What the grieving mother orca tells us about how animals experience death For many weeks, news of a mother orca carrying her dead infant through the icy waters of the Salish Sea captured the attention of many around the world. Keeping the infant afloat as best she could, the orca, named Tahlequah, also known as […]
You are browsing archives for
Tag: Animal rights
Spotting Conservation Volunteering Fakes
I’ve heard that a lot of companies are just a front and aren’t really about volunteering. Is that true? Yes, that is true and even more so when volunteering is about supposedly preserving species that happen to be majestic, beautiful and/or have cute babies… So you need to watch out. Here are a few tips to help you distinguish […]
Never Fear to Ask —It Could Spare a Life
You see something that you don’t understand, or that concerns you… Should you ask? Is there such thing as a naive question? The answer is ‘Yes’ you should ask. And ‘No’ there are no naive questions when the welfare of animals is at stake. Dare to ask, and engage in a respectful discussion with the […]
The Captivity Effects Denial Phenomenon
Our enthusiasm and indulgence for animal captivity is changing yet very slowly. But we can accelerate our pace, because it can only be a win-win for science, for the animals, and us as moral individuals… ‘Are zoo animals happy? There’s a simple empathy test we can apply‘ is a very good piece of journalism on a […]
Zoos: Many Questions & Not Enough Answer
The common public ‘rhetoric’ these days about zoos is: zoo changed and they are now good for both conservation and the collected/exhibited individuals. Well then good! But the topic is not an easy one, after all this is really about ethics and of course, as ethics goes it’s tedious and painful at times (remember the […]
When Ignorance Isn’t Bliss
Recently, when interviewing a young EwAnaut friend about her volunteer experience, I was reminded of how harmful not-knowing can be. Our friend had just returned from volunteering in an accredited African wildlife conservation rescue organization. This was a good ethical experience and this made a difference on so many accounts compared to the too numerous […]
Harambe and the Value of Zoo Collections...
Like many people, I have a mix feeling of incredulity and incredible sadness for what happened few days ago at the Cincinnati zoo and which led to executing Harambe the gorilla after an unattended 4-years child fell in the gorilla enclosure. At the root of all that is our relationship with wildlife. And we have […]
Volunteering with Captive Wild Animals?
Is volunteering in a wildlife rescue center or sanctuary a bad idea? Not at all! It all depends on the species you will work with and on the legitimacy of the organization itself. But first, it requires the volunteer to do his/her homework and research the organization and the species. Here are few things to keep in […]
Volunteering with or for Big Wild Cats?
Often volunteers look for and ask us about missions where they can interact with wild cats. And more than often we hear that the motivation for joining projects allowing these types of interactions is a way for them of affirming their love for these cats. But by getting so close to them, are we really helping those animals we love so dearly? […]
Kindness for a Lost Soul…
Hard rule to follow: Always keep a safe distance between yourself and a wild animal. Always be on your guard. Respect their needed space. Don’t move fast. And please be quiet – the human species is so loud and does not grasp how disturbing and detrimental it is for an animal ([2], [3], [4]). All rules apply as […]