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These films focus on our non-human animal friends.

There is a certain intimacy felt when gazing into the eyes, the “windows of the soul” if you will, of a wild animal. To see a wild creature, in all its splendor, behaving naturally in its native habitat is an experience that can’t be replicated in any zoo or animal sanctuary. When it comes to […] The post The Difficulty of Enforcing Laws on Feeding Wild Animals appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Our byways are an unnatural incursion into the natural world, especially when they’re allowed to fall into disuse. Meet a roadkill scientist and a journalist tracking how roads mess with nature—and what we can do about it

Animal-welfare science tries to get inside the minds of a huge range of species — in order to help improve their lives.

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The terrifying truth of the climate and mass extinction crises is that we don’t understand all that we stand to lose. And without extraordinary acts of imagination and foresight, as a society, we won’t understand what’s being lost till it’s too late—at which time we’ll have to look back at what we might have done with a heartbreak and remorse that have no remedy. So we need to protect the living world with the best tool we have: the law.Evolution is slow, while the climate is changing at a breakneck pace. For organisms like elephants and whales, who can live as long as we do, or trees, who live much longer, both the path to potential adaptation to this rapidly morphing planet and the path to our understanding may stretch beyond any time frame that could help us to save them before the clock strikes midnight. Small animals, whose lives and reproductive cycles tend to be shorter, can be more readily studied across generations. Some researchers have seen signs of resilience: Mother zebra finches in Australia, one scientist found, warn the embryos inside their eggs of warming conditions outside by uttering certain calls. The chicks those embryos hatch into have lower birth weights than those who weren’t exposed to the mothers’ calls, which helps the young birds stay cool in hot weather. Lizards in Miami appeared to lower their cold-tolerance thresholds in response to a cold snap in 2020, which might defend against future environmental fluctuations; certain male dragonflies grow paler in warmer weather, losing some of the bright ornamentation that attracts females but making them less vulnerable to overheating.But examples of seemingly speedy accommodation are tiny flags fluttering on a battlefield where the overwhelming outlook for biodiversity is catastrophic. Instead of shifting gradually over thousands or even millions of years, environments are being transformed so fast that adaptive mechanisms don’t have the opportunity to kick in. In many cases, due to human-caused habitat loss and other pressures, of which the unstable climate is a massive threat multiplier, strategies that may have saved other life forms historically are no longer available to them: Pikas, for instance—cute little squeaking mammals native to western North America and Asia—may be able to move up a mountain to reach colder climes as the lower elevations get too hot, but if they reach the peak and it gets hot too, well … there’s nothing left for that wingless pika but the bare blue sky. The desert where I live is getting too hot even for arid-adapted wildlife—a lizard that had thrived in Arizona’s Mule Mountains for three million years is now newly believed extinct, and plants from the small acuña cactus to the Seussian Joshua tree are struggling to hang on.Cases abound of creatures and plants whose biological profiles appear to be setting them up for climate-driven oblivion: Crocodilians and most turtles don’t have sex chromosomes, so whether they’re born male or female depends on the temperature of the sand surrounding their eggs. A study of green sea turtles in the Great Barrier Reef in 2018 found that 99 percent of hatchlings were female, as opposed to 87 percent of adults—a ratio that could mean there already aren’t enough males for reproduction. Reef-building corals with low resistance to bleaching and death, such as staghorn and elkhorn, are at extremely high risk, and though corals occupy less than 1 percent of the ocean floor, they’re home to one-quarter of global marine diversity. Shrimplike krill, whose Antarctic habitat is projected to shrink up to 80 percent by 2100, feed most of the larger denizens of the Southern Ocean, from fish to seabirds like penguins to seals and cetaceans, and account for 96 percent of some species’ diets. The total biomass of krill is greater than that of any other multicellular animal, and these animals are a key storage bank for carbon dioxide. The humble freshwater mussels who make up the most endangered group of U.S. organisms help keep our rivers clean, but warming waters magnify the myriad threats they already face; three-quarters of flowering plants depend on pollinators, currently in decline around the globe, who happen to be critical to one out of three bites of our food. And though some plant species can migrate to escape inhospitable conditions, that migration occurs—since individuals don’t move—over generations via seed dispersal. The list of our dependencies on the other beings with whom we’ve coevolved is nearly infinite. So visionary policy is called for to protect those other beings and systems—not only for their intrinsic and cultural value but because they’re our life support, worth far more to our continued welfare intact than liquidated for short-term profit. If the goal is a livable future, for which we need to achieve a paradigm shift from exploitation to conservation, the services these networks of life supply need to be fully and properly valued. Their right to exist has to be enshrined in law.Both domestically and internationally, species and ecosystems need to be endowed with legal standing to give local and native stewards the tools to save them from the depredations of industry in the short term and sustain them over the long. Luckily, bestowing legal standing on extra-human parties isn’t a fanciful idea: The U.S. Supreme Court did exactly that in the 2010 case known as Citizens United, when it declared that corporations were legal persons—a decision that hobbled American democracy but also set a neat precedent for extending legal personhood to nonhuman entities. And corporations are clearly more abstract and disembodied than animals: Just a couple of weeks ago scientists and philosophers from many nations published the New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness, which argues for the likelihood of consciousness in all vertebrates and many invertebrates, including cephalopods and insects.  In New Zealand, a river and a rainforest have been awarded personhood; the people of Ecuador, in 2008, voted to modify their Constitution to recognize the right of nature to exist and flourish; in the United States, the Yurok tribe gave personhood to the Klamath River under tribal law in 2019; and in 2010 Pittsburgh became the first major city to recognize the rights of nature. Those rights have also been enacted into law or invoked by courts in Bolivia, Panama, and India. A summit held in mid-April at Brown University was aimed at elevating the agency and visibility of the more-than-human world in climate negotiations. And if species and ecosystems are recognized as entities with rights, their destruction can become a prosecutable offense. Accountability for the violence of what some call “ecocide” should be embedded in international law and civil and criminal codes. Here too, early inroads are being made, for example by the European Union, countries like Finland and Sweden, and the International Criminal Court. Establishing the responsibility of both private and public actors for the lives and natural systems they destroy—for deforestation, deadly heat domes, red tides, mountaintop-removal coal mining in Appalachia, or cobalt mining in Congo, to name only a few culprits—is reasonable and fair. And the prerequisite to that is affirming in our legal codes that all of the life forms surrounding us have value. They’re connected to each other and to our own survival in ways we’ve just begun to fathom. And unless we act swiftly, we may never have the chance to learn more.

