FALL 2017 / VOLUME 66 / NUMBER 3 of its actions on endangered animals and what can be done to avoid harm—an obligation it has not fulfilled. The USFWS even warned Wildlife Services in a 2010 biological opinion that its activities put ocelots at risk. SPOTLIGHT Last October, AWI and the Center sued APHIS and the Welcome Outcome for Ocelots USFWS over this disregard for the law. After we filed our complaint, Wildlife Services and the USFWS began Ocelots may have a better chance at survival in the United consultations to examine threats to ocelots and develop States, thanks to a June 26 settlement AWI and the Center mitigation measures. for Biological Diversity reached with the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service The suit also asserted that recent science must be taken (APHIS) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Per the into account to supplement the decades-old environmental settlement, APHIS and the USFWS have finally agreed analyses of Wildlife Services’ wildlife-killing program in to examine the threat posed by APHIS’ Wildlife Services Arizona. Under the settlement, the USFWS will incorporate program to endangered ocelots in Arizona and Texas. up-to-date scientific information in its final environmental assessment, to be released by year’s end. Wildlife Services kills tens of thousands of animals in those two states every year using traps, snares, and poisons. The This welcome development may not, of course, induce actual “service” this program provides to society is dubious Wildlife Services to see the light and clean up its bloody act. at best, and it operates with little accountability or oversight. It will, at least, prevent the program from cavalierly ignoring The Endangered Species Act, however, does require Wildlife the damage its killing program could do to at least one Services to consult with the USFWS to determine the effect endangered species. FOUNDER Viktor Reinhardt, DVM, PhD Haley Frevert D.J. Schubert Membership Coordinator Wildlife Biologist Christine Stevens Robert Schmidt, PhD John Walsh, MD Georgia Hancock, Esq. Regina Terlau Of Counsel Executive Assistant DIRECTORS Brittany Horton Dave Tilford Cynthia Wilson, Chair INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE Website and Communications Writer/Editor John W Boyd, Jr. Aline S de Aluja, DVM, Mexico Coordinator Tara Zuardo, Esq. Caroline A Griffin, Esq. Ambassador Tabarak Husain, Dena Jones Wildlife Attorney Bangladesh Charles M Jabbour, CPA Director, Farm Animal Program Angela King, United Kingdom Mary Lee Jensvold, PhD Eric Kleiman Agnes Van Volkenburgh, DVM, Researcher Cathy Liss Poland Susan Millward Chris Miller, DVM Director, Marine Wildlife Program STAFF AND CONSULTANTS Kate O’Connell OFFICERS For subscription inquiries or other Animal Welfare Institute Animal Welfare Nadia Adawi Marine Animal Consultant Executive Director/General Counsel information, contact: Cathy Liss, President Ryan Ososki Cynthia Wilson, Vice President Alexandra Alberg Policy Advisor Animal Welfare Institute Graphic Designer Charles M Jabbour, CPA, Treasurer Amey Owen 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Nancy Blaney Washington, DC 20003 Caroline Griffin, Esq., Secretary Public Relations Coordinator Director, Government Affairs (202) 337-2332 Mary Lou Randour, PhD [email protected] Bill Clark, PhD Senior Advisor, Animal Cruelty SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE International Wildlife Program www.awionline.org Programs and Training Gerard Bertrand, PhD Specialist Ava Rinehart ISSN 1071-1384 (print) Roger Fouts, PhD Kate Dylewsky ISSN 1930-5109 (online) Senior Policy Advisor Senior Graphic Designer Roger Payne, PhD Sue Fisher Naomi Rose, PhD Tax ID# 13-5655952 Samuel Peacock, MD Marine Animal Consultant Marine Mammal Scientist CFC# 10474 14 FOTOMICAR AWI QUARTERLY FALL 2017 ANIMALS IN LABORATORIES WILDLIFE 24 AWI Sheds Further Light on USDA 2 Welcome Outcome for Ocelots Site Scrub 14 Resuscitating the Sahel: AWI Helping 28 Refi nement Grants Available to Improve Wildlife Return to Senegal Laboratory Animal Welfare 18 Court Decision: Hunters Are Responsible if They Shoot Protected Species FARM ANIMALS 18 USFWS Continues Quest to Weaken 23 No Longer Growing: The Diminishing Wild Red Wolf Population Use of rBST 19 AWI Sues Wildlife Services in Northern 23 Slaughterhouse in Vermont Violates California Humane Handling Laws 19 AWI Petitions Wildlife Services to End 23 Birds’ Eye: Tyson Implements Video Cyanide Use in Wyoming ABOUT THE COVER Welfare Monitoring 19 Namibia Allows Game Farm to Sell A Bryde’s whale surrounded by sardines Elephants to Dubai off Baja California. Bryde’s whales were HUMANE EDUCATION increasingly targeted by commercial 20 Young Activists All In on Animal GOVERNMENT & LEGAL AFFAIRS whalers during the 20th century, after Protection 