It’s time to recognize long-time stellar ‘friends of animals’
Besides all the “festivating” underway right now, with holidays quickly coming and going, this is also the traditional time when many publications recognize the year’s stand-outs, both people and events. I’m eager to salute two outstanding people and a notable (and noble!) event – a 40 year-old one, in fact. First, here’s to…
Elephants forever! But only we can make it happen
AMNH image It’s up and running: “The Secret World of Elephants” at New York’s American Museum of Natural History. And of course, readers, I hope…
Pity poor puppy mill pets & the people who love them
Decades ago, eager to bring home our first family dog, we went straight to the pet store at a nearby mall and soon walked out with a buff cocker spaniel puppy. He was darling and we were thrilled . . . until one ailment after another afflicted him. It soon grew to frequent vet visits,…
Non-human animals: Their eyes have it
They were here before us — the animals — and we were once them. Without understanding we watched the sunrise …
‘Help needed’: our NJ bears, a DC dog & horses everywhere
It took high-level lying and false numbers for both bear population and bear incidents, as well as a Fish and Game Council with hunters in 6 of its 11 seats, establishing public policy for New Jersey! No wonder bear hunts have resumed here, despite the great majority of residents against it. Continuously fighting against bear…
Bears in jeopardy, looking at platypuses, a cat’s job & elephant show coming
NJ black bear That Gov. Phil Murphy has once again gone back on his word to stop black bear hunts in New Jersey, and that his latest deceptive decision is based on false numbers and a false sense of urgency has already been said, although it bears repeating, for our bears’ sake. On this and many…
Insects & other animals just soldier on
Marked by undependable, unseasonable and violent weather, the summer of ’23 was notably un-lovable, with catastrophes taking place seemingly everywhere in the world: fires, merciless heat, extreme storms, earthquakes, dam breaks and floods added to the “usual” crime and virus rates, and (understandably?) continuing mental health issues. Howdy Doody in transit No wonder the…
Selected end-of-summer animal news briefs
Cricket Despite fewer fireflies in my area this season, the summer singers are coming on strong, and I’m happy to hear them. Among the insect carolers, cicadas are day-timers, while crickets and katydids perform at night. (Grasshoppers are often mentioned as chorus members too, but I don’t know when they get going or how they…
Sea-monster appeal & a worldwide holiday
It’s a monster, swimming right toward you! It’s at least 50 feet long, with teeth that won’t quit, in a giant mouth you could stand upright in . . . briefly. It’s “the biggest predator fish of all time”: a Megalodon! But not to worry: this beastie has been extinct for 3.6 million years. It…
Bugs, birds, new ‘real’ chicken & tourist-scofflaws
Summer night, alight Earlier this month, I realized I didn’t see a single firefly during June (and still not yet, nearly August). Will I ever see them again? Are those softly glowing beetles also known as lightning bugs vanishing or not? The quick, if not definitive answer, is no! A recent media story and an…
Myriad city ‘feral’ cats, bird competition for suet, humane travel
A big-city issue? A job for countless volunteers? A crazy cat lady’s dream? A huge caring-challenge? It’s all of the above — and much more! It’s an estimated 500,000 (a half-million!) feral cats in New York City: homeless and hungry. Not owned by or living with people, these street cats fend for themselves in all…
Unusual animals & their strange relationships
How often have we heard something new, different and not like us described as “alien”? With little experience or practice at accepting life forms different from our own, we may have said it ourselves. Anything “not-us” can be mysterious and/or intimidating. One cure is getting to know that seeming “alien,” then often befriending or even protecting it.…