Wildlife Alert: Hunters Killing Entire Elephant Herds in Zimbabwe

Proof has come out that Zimbabwe is allowing hunters in their National Parks to decimate entire herds of elephants for what they consider ‘population control.’  The hunters are being charged upwards of £37,000 for the chance to bag one or more of the park’s elephants.  Rumors have circulated for quite some time that this was taking place inside of Zimbabwe parks, but it wasn’t until recently that the proof of such acts has come to light.

Zimbabwe is thought to have 80-100,000 elephants within it’s national borders.  The ‘culling’ of the elephants, or the killing of complete herds, is taking place to supposedly protect Zimbabwe’s ecosystems and water supplies.  The act of ‘culling’ animals (killing an entire herd) is quite controversial.  Supports say that this is the most humane way of dealing with what some consider a problem.  Those against this type of control say that there are other methods that are better suited for the animals to survive.  These include moving the animals, expanding their habitat, or even the use of contraceptives.

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Wildlife Alert: Massive Whale Massacre Gets Canadian Greenlight

Canadian authorities recently authorized Inuit hunters that they may begin killing a group of whales that had become stranded near Baffin island.  The original numbers had placed these whales at about 200 animals.  They had become trapped in the arctic ice and their survival was looked upon as futile and very unlikely.  Inuit hunters began killing the narwhal whales earlier in the week.  By weeks end, whales were still surfacing in the area on a regular basis.  It is now believed that there could be as many as 400 whales trapped in the ice with little chance of survival.

Narwhal whales are one of very few species of whale (if not the only one) to have a tusk that protrudes from it’s face.  This tusk can be upwords of 10 feet in length.  The narwhal is also thought to be the only whale species that inhabits the arctic for the full extent of it’s life.  Males can weigh in excess of 3,500 pounds, with females slightly smaller.

Canada’s Federal Fisheries and Oceans officials have assured everyone that all parts of the narwhal harvest are being used to benefit the people.  The ivory tusks are to be sold internationally, while the blubber and meat will be sold through local merchants.

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Wildlife Alert: Extinct Primate Resurfaces In Indonesia

A primate thought to be extinct since the 1920’s has resurfaced in Indonesia.  National Geographic News is reporting that a pygmy tarsier was recently discovered deep in the Indonesian rain forest.  The carnivorous animal was rediscovered during an expedition sponsored by the National Geographic Society’s Conservation Trust.

It is thought that deforestation during the 1970’s may have wiped out the species, but no live specimen had been seen since the 1920’s.  Sharon Gursky-Doren, who helped lead this expedition, mentioned that the team actually captured, tagged, and set free three different pygmy tarsiers and are hoping that this rediscovery will help pursuade the Indonesian government tp protect this species while they still can.

To read more about the pygmy tarsiers and to catch an amazing close-up view of this long lost species, head over to National Geographic News.