Ice surrounding Antarctica could be at risk of collapsing if global temperatures increase by 4C, experts warn.
Research from the University of Reading found that more than a third of the Antarctic ice shelf area could collapse and release “unimaginable amounts” of water into the sea.
The scientists said that limiting the temperature rise to 2C could potentially halve the area at risk and avoid a drastic rise in sea level.
The findings suggest that 4C warming could leave 34% of the area of all Antarctic ice shelves – around half a million square kilometres – at risk of collapse.
Ice shelves are permanent floating sheets of ice that connect to a landmass and most ice shelves surround the coast of Antarctica.
Dr Ella Gilbert from the University of Reading said: “Ice shelves are important buffers, preventing glaciers on land from flowing freely into the ocean and contributing to sea-level rise.
“When they collapse, it’s like a giant cork being removed from a bottle, allowing unimaginable amounts of water from glaciers to pour into the sea.
“We know that, when melted ice accumulates on the surface of ice shelves, it can make them fracture and collapse spectacularly.
“Previous research has given us the bigger picture in terms of predicting Antarctic ice shelf decline, but our new study uses the latest modelling techniques to fill in the finer detail and provide more precise projections.”
Dr Gilbert added the research highlights the importance of limiting the global temperature increases as set out in the Paris Agreement, by limiting global warming to below 2C above pre-industrial levels.
As part of their modelling study, the researchers also identified that Larsen C – the largest remaining ice shelf on the peninsula – would be particularly at risk in a warmer climate.
They said other ice shelves facing this threat include Shackleton, Pine Island and Wilkins.
Dr Gilbert added: “If temperatures continue to rise at current rates, we may lose more Antarctic ice shelves in the coming decades.
“Limiting warming will not just be good for Antarctica – preserving ice shelves means less global sea-level rise, and that’s good for us all.”
Posted on April 9, 2021 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
WAV Comment: This is a difficult one to crack. 30 years ago Joanne, myself and Trev took to the streets to get supermarkets in England to stop buying fish from the Faroes because of this slaughter. Shoppers were made aware of the slaughter, but Denmark / Faroes refused t move on the subject. So here we are all these years later and the killing still goes on. The mass mink murderers are also getting satisfaction out of whale slaughter. So much for the EU being animal welfare supportive ! – allowing a member state to continue this.
You can see a picture above of our action on the streets, plus many pictures of the whale murders by visiting About Us. | Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) – scroll down until you come to the bloody photos.
I don’t know what else to say about this really, the petition wording explains more. All we can do is keep putting on the pressure and this action is yet another way of doing it.
Every few months, entire pods of Pilot Whales are brutally and senselessly slaughtered in the Faroe Islands. As many as 1,000 long‐finned pilot whales are brutally killed in the Faroe Islands each year.
The slaughter occurs mainly during the summer months in so‐called “traditional” communal drive hunts that locals refer to as “grindadráp” or simply, “the grind”. More accurately this practice should be called what it truly is ‐ mass slaughter. Like the infamous drive hunts in Taiji, Japan, “the grind” is a blood‐red stain on these otherwise pristine waters.
The purpose of this petition is to call on the Danish Ambassador to South Africa, Trine Rask Thygesen, as well as the South African Ambassador to Denmark, Zindzi Mandela‐Hlongwane, to place pressure on the government of Denmark to stop “the grind”.
The Faroe Islands, although declared an autonomous region, still forms a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Faroe Islands may be self‐governing, but they essentially constitute a country within the Kingdom of Denmark. Although the Nordic country does not openly support commercial whaling, same which is banned by the European Commission, it supports the right of indigenous communities in the Faroe Islands and Greenland – which, while part of the Danish Kingdom are not part of the European Union – to maintain what they call their traditional whale hunts. Denmark does this by relying on “Declaration 25”. The declaration refers to member states who have territories outside the EU – as is the case with the Faroe Islands and Greenland – and will allow Denmark not to be bound by the common position of the EU.
It should also be noted that Denmark’s justification which previously exempted it from having to comply with the EU Common Position (see Annex II of Common Position), is no longer valid, as this exemption was based on Declaration no. 25 annexed to the Final Act of the Maastricht Treaty. However, Declaration 25 is not annexed to the Lisbon Treaty, and therefore is no longer valid.
It is argued that “the grind” is done to procure food for the islanders, and forms a part of their “culture and tradition”. This seems to be inline with the Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling (ASW) are contained in paragraph 13 of the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling(ICRW) and allow for “aborigines,” whose cultural and nutritional need for whales and whaling. HOWEVER ‐ evidence has clearly shown that the islanders do in fact, sell the whale meat for commercial purposes. Also, many of the whales are hunted and their carcasses are left to rot in the sea, untouched by the islanders. Inference can then be drawn to support the idea that “the grind” does not fall under Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling and must be opposed by the Kingdom of Denmark, the EU and the IWC.
Lastly, culture and tradition should not promote or condone cruelty. It is the 21st Century, we are aware of the biological workings of all animals. Whales and Dolphins have an increased amount of spindle cells, more so than humans do. Spindle cells, named after their long, spindle‐shaped bodies, are the cells that are credited with allowing us to feel love and to suffer emotionally.