Overall, coastal habitat restoration greatly increases animal numbers and diversity. But not all projects deliver the goods and we need to find out why.

Researchers are leveraging troves of data collected by animal-borne sensors to complement satellite observations, expand weather measurements, and better understand wildlife ecology in a changing...

Data: BLM; Chart: Axios VisualsA federal adoption program meant to help rein in out of control population growth among wild horses in the western U.S. has made headway, according to a new report from a free market environmental think tank.Why it matters: Wild horses, icons of the American West and sacred among Indigenous groups, can strain the fragile desert and semi-arid ecosystems of the southwest if left unchecked, per the report from the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC).Horse and burro herds can double in size every four years if unmanaged and can quickly degrade or exhaust lands, which could have cascading effects on other plant and animal species and promote soil erosion.PERC CEO Brian Yablonski told Axios that the adoption program's impact on ecosystems could become more pronounced as climate change makes drought more common across the West.By the numbers: Since the program's creation in 2019, there have been more than 15,000 adoptions, per the report. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which runs the program, has saved $66 million in costs and is expected to save approximately $400 million over the lifetimes of the adopted wild horses and burros, PERC found.The program is on track to spur more than 30,000 adoptions in its first decade, which could eventually save over $800 million in lifetime costs.Each horse and burro adopted saves the agency an estimated $22,500 to $29,000 in holding costs over its lifetime.What they're saying: "It is a complex issue," Yablonski said. "There's so much history, culture, custom and pride in these horses.""And people want to see solutions that are respectful of these animals, and I think adoption is probably the most respectful solution you can have," he added.How it works: The program offers $1,000 to help pay for training and care for wild horses or burros. It is only paid after around a year of BLM welfare checks to ensure the animals are being cared for properly. Adopters must also agree not to sell the horses or burros for slaughter and are limited in how many animals they can adopt.Catch up quick: After wild horses and burros were put under BLM protection and control in 1971, their numbers grew from around 25,300 to BLM's current approximation of 73,000 — or over twice the estimated amount public lands can sustainably support.Another 62,000 wild horses are kept in off-range BLM pastures and facilities, which are facing capacity constraints and high operational costs.In 2023, for example, caring for the animals in these pastures and facilities cost $108.5 million.The intrigue: The Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which is what put wild horses and burros under BLM control, gave the animals a wholly unique status under the law. They aren't considered livestock or game, since they aren't property and can't be slaughtered. They are some of the only animals defined by the land on which they stand and not by what they are biologically.Zoom out: PERC in its report recommended that BLM raise the adoption incentive to increase adoptions, suggesting a $3,000 payout over three years. PERC further proposed that BLM build more holding facilities in the Eastern U.S. to increase adoptions in eastern states, which currently account for more than a third of the agency's annual adoptions.The agency estimates that annual eastern adoptions could quadruple over the next five years if transportation and logistical challenges were resolved.BLM should shift the money saved through adoptions to other efforts, like treating wild mares with fertility control vaccines, PERC also recommended.Yes, but: Some organizations, like the American Wild Horse Conservation, oppose the adoption program over concerns that some adopted horses and burros have been abused and slaughtered after incentive payouts were made.Yablonski, too, cautioned that BLM has to be careful with how it structures the incentive and thoroughly conduct welfare checks to prevent abuse of the program and animals.The big picture: The American Wild Horse Conservation instead favors increased fertility controls and expanding the habitat available for wild horses and burros.It also advocates for limiting mountain lion hunting, as the cats do at times prey on wild horses and burros.However, scientists are still establishing what the predator-prey relationship between wild horses and burros and mountain lions exactly looks like.It's unclear if additional mountain lions or other predators could prey on enough horses and burros to cause a significant drop in equid populations.Go deeper: United Nations: 44% of migratory species in decline

Past Presentation | In October 2002, the first political party worldwide was founded which does not base its policy on human-centric thinking. The Party for the Animals represents a new political movement that values animal welfare and the environment. "The foundation of The Party for the Animals was received with much skepticism within traditional politics. However, the Party for the Animals quickly appeared to function as a pacer in the marathon", recalls Marianne Thieme - co-founder and party leader. The Pacer in the Marathon is a documentary on the first ten years of the Party for the Animals. Next to in-depth interviews with the party founders, the film provides an insight into the public reception of this pioneering political movement, within science, politics and media.

Past Presentation | We are the Wolf Nation, dwellers of the Northern Hemisphere, harbingers of the Spirit of the WILD. We are returning to take our place with you awake and aware and conscious humans at the dance of life.

A group of prominent scientists believes fruit flies, fish, and mollusks might experience pain and pleasure.

Past Presentation | Dominion uses drones, hidden and handheld cameras to expose the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture, questioning the morality and validity of humankind’s dominion over the animal kingdom. While mainly focusing on animals used for food, it also explores other ways animals are exploited and abused by humans, including clothing, entertainment and research. Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Sia, Sadie Sink and Kat Von D, and co-produced by Earthlings creator Shaun Monson. Filmed in Australia, with a global message.

The truth behind some of the most expensive “certified humane” milk in the country

NASA’s Eclipse Soundscapes project will collect observations and soundscapes recorded by the public during the April 8 total solar eclipse.

Past Presentation | Philip Wollen makes an impactful case against animals on your menus in front of an audience at the St. James Ethics Centre and the Wheeler Centre. Wollen then passes the debate onto a six-person panel, with three members supporting his case and three making an argument to continue to keep animals on the menu.

Past Presentation | Filmed in a fly-on-the-wall style, this raw and inspiring documentary follows 26-year-old Manoj Gautam, a modern day, third world hero on a passionate quest to protect animals and wildlife from cruelty and extinction. Inspired by the work of his mentor, Dr. Jane Goodall, and with minimal resources and no formal training, Gautam is creating a network of allies across the country, busting animal smugglers, protecting fragile ecosystems, rescuing abused animals, and galvanizing an environmental movement.

