“Nature just hit the reset button” in the suddenly clear waters of Venice canals and off the coast of a locked-down Italy. Story at a glance
Italy is under lockdown to fight the spread of COVID–19, which has killed thousands in the country.
With the canals in Venice empty of its usual boat traffic, photos on social media show clear waters and the return of wildlife.
An Italian official says the water isn't necessarily less polluted, but the air has cleared up.
What would a world without humans look like? As countries go under lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID–19, photos on social media suggest it might be a lot cleaner, for a start. As one observer put it, “Nature just hit the reset button.” To read more on this story, click here:As Italy Quarantines Over Coronavirus, Swans Appear in Venice Canals, Dolphins Swim Up Playfully
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Tickets for tourist attractions keeping captive whales and dolphins will be banned from travel site TripAdvisor, the latest animal rights reform from the booking giant. This week, the website announced it would "no longer sell tickets to, or generate revenue from, any attraction that continues to contribute to the captivity of future generations of cetaceans," including whales, dolphins and porpoises. "As a result, any commercial facility that either breeds or imports cetaceans for public display will be banned from sale on TripAdvisor and Viator," the website said. The company made its decision following "extensive consultation" with animal marine biologists, zoologists and conservationists. It follows a similar move made several years ago where TripAdvisor decided to stop supporting businesses offering elephant rides, swimming with dolphins, or tiger encounters. "Whales and dolphins do not thrive in limited captive environments, and we hope to see a future where they live as they should -- free and in the wild," commented Dermot Halpin, President, TripAdvisor Experiences and Rentals. "We believe the current generation of whales and dolphins in captivity should be the last, and we look forward to seeing this position adopted more widely throughout the travel industry." Such products will be removed from the website by the end of 2019. Conservation groups and animal welfare experts welcomed the move as an important step forward.
The company quoted Dr. Naomi Rose, of the Animal Welfare Institute, as saying "whales and dolphins cannot thrive in captivity and enlightened tourists no longer tolerate exploiting these intelligent and socially complex marine predators for human entertainment."
The reform will not apply to "seaside sanctuaries" which care for those animals already in captivity. It is believed few Australian facilities will be caught in the changes, but 10 daily understands Sea World -- on Queensland's Gold Coast -- is seeking clarification on whether it will be amongst the businesses to be banned from TripAdvisor's website. "Sea World is proud of our global leadership in animal rescue, education, research and conservation, and our world-class facilities," a theme park spokesperson told 10 daily. "Sea World encourages any travel agency considering its position to research the science and conservation-based evidence which supports zoos and aquariums and to reach out if they have any questions." It is understood Sea World has no plans to abandon its current dolphin breeding program, which may see it fall under TripAdvisor's plan to ban facilities breeding or importing cetaceans for display. "Sea World is an accredited zoological institution under the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) and is also regulated by multiple State and Federal Government agencies. We have a long history of working with marine animals, with over 40 years of experience in animal care, research and rescue," the park spokesperson said. "The health and wellbeing of our animals is of the utmost priority at Sea World and we have a strong reputation for caring for marine animals. The animals at Sea World live in world-class exhibits, with the dolphins living in some of the largest filtered natural sand bottom lagoon systems in the world." TripAdvisor's policy change was welcomed by PETA Australia. "TripAdvisor has officially rejected tourism to marine mammal prisons like Sea World, where sensitive, complex, far-ranging aquatic animals are kept in tiny tanks," said PETA’s Emily Rice. "TripAdvisor is rightly rejecting animal-exploiting operations, and PETA is calling on tourists and all other travel companies to do the same." TripAdvisor also quoted Nick Stewart, global head of wildlife at the World Animal Protection group. "This sends a clear message to other travel companies that we must end this cruel industry once and for all," he said. "Together we can ensure this is the last generation of dolphins held captive for entertainment."
Actress Tara Reid swims with dolphins at Sea World in 2007. Image: Getty
He posted a video as a message to fans of what they should be doing during the coronavirus outbreak. Actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is hunkering down and quarantining in his home during the coronavirus pandemic, joined by his donkey and miniature horse. In a video posted to Twitter, Schwarzenegger is hanging out in his kitchen with Lulu the donkey and Whiskey the miniature horse. To read more on this story, click here:Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Self-Quarantining With His Donkey And Miniature Horse
Sometimes we forget about our smallest veterans that need assistance too, after leaving active service. And those veterans I’m talking about, are retired military working dogs. They need people to adopt them after their service is up. The Air Force is asking for people – military members or civilians – who would be willing to adopt some of their retired military working dogs. I mean, it’s hard to say no to a face like that. Air Force officials at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland have released a news issue last month calling for adoptive parties to take their retired dogs. The Air Force has stated that while there is lots of demand to adopt the puppies that didn’t make the cut for active duty, there is significantly less interest in adopting the adult dogs – which are exceptionally trained by the way, and could easily rescue you from various dangerous situations or sniff out any nearby bombs. If you are indeed interested, the Air Force has warned that the process for adopting a retired military dog can be long and could potentially take up to two years. Interested potential dog owners are required to fill out paperwork and answer questions as to where the dog will live, and how it will be cared for. And not anyone would be eligible to adopt the canine vets. In order to be deemed a good fit, applicants need to have a six-foot fence, no kids under the age of 5, and no more than 3 dogs already in the home. They also need to list their veterinarian on the application, provide to references, as well as be able to produce a transport crate. Still interested in adopting a retired military working dog? You can get in contact with officials at mwd.adoptions@us.af.mil or call 210-671-6766.