Lori Marino in Whales and Dolphin: cognition, culture, conservation and human perceptions states:
‘Cetaceans and humans, therefore, are a striking example of evolutionary convergence in psychology among mammals. These similarities, importantly, mean that cetaceans, as humans, are vulnerable to emotional and social stresses that can lead to considerable harm. This important point is critical to guiding the ethics of how we interact with and treat cetaceans.’
We, as South Africans, are generally kind, compassionate people who do not support any form of animal abuse. Our coast lines boast the best Whale and Dolphin watching worldwide. Cape Town is an international Hot Spot for viewing of the Great White Shark. We fight the brutal poaching of our rhinos and elephants, boasting the largest game park, the Kruger National Park, in the world. We take our conservation very seriously.
It is important that ambassadors to, and of, our country show this stance and should protest against any such animal abuse, including this barbaric hunt of the Pilot Whales.
Posted on April 8, 2021 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
The government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso wants to reactivate the celebration of bullfighting celebrations within the community, subsidizing with around one million euros for the Toro de Lidia foundation, which will organize a ‘tour’ of nine bullfights and nine novilladas (bullfights with young bulls)
The president of the Community of Madrid and PP candidate for re-election, Isabel Díaz Ayuso
The president of the Community of Madrid and PP candidate for re-election, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, announced this Thursday that she has given a “green light” to the signing of a collaboration agreement, with the Fundación del Toro de Lidia, to put into march the bullfighting 2021-2022 and celebrate 18 bullfighting festivals in municipalities with less than 8,000 inhabitants. In addition, Ayuso has announced another endowment of 3 million euros for the fighting bull herds of the community.
Despite the fact that the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas does not currently provide any type of shows with bulls, at the Vistalegre Palace in Madrid it does seem that bullfights may be held, from May 13 to 23, predictably with a capacity reduced to 50%, although it continues to await official confirmation from the Community of Madrid. This permit will arrive after the regional elections on May 4.
In addition, the increase in the price of tickets and season tickets is infuriating for fans: The cheapest season ticket is € 370, which is a minimum price of € 30 per celebration. From there, quotas close to € 1,300 are reached.
The Ayuso government heads the ranking of the communities that are giving the most money to the bullfighting sector, with up to 4.6 million euros in 2020 for bull herds, and now this million euros for 2021-2022 for the celebration of bullfighting festivities with death.
No to aid to bullfighting!
Autonomous governments and provincial councils are allocating extraordinary items for the rescue of bullfighting due to the effects of the coronavirus, which would already touch 7.7 million euros.
We, AnimaNaturalis we have been investigating these aids since the beginning of the pandemic, regularly updating this information.
In this article, we break down the different aids that the bullfighting sector is receiving.
More than 183,000 people have already asked the Minister of Culture not to allocate aid for the rescue of the bullfighting sector.
Faced with the COVID19 crisis, we have a unique opportunity to leave behind the privileges of the past, to build a world without bullfighting.
Without the millionaire budget items that the bullfighting sector receives, cruel animal shows will disappear.
And I mean…Many people in Spain have to beg for food, the country has more than 2.8 million deaths due to Corona.
The Taurinos are now holding out their hands and begging like a toddler from corrupt politicians so that their “culture of the Jitanos” can continue to exist.
As the Pisa study shows, when it comes to education, Spain is at the very bottom in Europe, which is also noticeable in the fact that traditions from the Middle Ages are perceived with enthusiasm, which only scares off and disgusts any other educated person.
Do the Spaniards really believe that in the current economic and health situation, there are no more important things to do with this money and want to spend the millions in such barbarism?
It’s not about being for or against bullfighting! it’s about that if you look at the Spaniards you can see that they lack a lot of money to eat or to pay for their electricity or gas!
And no, we won’t look the other way because this is a lucrative business for a bunch of idiots.
We will continue to fight to put an end to this barbarism, and we know it, the time is ticking for animals.
Posted on April 8, 2021 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
The “Association against animal factories”reveals: terrible conditions in Lower Austria pig breeding
Injured piglets, rotting children next to their mothers, cramped crates for lifelong pigs, fully slatted floors, and painful castration – criminal charges filed!
Image: VgT
The “Association Against Animal Factories”(VGT)- Austria), has now uncovered a particularly cruel case of animal cruelty in Lower Austria: terrible conditions prevail on a pig fattening operation in St. Pölten.
Between 150 and 200 mother sows are kept here for life in crates and on fully slatted floors.
The agony of the pigs and piglets is unbelievable.
Dead piglets lie next to their mothers for days
Image: VgT
The little piglets show bleeding scratches and bite wounds all over their bodies. The reason for this is easy to explain: in performance breeding, pig mothers give birth to far too many piglets at once and the fight for the lower number of teats is inevitable.
Image: VgT
In the so-called “farrowing pens”, where the mothers are housed, there is no going back and forth for the pigs.
They have to come to terms with the fact that their already decaying, dead children are lying next to them, who are only collected in a bucket days later.