Roughly 3,000 animals now roam the state's mountain ranges

This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. From brown trout becoming “addicted” to methamphetamine to European perch losing their fear of predators due to depression medication, scientists warn that modern pharmaceutical and illegal drug pollution is becoming a growing threat to wildlife. Drug exposure is causing significant, unexpected changes to some animals’ behavior […]

Past Presentation | More action adventure than traditional documentary, this film follows the world’s most ambitious and daring animal rescue, with a narrative compiled from film, interviews, conversations, and reactions as events unfolded. How attitudes toward animals were changed in Bolivia, illegal circuses pursued and closed, and 25 lions airlifted to freedom.

Mixotrophs, which have characteristics of both animals and plants, could help blunt the effects of marine heat waves on ocean ecosystems

Past Presentation | Director note: “Through 3 years of researching what the Cheetah Conservation Fund and other NGOs were doing in the way of conservation . . I realised that there was a big focus on the illegal trade of dead animal parts, but no one was telling the story of the illegal trade in live animals, especially those destined for the pet trade.” This film looks at the illegal wildlife trade of cheetah cubs, and the role social media plays in the parading and trading of exotic animals online. Hundreds of cheetah cubs are being stolen from the wild, which is decimating the wild population in Africa. For every 5 cubs that are taken, only 1 survives. They are being smuggled illegally into the Middle East to be sold as pets.

Now Playing | The Canary Islands are a whale Paradise. Their waters hold more than a third of the world’s species, making it the most important enclave in the European Union, and one of the most relevant globally.Today, this paradise is being threatened by different human pressures, such as boat collisions, plastic consumption and climate change. This struggle aggravates their mortality each year and makes us face ourselves as the ones responsible for their survival, forcing us to rethink how much we value these animals currently.How much is a whale worth? Can you put a price on the life of such a majestic animal? How can we estimate that value? How has the value that human beings give to whales changed throughout history? What are whales used and needed for?To answer all these questions, Natacha Aguilar, an eminent Canarian scientist and whale expert, backed up by a group of scientists and non-profit organizations, will guide us in a spectacular journey through time and space to discover the never-told stories of the lives of these animals.

Past Presentation | Earthlings is an award-winning documentary film about the suffering of animals for food, fashion, pets, entertainment and medical research. Considered the most persuasive documentary ever made, Earthlings is nicknamed “the Vegan maker” for its sensitive footage shot at animal shelters, pet stores, puppy mills, factory farms, slaughterhouses, the leather and fur trades, sporting events, circuses and research labs.

Most past research on animal behavior during total solar eclipses is anecdotal. We hope to change that

The captive predator industry threatens the welfare of thousands of big cats kept for entertainment, hunting, and commercial trade of live animals and their body parts. The post In South Africa, Tigers and Other Captive Predators Are Still Exploited for Profit. Legislation Offers Pitiful Protection appeared first on The Revelator.

Now Playing | “To see a snow leopard is to see God.” It’s a film about the search of the snow leopard - a beautiful and rare animal. There are only a few thousand of them left on the planet. Most of the animals have been given names but almost no one has seen them. This is a story about the mystery of human’s contact with another life, with wild nature, and the search for the lost source of inner strength. Scientists, hunters, shamans, tourists - the leopard sees them, but they do not see him.

A new analysis method reveals that fish and invertebrate animals are significantly more impacted by warmer and more acidic seawater than previously understood, according to...

As diplomats search for a way to curb the world’s growing problem of plastic, bottles, buoys, nets and packaging are piling up on what should be one of the most pristine environmentsAs our small fishing boat slows to a halt in a shallow bay south-east of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, in the Galápagos Islands, a green turtle surfaces next to us, followed by a second, then a third a few metres away. A spotted eagle ray glides underneath the vessel.The skipper, Don Nelson, steps on to the black volcanic reef, slippery with algae. We follow, past exposed mangrove roots and up on to higher ground. Pelicans swooping into the trees and small birds, perching on branches, ignore our approach. Continue reading...

A total eclipse isn’t just a spectacle in the sky. Birds, insects and even plants will take notice, and might start acting strange.

The environmental icon’s latest series, “Mammals,” showcases the threats humanity has created for our relatives

Low-income urban residents get rats and pigeons. But when the wealthy move in, they get species like rabbits and flying squirrels. As gentrification displaces lower-income people from American neighborhoods, the animal populations in the areas they're leaving behind are shifting toward local species less typically associated with city environments, a new study has found. The findings, published Monday...