Most of us would do anything for our pets: we adjust our homes for them, buy them their favorite foods, and pay for expensive vet bills. Some of us would even put our lives on the line for them without expecting the favor to be returned. So, for all we do for them, it’s pretty amazing when our furry friends do make a sacrifice for us! And while it’s dogs that are often trained to be helpful and loyal, our feline family members are there for us, too! Just take a look at these incredible cats who saved their owners’ lives… To read more on this story, click here:Brave Superhero Cats That Saved People’s Lives
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This Encounter Captured Millions Of Hearts When a videographer unexpectedly encountered a group of seal pups while scuba diving in the sea, their behavior completely took him by surprise. 55-year-old Gary Grayson loves nothing more than taking a walk (or a swim) on the wild side. However, when he ended up bumping into a seal just off the south coast of England, nothing could prepare him for the response he would receive after posting a video of the strange encounter online… To read more on this story, click here:Scuba Diver’s Strange Encounter With Seal Pup Goes Viral
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Let’s be honest: most of us could probably use a bigger paycheck. We work the jobs we do to makes ends meet, but there aren’t many people out there who think they’re compensated exactly as they should be for the hard work they put into their day-to-day routine. So what would you do if you found out there are certain animals who probably make more money than you do just for being animals? You’ve probably seen some of them in movies, on television, or online, and they bring in a hefty paycheck—even though they can’t even spend it! To read more on this story, click here:20 Famous Pets That Rake In Outrageous Amounts Of Money For Their Owners Each Year
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Each and every time a newborn sloth enters the world, it’s cause for celebration. But to witness such a rarely-seen event makes it even more so. Recently, nature guide Steven Vela did just that — and he caught the whole thing on film. Evidently, while trekking with a group through a forest in Costa Rica, Vela happened to notice a sloth high in the treetops. Though notoriously difficult to spot in the wild as it is, this particular sloth was seconds away from doing something few have ever observed. As Vela looked on, the sloth gave birth to a beautiful baby. To read more on this story, click here:Rare Video Captures The Incredible Moment A Baby Sloth Is Born To learn more about sloths, click here: 10 facts about sloths, nature's slowest animals
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Few constructions in nature evoke a sense of coziness and warmth quite like nests — treetop homes built with love and care by birds to raise their babies. But this particular mom-to-be found a rather ingenious way of making her place even cozier. Conservationist Bianca Caroline Soares is no stranger to seeing hummingbird nests perched on branches in the jungle near her home in Paraguay. But on a walk last Spring, she spotted one unlike any she’d seen before. To read more on this story, click here:Clever Little Hummingbird Builds A Home With A Roof
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COLUMBUS (WCMH) — The Columbus Zoo says two cheetah cubs born through in vitro fertilization are continuing to grow and do well. The cubs are the first-ever born through in vitro fertilization. According to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the cheetahs are now being reared by the zoo’s animal care team after checkups indicated the female cub was not gaining enough weight. To read more on this story, click here:Columbus Zoo Releases New Photos Of Cheetah Cubs Born Through In Vitro Fertilization
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The signs of dogfighting can be hard to spot if you don’t know what to look for. According to the Humane Rescue Alliance, the key signs of dogfighting are:
Dogs kept outside on heavy chains and rotated throughout the yard
Dogs that leave and come back to the yard with injuries or scarring
Dogs frequently forced to run on a treadmill or use other conditioning tools for long periods of time
“If you see an animal that has scarring or open wounds around its legs, chest or around its face, those are usually indications it is involved in organized dogfighting,” HRA Humane Law Enforcement Officer Engel said. To read more on this story, click here:Dogfighting: How to Identify and Report It
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She's done 4 flights so far with Fred. NEWAYGO COUNTY, Mich. — Ronica Froese's has had a love for animals her whole life. That love also includes miniature horses. "I've loved horses my entire life, they are my spirit animal. 6 years ago I wanted a horse at home and the only property size I have is for a miniature horse," says Froese. That's when she found a mini, affectionately known as Fred, from an online post in Kansas. To read more on this story, click here:West Michigan Woman Approved To Fly With Service Horse
Today, the six living species of sloths are usually found dangling from tree branches, or going viral on YouTube. But sloths used to be a lot more diverse—and a lot bigger. The extinct ground sloths pursued all sorts of different lifestyles and came in just about every imaginable shape and size. Some were cow-like grazers; others might have been accomplished burrowers; and, believe it or not, a few even dined beneath the ocean waves. To read more on this story, click here:10 Big Facts About Giant Ground Sloths
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