The Wildlife Blog
ABC News Taps Laurel Neme for Background on Live Animal Trafficking Story
Producers for ABC News with Diane Sawyer interviewed me on Friday (May 13, 2011) for a piece they were doing that night on live animal trafficking. They reported a recent bust at Thailand’s Bangkok airport of a man from UAE who smuggled a “virtual zoo” of live animals. Discovered in this first-class passenger’s suitcase were two leopard cubs,…
Read MoreCoral Reef Opera
From JeffCorwinConnect Citizen Blog: If you ever wanted ideas for a new soap opera, coral reefs would be the place to go. These colonies of tiny living animals not only provide vital ecological services, such as protecting shorelines, but are also home to some of the most diverse-and strange-creatures on the planet. Dive a few meters below…
Read MoreAdvocate Aims to Stop Elephant Slaughter in Chad
Chad is one of the poorest country’s in the world, with 80 percent of its population living below the poverty line. It’s suffered years of civil strife, and unrest in neighboring countries like Sudan often spills over and adds to the nation’s instability. To make matters worse, 200,000 refugees have fled the violence in Darfur…
Read MoreThe WildLife: Elephant Poaching in Chad, Stephanie Vergniault
Stephanie Vergniault, Founder and Executive Director of SOS Elephants, talks about elephant poaching in Chad. She tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme that the situation is spiraling out of control. In just two-weeks, in February 2011, 20 elephants were killed in Chad for their ivory. All were killed outside of protected areas, making them easy targets. Vergniault notes…
Read MoreRise in Elephant Poaching: Blame Asian Demand or Complicity of Wildlife Officials?
Hardly a week goes by without another report of a major seizure of smuggled African elephant ivory. Just a week ago, on March 30, Thai customs officials seized two tons of elephant ivory (247 tusks) worth $3.3 million hidden in a ship’s hold that had traveled from Kenya. The director of the Kenya Wildlife Service…
Read MoreElephant Killing by GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons Spurs Debate
The killing of an elephant who had been raiding farmers’ crops during a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe by GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons (who posted a video of the hunt) has prompted an outcry from opponents. PETA notes that is is canceling its account with Go Daddy and calls for others to do the same. Competitors, such as…
Read MoreDe-horning Rhino as Anti-Poaching Measure
De-horning rhino as an anti-poaching measure has become increasingly accepted. An interesting article by Guy Rogers in South Africa’s The Herald Online explores that decision and also describes the actual process. The article focuses on the de-horning of two rhino at the Kragga Kamma Game Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. In it, head of the family-run…
Read MoreABC Nightline Video: Animal CSI: Lab Targets Illegal Species Traffic
Laurel has been featured on national and local media outlets, including ABC’s Nightline and NPR’s Science Friday. Video now available from ABC’s Nightline segment “Animal CSI: Lab Targets Illegal Species Traffic—Desire for Rhino Horns, Monkey Faces and More as Medicine Drives Thriving Black Market” For more about Laurel’s ABC Nightline segment, please view initial post:…
Read MoreThe WildLife: Nature in Iraq, Anna Bachmann and Hana Ahmed Raza
Anna Bachmann, Director of Conservation for Nature Iraq, and Hana Ahmed Raza, their mammals specialist, discuss wildlife and nature in Iraq. They tell “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme how, after 35 years of wars and sanctions, Iraq’s environment is in dire need of care and attention. In order to rebuild the country’s natural foundation, more information is…
Read MoreMongolian Cancels Plan to Allow Snow Leopard Hunt for Science
Here’s proof that speaking out works! Following a plan by the Mongolian government to issue permits to kill four snow leopards (Panthera uncia) for ‘scientific research,’ an international outcry by conservationists prompted the government to cancel the proposed hunt. Mongabay.com reports that well-known biologist and Vice President of the big cat conservation organization, Panthera, Dr. George Schaller, praised the decision,…
Read MoreMongabay.com: Pet trade, palm oil, and poaching: the challenges of saving the ‘forgotten bear’
By Laurel Neme, special to mongabay.comMarch 20, 2011 This interview originally aired May 17, 2010. It was transcribed by Diane Hannigan. Siew Te Wong is one of the few scientists who study sun bears (Ursus malayanus). He spoke with Laurel Neme on her “The WildLife” radio show and podcast about the interesting biological characteristics of this…
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