Past Presentation | The story of a multi-generational cattle farm in Talbott, Tennessee, turned sanctuary. The director notes that, through photography, “I could bring my love of animals to new levels and reach wider audiences. With this goal in mind, I started The Sentient Project. By capturing animals in a way many people may not necessarily see them, I hope they will reconsider some of the choices they make. Our daily decisions have massive effects on animals whether immediately recognized or not.”

As their forests disappear, sloths are climbing on dangerous power lines. Veterinarians and rescue centers are developing new techniques to help. The post The Shocking Truth About Sloths appeared first on The Revelator.

A study finds that polycystic echinococcosis, a neglected disease with a high mortality rate, is sensitive to climate, making it possible to predict potential infection...

HOUSTON — This week EHN is publishing letters from eighth grade students at YES Prep Northbrook Middle School in the Houston-area neighborhood of Spring Branch, Texas.English educators Cassandra Harper and Yvette Howard incorporated the environment into a series of lessons in December last year. Each student conducted their own research to begin drafting letters to EHN about their concerns or hopes. EHN reporter Cami Ferrell visited their classrooms to share information about her personal reporting experiences in Houston. The collection of letters, some of which were lightly edited, do not represent the opinions of YES Prep Northbrook or EHN, but are offered here as a peek into the minds of children and their relationship with environmental issues. Read the first, second and third set of letters.Farith JuarezI want to discuss global pollution because it is a severe problem and challenge we all face daily and it does not only affect people, but animals and the environment too. Animals lose their homes due to how much trash we produce and just throw it into places without thinking, whether it is a cup or a plastic bag, it takes months and years for it to decompose. The issue of pollution can affect my community because places like rivers, lakes, ponds, and even sewers are full of trash, making It hard for people to enjoy a day swimming when all the water is dirty and full of trash everywhere you step. Not only is it hard on us, it is especially hard on animals. Imagine having to live in a place where you are constantly surrounded by trash, not only that but animals like turtles can confuse plastic bags with jellyfish and eat them, causing them to choke or suffer health problems in the future. Sometimes in the apartments where I live, the sewers get too full of trash and they start to (spew) all the trash out, making it hard for people who live on the first floor because their apartment may flood, or they cannot get out because of all the water. This problem personally makes me feel hurt because not all manufactured items decompose quickly, it could take years. And by the time that trash is gone, there will be more trash. I am personally worried about our future and the future of our kids because by the time more children are born, they won't be able to know the beautiful Earth we once had because everything will be dirty and full of trash. They won't believe that we once enjoyed life without trash and animals suffering in the dirty water. The government also needs to stop allowing items that take a long time to decompose into the market as well as to stop throwing trash in the water or burning it because it can release harmful chemicals as well as make the earth's atmosphere hotter. I want people to understand that a plastic cup may be the downfall of a whole community or it is one singular trash (item) that (can) take an animal’s life. A thing that all American citizens should be doing is recycling. People need to understand that you can reuse everything, and you will feel better knowing you did not contribute to pollution.