ABOUT THE COVER While winding through the forested area of Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya, photographer Mark Thomas rounded a corner to see just the heads and necks of two young Rothschild's Giraffes poking up above the bushes while they rested. Thomas writes: "After a while one of the young giraffes decided to stretch his legs a bit and go visit his mother. But before leaving, the giraffe walked over to give a young friend a gentle greeting as if to say 'are you coming with me?"' Although the giraffe, the tallest mammal on earth, is not globally threatened with extinction, it is among the species of wildlife being systematically destroyed during the current political unrest in the African nation of Zimbabwe (see story on page 11). Clinton Decides Against Sanctions DIRECTORS Marjorie Cooke Before leaving office, President Clinton decided against imposing Roger Fouts, Ph.D. trade restrictions on Japan under the Pelly Amendment to the Fisher­ David 0 . Hill men's Protective Act for expanding its so-called "scientific whaling" to Fredrick Hutchison include Brydes and Sperm whales. The Act authorizes the President CathyLiss Christine Stevens to impose sanctions on any government that "diminishes the effective­ Cynthia Wilson ness" of international fisheries treaties. Although the US has joined OFFICERS the majority of International Whaling Commission member countries Christine Stevens, President in criticizing Japanese "scientific" whaling as thinly disguised com­ Cynthia Wilson, Vice President mercial whaling, Clinton ignored the recommendation of his Com­ Fredrick Hutchison, CPA, Treasurer merce Secretary, Norman Mineta, and worldwide criticism of Japan's Marjorie Cooke, Secretary actions. The outgoing President did not believe that "import restric­ SCIENTIFIC tions would further our objectives at this time."~ COMMITTEE Marjorie Anchel, Ph.D. Gerard Bertrand, Ph.D. Norway Announces Plan to Sell F. Barbara Orlans, Ph.D. Roger Payne, Ph.D. Whale Meat and Blubber to Japan Samuel Peacock, M.D. John Walsh, M.D. Norway has broken a longtime agreement with the US against inter­ national sale of whale products by issuing a permit allowing long­ INTERNATIONAL time whaler Steiner Basteson, a Member of the Norwegian Parliament COMMITTEE Aline de Aluja, D.M.V., Mexico and Head of the High North Alliance, to trade in whale parts with T.G. Antikas, D.M.V., Greece Japan. Norwegian whalers have killed an increasing number of minke Ambassador Tabarak Husain, Bangladesh whales recently. Angela King, United Kingdom On January 17, 2001, Norway's leading newspaper Aftenposten, Simon Muchiru, Kenya Godofredo Stutzin, Chile contained numerous articles on the Norwegian government's decision Agnes Van Volkenburgh, Poland to lift the ban on international trade in whale meat and blubber. Alexey Yablokov, Ph.D., Russia Under the headline, "A Day of Joy, Say Whalers" one article notes, "the STAFF AND export ban's fall calls forth jubilation among whalers and purchasers." CONSULTANTS Norwegian Pal Arntzen exclaimed: '"the blubber mountain can now be Ava Armendariz, Publications Coordinator converted to cold cash."' Amy Conklin, Administrative Assistant Another whaler, Olav Olavsen, John Gleiber, Assistant to the Officers adds: '"it is high time to increase ACTION As a protest against Diane Halverson, Fann Animal Advisor Norway's vigorous pro-whaling stance, the catch ... the year's quota of 549 Chris Heyde, Research Associate boycott Norwegian salmon. The Lynne Hutchison, Executive Secretary minke whales could have been salmon farming industry floods the Cathy Liss, Executive Director raised to 2000 animals .... You have American market with massive Nell Naughton, Mail Order Secretmy to also consider selecting other Greta Nilsson, Wildlife Consultant amounts of farmed salmon. Refuse Viktor Reinhardt, D.M. V., Ph.D .• whale species. The fin whale pop­ to buy it and urge friends to refuse Laboratory Animal Advisor ulation is large, and the hunting it in restaurants, supermarkets and Jennifer Rinick, Research Assistant of that can provide business and seafood stores. Norwegian farmed Adam M. Roberts, Senior Research Associate make life in small settlements salmon is also heavily polluted with Wendy Swann, Research Associate Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) a even more interesting.'"~ Ben White, International Coordinator well-known threat to human health. Animal Welfare Institute QUARTERLY Winter 2001 Volume 50 Number 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS MARINE ANIMALS Clinton Decides Against Sanctions . 2 Norway Announces Plan to Sell Whale Meat and Blubber toJapan......................................... 2 How Old Can a Whale Live to Be? . 9 Don't Order the "Sea Bass" . 18 FARM ANIMALS The Water Keeper Alliance Institutes Legal Attack on Pig Factories . 