DuPage County Forest Preserve District Illinois
Celeste Troon, Director of Living Collections, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Illinois
From: Herp Digest
Volume # 10 Issue # 54 12/16/10
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
EL AL Israel Airlines stops transporting monkeys for research
The BUAV welcomes the decision made by EL AL Israel Airlines to stop transporting primates destined for the research industry.
The BUAV and the Israel animal group, Behind Closed Doors, have worked together to achieve this important development. For many years EL AL Airlines has been a key transporter of primates because of Mazor Farm (BFC Israel), a company based in Israel that breeds and supplies long-tailed macaques for the international research industry, including the UK.
Only last year the BUAV obtained documentation to show that EL AL had also started to transport shipments of monkeys, including the offspring of wild-caught individuals, from Mazor Farm to the USA. Mazor Farm, a satellite company of Bioculture in Mauritius, imports wild-caught monkeys from Mauritius each year for breeding purposes and also exports large numbers of monkeys to Europe, including the UK.
This decision by EL AL is yet another blow for Bioculture, the Mauritius based primate supply company. The BUAV's recent investigation into the primate trade on Mauritius, which revealed the cruelty and suffering
inflicted on monkeys, has resulted in international media coverage and attention.
In addition to this, last week the Senate in Puerto Rico approved a resolution that opposes the construction of a Bioculture breeding farm to supply monkeys to the US research industry.
Thanks to the BUAV's international campaign to stop airlines transporting monkeys destined for research, many of the world's major carriers are now no longer involved in this cruel trade. EL AL will now join the BUAV's growing list of airlines that refuse to be associated with the primate trade.
For further information about the BUAV:
http://www.buav.org/our-campaigns/primate-campaign/primate-cargo-cruelty/
For further information about Behind Closed Doors:
http://www.invitro.org.il/node/109
http://www.buav.org/article/572/el-al-israel-airlines-stops-transporting-monkeys-for-research
The BUAV and the Israel animal group, Behind Closed Doors, have worked together to achieve this important development. For many years EL AL Airlines has been a key transporter of primates because of Mazor Farm (BFC Israel), a company based in Israel that breeds and supplies long-tailed macaques for the international research industry, including the UK.
Only last year the BUAV obtained documentation to show that EL AL had also started to transport shipments of monkeys, including the offspring of wild-caught individuals, from Mazor Farm to the USA. Mazor Farm, a satellite company of Bioculture in Mauritius, imports wild-caught monkeys from Mauritius each year for breeding purposes and also exports large numbers of monkeys to Europe, including the UK.
This decision by EL AL is yet another blow for Bioculture, the Mauritius based primate supply company. The BUAV's recent investigation into the primate trade on Mauritius, which revealed the cruelty and suffering
inflicted on monkeys, has resulted in international media coverage and attention.
In addition to this, last week the Senate in Puerto Rico approved a resolution that opposes the construction of a Bioculture breeding farm to supply monkeys to the US research industry.
Thanks to the BUAV's international campaign to stop airlines transporting monkeys destined for research, many of the world's major carriers are now no longer involved in this cruel trade. EL AL will now join the BUAV's growing list of airlines that refuse to be associated with the primate trade.
For further information about the BUAV:
http://www.buav.org/our-campaigns/primate-campaign/primate-cargo-cruelty/
For further information about Behind Closed Doors:
http://www.invitro.org.il/node/109
http://www.buav.org/article/572/el-al-israel-airlines-stops-transporting-monkeys-for-research
EL AL Israel Airlines stops transporting monkeys for research
The BUAV welcomes the decision made by EL AL Israel Airlines to stop transporting primates destined for the research industry.
The BUAV and the Israel animal group, Behind Closed Doors, have worked together to achieve this important development. For many years EL AL Airlines has been a key transporter of primates because of Mazor Farm (BFC Israel), a company based in Israel that breeds and supplies long-tailed macaques for the international research industry, including the UK.
Only last year the BUAV obtained documentation to show that EL AL had also started to transport shipments of monkeys, including the offspring of wild-caught individuals, from Mazor Farm to the USA. Mazor Farm, a satellite company of Bioculture in Mauritius, imports wild-caught monkeys from Mauritius each year for breeding purposes and also exports large numbers of monkeys to Europe, including the UK.
This decision by EL AL is yet another blow for Bioculture, the Mauritius based primate supply company. The BUAV's recent investigation into the primate trade on Mauritius, which revealed the cruelty and suffering
inflicted on monkeys, has resulted in international media coverage and attention.
In addition to this, last week the Senate in Puerto Rico approved a resolution that opposes the construction of a Bioculture breeding farm to supply monkeys to the US research industry.
Thanks to the BUAV's international campaign to stop airlines transporting monkeys destined for research, many of the world's major carriers are now no longer involved in this cruel trade. EL AL will now join the BUAV's growing list of airlines that refuse to be associated with the primate trade.
For further information about the BUAV:
http://www.buav.org/our-campaigns/primate-campaign/primate-cargo-cruelty/
For further information about Behind Closed Doors:
http://www.invitro.org.il/node/109
http://www.buav.org/article/572/el-al-israel-airlines-stops-transporting-monkeys-for-research
The BUAV and the Israel animal group, Behind Closed Doors, have worked together to achieve this important development. For many years EL AL Airlines has been a key transporter of primates because of Mazor Farm (BFC Israel), a company based in Israel that breeds and supplies long-tailed macaques for the international research industry, including the UK.
Only last year the BUAV obtained documentation to show that EL AL had also started to transport shipments of monkeys, including the offspring of wild-caught individuals, from Mazor Farm to the USA. Mazor Farm, a satellite company of Bioculture in Mauritius, imports wild-caught monkeys from Mauritius each year for breeding purposes and also exports large numbers of monkeys to Europe, including the UK.
This decision by EL AL is yet another blow for Bioculture, the Mauritius based primate supply company. The BUAV's recent investigation into the primate trade on Mauritius, which revealed the cruelty and suffering
inflicted on monkeys, has resulted in international media coverage and attention.
In addition to this, last week the Senate in Puerto Rico approved a resolution that opposes the construction of a Bioculture breeding farm to supply monkeys to the US research industry.
Thanks to the BUAV's international campaign to stop airlines transporting monkeys destined for research, many of the world's major carriers are now no longer involved in this cruel trade. EL AL will now join the BUAV's growing list of airlines that refuse to be associated with the primate trade.
For further information about the BUAV:
http://www.buav.org/our-campaigns/primate-campaign/primate-cargo-cruelty/
For further information about Behind Closed Doors:
http://www.invitro.org.il/node/109
http://www.buav.org/article/572/el-al-israel-airlines-stops-transporting-monkeys-for-research
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)