- Farith JuarezLucy ElyI am writing to discuss how severe the issue of climate change is, and how we can work to lessen the problem. This is a complex matter that can be made worse by simple decisions we make every day.The main problem is people are producing too much carbon dioxide, causing the planet to heat up, and basically making life more challenging. It harms absolutely everyone on this planet. It personally affects me by making me worry about the future for myself, family, friends, and strangers across the world. In the city of Houston, where I live, there has been an extended drought during spring, summer, and fall. Being just one of the many impacts of climate change.All this terrifies me and makes me feel bad for any ways I’ve possibly contributed to this issue. I’m scared the future won’t be a safe place for all who live here on Earth. I’m worried about future generations suffering, because of the people now and then not doing better. This makes it so important that people can be aware of what is happening, so more things can be done to make the world safer.For example, if climate change were talked about more the government could in theory use someone’s idea to act. I think they could try to make it a requirement to have carbon capture facilities at every place that releases carbon emissions. I want the readers to understand that climate change is real and needs to be taken seriously. - Lucy ElyKeyla CactzoyI am writing to discuss that I have been noticing that summer by summer it is getting hotter and hotter. I am concerned why this is happening. I have also noticed that there have been lots of wildfires which makes me wonder what will happen to the animals' homes? I have been reading articles about animals going to become extinct because of us.Because of people acting like it is not a big deal and not caring about the poor world I feel hopeless as if one day the world would look dead. But it does not have to be this way. We can all put a little effort into the situation, any good little thing you do would be helpful. If people could start learning how to save the world like for example: eat less meat, start using electric cars, and stop leaving trash everywhere. These examples would be more than enough to start taking care of our world, animals, and people.We all have an option to keep hiding from reality like nothing is going on or to be a good person to society and start helping the world out by putting a little effort into the situation. It is your choice in the end just remember that you are doing it for a better future and community and if you think that doing these things will not make a difference just know that it will make a good impact to the world.- Keyla Cactzoy Jessica GodinezRecently we had extreme temperatures in the summer which caused plants to dry up and some people to get heat fevers or skin allergies. Although this keeps happening people don't seem to pay much attention, thinking that soon over time their sickness will wear off, which is obviously not true. If we don't make a change there will be a lot of deaths for animals, plants, and us humans. I feel disappointed (that) people always make their mess not caring who they might put at risk, and they expect other people to clean after them. We can't continue this. We have to keep trying for the better. You might ask, what kind of things do we do to cause climate change? Well, humans like to drive cars because it’s way faster than walking to get to their destination faster. What (some) people don't know is that the back of the car releases carbon dioxide, which is caused by burning gasoline and fuel. That causes air pollution and is one of the major reasons for climate change. We should start making a change by starting to recycle and not throw our trash in our environment like oceans because it can cause animals and plants to suffer. Another thing we can do is protest about climate change to the government and act for ourselves and for the better of our planet.- Jessica Godinez Javier CarrilloThis could affect my community. If climate change gets any worse then that would mean that the weather we know today could get even worse and put thousands if not millions of people’s lives at risk. One example of climate change contributing to the weather is the maximum and minimum temperature in Texas have risen by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit. This personally makes me feel strange of what is to come, and our lives might be on the line. Who knows, someday if climate change is still a problem, then maybe the sun may be too unbearable to even be in. The most important thing I am worried about is the safety of others today and in the future.To address climate change, it is important that everyone in our community does the bare minimum. Everyone, including you, makes an enormous difference. One way the government should protect the climate is to limit the amount of smoke or smog that is released from smokestacks that are built inside factories. But what can you do? Mostly you can do some simple but highly effective things such as recycling or buying electric cars! It might seem as if you are not doing much but you can make a dramatic difference.- Javier Carrillo