4 National Gathering Calls for Humane, Sustainable Additional funding from the Congress Hog Farming . 5 for the USFWS hopefully will help ensure The Kingdom of the Pigs young manatees, such as the ones pic­ by Vangelis Stoyannis. 6 tured, will be able to play without being European Commission Proposes Improvements in injured or killed by speeding boats. Welfare Conditions of Pigs. 7 See story page 20 Mother Nature Exposes the Cruelty Inside Factory Farms by Wendy Swann . 8 WILDLIFE AND FORESTS Biomusic's Contributions to Science . 9 The Elephant Listening Project by Melissa Groo . 1 0 Animals Caught in Zimbabwe's Anarchical Land Grab by Adam M. Roberts . 11 Fight to Save Orangutans Intensifies by Dave Currey . ................................... 12 Chinese Government Pardons 500 Bears .................. 16 Reports Highlight Cruelty and Illegality ................... 17 Bronx Reptiles, Inc. Slithers Through the Law's Grasp ........ 18 New Policy Against Cutting of Old Growth Timber ........... 19 LABORATORY ANIMALS Coulston Rejected but the Death Toll Rises ................ 1 3 Monkeys Suffer in Solitary Confinement at Oregon These two infant rhesus macaques, Primate Center . 14 separated from their mothers by All Laboratory Animals Deserve Protection ................ 14 experimenters at the Oregon Regional 1 5 Primate Research Center, cling to each Rattling the Cage: Toward Legal Rights for Animals . other for comfort in the absence of their mothers' care. See story page 14 LEGISLATION Washington Bans Steel-Jaw Leghold Traps by Citizen Initiative ........................................ 19 In Remembrance of Congressman Bruce Vento (1940-2000). 19 Flourishing Finish to the 106th Congress .................. 20 Contact AWl at: P.O. Box 3650, Washington, D.C. 20007, phone: (202) 33 7-2332./acsimi/e: (202) 338-9478 Email: [email protected] or visit AWl's website at: http://www.awionline.or'l The Water l(eeper Alliance lnstitutes Legal Attack on Pig Factories the culture of humane husbandry that once characterized American farming. Tradition­ ally, farm families took joy in good stock­ manship and pride in the robust health of their herds. Industrial agriculture, on the other hand, calls animals into existence, and before it kills them, makes them suffer. "For the corporate investor the animal is not a sentient creature, but a 'production unit.' The corporation is intent on three things: maximizing the n December 6, 2000, at press confer~ number of 'production units' in each ences in Washington, D.C. and Raleigh, building; eliminating the need for hus­ ONorth Carolina, Robert F. Kennedy, bandry skills among workers; and mini­ Jr., President of the Water Keeper Alliance mizing the number of workers. To do announced the launch of a broad legal assault this, sows on the industrial farm are per­ against America's large pig factories. The Water manently confined in coffin-like crates, Keeper Alliance and a coalition of supporters have turned unable to walk or even turn around. All to private attorneys and law firms to pursue enforcement of pigs are denied bedding in order that their manure can be . environmental protection regulations. This is necessary, said liquefied for easy handling; this liquefaction makes it possible Kennedy, since "Federal environmental prosecution against the to concentrate huge numbers of animals on one site. Liquefied meat industry has effectively ceased because Congress has manure, running into streams, seeping into groundwater and eviscerated the Environmental Protection Agency's enforce­ emitting toxic gases, causes the environmental and public ment budget while the political clout of powerful pork produc­ health problems discussed today. It is inevitable that a system ers has trumped state enforcement efforts. This collapse of which grossly violates the biology of the animals inside the environmental enforcement has allowed corporate hog factories factory will wreak havoc on everyone and everything outside of the factory. to proliferate with huge pollution-based profits." "Sow deaths are common inside factory sow operations. The plaintiffs are seeking enforcement of state and federal The death rate of some herds is as high as 20%. The factory laws, including the federal Clean Water Act, Resource Conser­ system is characterized by widespread routine application of vation and Recovery Act and Clean Air Act. Kennedy added: antibiotics to promote growth of piglets, promote sow produc­ "What we are dealing with here is a crime ....And they should tivity and to prevent outbreaks of disease in the hostile condi­ have to stop today so we can get back to the family farmers tions of the factory. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the tried and true way of preserving America's landscape has identified