12 House Committee Votes to Hobble other species were hunted nearly to 22 High School Students Lift Voices to Horse Protections extinction. Today, there is growing Advocate for Animals 12 Umpteenth Attempt to Undermine ESA recognition that whales provide far 13 More Convictions in Kentucky greater ecological—and economic— MARINE LIFE Cockfi ghting Bust bounty when left in the ocean. Whales 4 Grim News from the North Atlantic 13 Animal Abuse Prompts Pet Shop sequester carbon and boost marine 4 Latest Developments in Desperate Shut Down productivity via a surprising source: Fight for Vaquita 13 Ohio Court Says Pets Are More fecal plumes. Whale feces, it turns 4 Japan Ramps Up Eff orts to Bring Back than Property out, jumpstart marine food chains Commercial Whaling by stimulating the production of 5 OIG Agrees: Lolita’s Tank Is Too Small IN REMEMBRANCE phytoplankton. See the article on page 5 AWI Addresses Captive Cetacean 11 Hope Ryden 6 for more on the vital role of whales in Welfare at Detroit Symposium ecosystem functioning. Photograph by 6 A Whale of an Eff ect on Ocean Life: REVIEWS & PUBLICATIONS Doug Perrine/Minden Pictures. The Ecological and Economic Value of 26 The Magic of Touch Cetaceans 26 Killing Games 10 Wind Farms Could Blow White 27 Extinction Studies become a fan on Facebook at Dolphin out of Water www.facebook.com/animalwelfareinstitute follow us on Twitter: @AWIonline MARINE LIFE A North Atlantic right whale mother and calf. Ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements are growing threats to these animals. On July 5, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee (WHC) told Mexico it has one year to improve protections for the Upper Gulf of California World Heritage site or face an “in danger” designation for the area. In 2015, AWI and the Center for Biological Diversity called on the WHC to list the site as “in danger” due to the vaquita’s rapid decline. FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION CONSERVATION WILDLIFE AND FISH FLORIDA Despite these efforts, the situation remains dire, especially as the new Mexican regulation is not a ban on GRIM NEWS FROM THE disentanglement efforts. It is hoped all gillnet use. Corvina and mackerel NORTH ATLANTIC that lessons about the recent fishers can still use these deadly nets, mortalities can be learned in time to and the rule fails to prohibit their Eight North Atlantic right whales have protect the remaining right whales. possession, sale, and manufacture. died since early June, a devastating blow Another die-off of this magnitude to a population that numbers roughly would be catastrophic, especially as 500. This disaster has been compounded calving rates are down by almost 40 by the tragic death of Joe Howlett, a percent since 2010. founding member of the Campobello JAPAN RAMPS UP [New Brunswick] Whale Rescue Team, EFFORTS TO BRING BACK who was struck by a right whale that he COMMERCIAL WHALING had just released from fishing gear. Japan has adopted a new law that (1) LATEST DEVELOPMENTS guarantees huge state subsidies for its Necropsies are under way on the IN DESPERATE FIGHT FOR otherwise nonviable whaling industry, recent deaths; three of the whales VAQUITA (2) seeks to raise demand for whale appear to have been hit by ships, while On July 6, AWI cosponsored a “Save meat, and (3) establishes penalties at least one died due to drowning the Vaquita” rally at the Mexican against foreign protesters. With in snow crab gear. A 2016 paper in Embassy in Washington, DC. The uncharacteristic bluntness about their Frontiers in Marine Science noted well-attended gathering (despite political strategy, officials confirm that that ship collisions and fishing gear pouring rain) received wide coverage Japan will use its ongoing “scientific entanglements are killing an increasing in Mexican media and followed a whaling” program, which kills hundreds number of right whales. A staggering flurry of actions aimed at staving of whales each year in the Antarctic 83 percent of North Atlantic right off extinction for the vaquita. In and North Pacific, to convince the whales display scars or carry ropes mid-June, Representative Jared International Whaling Commission indicative of past entanglements. Huffman (D-CA) held a briefing on (IWC) to bring about the swift vaquita, with AWI taking part on resumption of commercial whaling, The Canadian Department of the panel; Rep. Huffman also sent a after a 30-year pause. At a press Fisheries and Oceans closed the snow letter, signed by 30 colleagues, urging conference to introduce the new law crab season early and suspended the Departments of Interior and in early July, Fisheries Agency Director disentanglement efforts for right Commerce to help save the species. Shigeki Takaya even went as far as to marine life whales, pending investigation of the On June 30,