Now Playing | In the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes, more than 3 800 meters above sea level, live alpaca and vicunia breeders. Quechua and Aymara families protect their animals live off of the sale of the animals’ fiber. Gold mining is another activity that predates the Conquest and is widespread among families living in the border area between Peru and Bolivia. The difficult compatibility on the same territory of these two production activities increases the need for environmental protection and workers' rights. It has become indispensable to support producers so that this activity does not disappear with the migration of native peoples, abandoning traditions and animals.

An experiment on coral reefs provides the first evidence that predators use other animals for motion camouflage to approach their prey without detection. A new...

Past Presentation | Located in the heart of Brazil, the Pantanal is a tropical wetland packed with the most remarkable wildlife. It has a global importance due to its characteristic water cycle and annual floods, which create waterlogged soils that function as a carbon sink. The annual floods are also essential to maintain a huge diversity of unique species. However, due to human actions, the floods are now becoming smaller and rivers are drying out, which is causing severe droughts. The consequences of this became evident in 2020, when huge wildfires destroyed over a quarter of this biome, killing millions of animals along the way. Two brave locals – Eduarda and Jorge – decided to give their all to rescue and save the lives of severely injured animals along the way.

The aim of cloning the animals is to increase the genetic diversity of the endangered species

A mountain lion spotted at the edge of Griffith Park last month recalled the park's former feline king, P-22. If the new cougar stays, he'll face the same challenges as his predecessor.