Conditions that, according to the law, shouldn’t be:
According to the Austrian Animal Welfare Act, female sows may spend a maximum of 10 days for fertilization and only “the critical days” in the farrowing pen in the body-sized cages, the so-called crate stalls.
This law was apparently ignored in the St. Pölten company. Cobwebs show that no pig has moved freely here for a long time.
Eggs and tails off!
Image: VgT
The male piglets are also castrated here without anesthesia. This bestial procedure is still allowed in Austria, but pain relievers must be administered.
On the video of the VGT, you can see that the piglets are being given an injection, but they don’t even think to wait until the effect occurs. They have to be given about 30 minutes before treatment to be effective.
Snap snap!
And as if that wasn’t enough? Contrary to EU law,the tails of all pigs were also cut off in order to ensure that the desperate animals do not bite each other off when the conditions are poor.
Fully slatted floors
Image: VgT
The annoying issue of fully slatted floors is of course “well implemented” here.
You won’t find straw or any other litter here. The consequences are the usual suffering of the animals on fully slatted floors: sore joints and injured claws.
Even a boar has to live on a fully slatted floor without bedding on this farm – but keeping boars like this is prohibited by law.
David Richter, the VGTpig expert, said: “Stables like these show, on the one hand, the legally permitted brutality against individuals capable of suffering, and on the other hand, it was possible to demonstrate how the already weak animal protection regulations in Austria are shamelessly ignored. We demand effective measures to alleviate the unbearable suffering of the animals concerned. “
And I mean… It is time for Agriculture Minister Elisabeth Köstinger, who is responsible for the criminal abuses in the animal industry, to step down.
The best thing would be for the entire People’s Party to resign, a party of liars that has long tolerated and supported this illegal situation in animal farms.
Posted on April 7, 2021 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Report from the blog of DirectActionEverywhere
In 2017, I entered a Land O’ Lakes dairy farm in California with a team of DxE investigators and the horrors I saw sent me on an unexpected journey.
Was this farm just an anomaly, or was this routine treatment of dairy cows and their babies?
I couldn’t understand how the dairy industry gets away with such cruelty – especially a company like Land O’ Lakes that boasts about following strict animal welfare guidelines.
I have now gone into 14 Land O’ Lakes farms in California and Wisconsin, the nation’s top dairy-producing states.
With the help of more than 20 grassroots investigators, we now have footage proving that this company routinely violates its own welfare standards, as well as animal cruelty laws.
(It was only today that I realized that the video couldn’t be seen. The meat producers didn’t like it. Through this link, you can go to the group’s Facebook page and watch the video).
We have a 2-minute video proving that Land O’Lakes is going out of its way to mislead customers. Please watch and share on Facebook or Instagram.
We’re reporting this cruelty, reaching out to company representatives, and sharing our findings with journalists.
The Fresno Bee just published a story about our investigation findings which you can read and share here.
Don’t be fooled by false advertising about “happy cows” and “pure milk.” There is nothing happy nor pure about the dairy industry, and when we take direct action, we can expose that.
Many thanks to everyone who helped with this investigation on the ground, and to all of you supporting online.
Together, we are shattering the “humane” myth and making real progress for animal rights. If you can support this work financially, please chip in here.
Alexandra Paul (DxE)
And I mean…In order to understand that we are dealing with animal cruelty inherent in the system and that the NOT documented suffering is much, much worse, one would actually only have to add one and one together.
There is no animal welfare in the system of animal exploitation because the sentient being is degraded to a commodity.
But there can still be thousands of such videos, the meat-eater simply rationalizes this further as “blatant exception” and “individual misconduct” rightly.
And even if you point out crystal clear misunderstandings and errors to consumers, they’ll come back with their “free choice”the next time.
So, even after videos like this, doesn’t a meat-eater need to give reasons why not to be vegan?
So there is no need to provide an explanation of why animals are being forced to impregnate, imprisoned, deprived of their children, exploited, and killed when they are not productive?
Then we are dealing with a moral declaration of bankruptcy.
Posted on April 7, 2021 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Sea Shepherd Germany
“We probably weren’t their preferred rescuer, but sometimes you don’t get to decide who rescues you.” – Capt. Peter Hammarstedt,Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
A 110-day Sea Shepherd chase of the world’s most notorious poaching vessel has ended in dramatic and deliberate scuttling in a remote area near the equator.
On April 6, the infamous Patagonian toothfish poaching vessel, the Thunder, sank in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Sao Tome, under what can best be described as “incredibly strange” and suspicious circumstances.
The alleged stateless pirate ship had been tailed by Sea Shepherd ship the Bob Barker for nearly 4 months, while the organization’s sister ship, the Sam Simon, collected incriminating evidence as part of Sea Shepherd’s non-violent intervention mission, Operation Icefish.
The Sea Shepherd 2014-2015 Southern Ocean defense campaign Operation Icefish was launched to expose and shut down six illegal fishing vessels(the Bandit 6) exploiting vulnerable species and ecosystems in remote areas of the Antarctic.
Interpol estimates the Thunder made over $76 million in illegal catches since being blacklisted in 2006. The poaching vessel is also expected to play a significant hand in human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 