Past Presentation | Many know its name; few have seen it. Once present throughout Europe, the angel shark is now critically endangered. As unique as extraordinary, it reveals to us several secrets… little by little, and to those who take the time to listen

Birth control is being trialled as a humane way to limit growing numbers of grey squirrels, pigeons and wild boarThe invention of the contraceptive pill heralded the sexual revolution of the 1960s, and now scientists are looking to revolutionise wildlife control by getting animals in on the action.Trials are under way in the UK and elsewhere in Europe of how to get contraceptives into pigeons, wild boar and grey squirrels, with scientists also proposingother rodents, invasive parakeets and deer as other target species. Continue reading...

Past Presentation | In 1975, a young writer published a book arguing that no justifications exist for considering humans more important than members of other species. It slowly began to gain attention. Today, a quickly growing number of prominent individuals and political activists are adopting its conclusions. They have termed the assumption of human superiority speciesism. As a result, they rank these animal factories among the greatest evils in our history. Speciesism brings viewers face-to-face with the leaders of this developing movement, and, for the first time ever on film, fully examines the purpose of what they are setting out to do.

Past Presentation | A documentary about the activism of Carol Buckley with elephants in captivity and how they are trained, forced to long working hours and living in a clearly improvable conditions.

Past Presentation | On the isolated Danish Faroe Islands, the longtime hunting and fishing practices of the Faroese are being threatened by animal rights activism, plummeting wildlife populations, and rising mercury levels.

The only sightings of the animals so far have come from corpses or creatures dragged up from the depths

Both aquaculture and fisheries have environmental and climate impacts — and they overlap more than you'd think.

Past Presentation | The Paw Project documentary is an inspiring David and Goliath story of a grassroots movement to protect felines, both large and small, from the cruelty of declawing and how the movement has prevailed, despite the efforts of well-funded professional veterinary associations. In the United States today, approximately 25% of domesticated cats are declawed. Declawing is the amputation of the last bone in a cat's toes. Despite the physical and behavioral harm inflicted on cats who are declawed, many veterinarians continue to recommend the procedure, which costs upwards of $1,200. per hour – even for very young kittens. These are animals we love, and with whom we share our homes. Why aren't we being told the truth about what the declawing procedure involves? The Paw Project chronicles the happy and unexpected twist of fate that led to the protection of many animals through the grassroots advocacy efforts led by Dr. Conrad and The Paw Project.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Marion Lucas about her involvement in the film, "The Custodians of the Andean Gold." In the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes, more than 3 800 meters above sea level, live alpaca and vicunia breeders. Quechua and Aymara families protect their animals live off of the sale of the animals’ fiber. Gold mining is another activity that predates the Conquest and is widespread among families living in the border area between Peru and Bolivia. The difficult compatibility on the same territory of these two production activities increases the need for environmental protection and workers' rights. It has become indispensable to support producers so that this activity does not disappear with the migration of native peoples, abandoning traditions and animals.

Now Playing | “Karibu Nyumbani” translates as “Welcome to my Home” in Swahili. Guides in the Maasai Mara have a deep-rooted pride, knowledge, and love for wildlife. This film encapsulates that passion from the perspective of George Osono, a guide in Mara North Conservancy, who completely embodies this spirit of caring for nature. Throughout the film, you meet Half Tail, Lola's cubs and the other iconic members of the Marsh Pride, Kweli the Cheetah and her three cubs as they prepare for adulthood, and an impressive elephant named Edwin. This film is visual portrait of the Maasai Mara's majestic wildlife, and the stories of the extraordinary animals that call it home. The film encourages people to see the beauty of these animals, recognise how fragile their existence is and in turn care more about protecting them.

And why we should have.

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Past Presentation | Film from Non-Violence United promotes a vegan diet as a path toward healing the relationship between animals and humans

Now Playing | Bats are struggling to survive, specifically in North America, where white nose syndrome is causing a sharp decline of certain species. Pertinent issues: climate change, habitat destruction, what can humans must do to prevent extinction.

Now Playing | Jetty Cats explores contemporary animal rights issues through a focus on a feral cat colony that has survived on a rocky, seaside jetty in Southern California for decades. There is an ongoing debate over feral cat colonies involving advocates who support the trap, neuter, and return -- or "TNR" -- model of management, and those who argue that trapping and euthanizing the cats is more humane. This documentary’s point-of-view supports the TNR model and the related “no-kill” animal shelter policy, and features an exclusive interview with Richard Avanzino, the "Father" of the no-kill movement.