Earthlings --- Animal Lovers --- Make a Change

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Comment by PaulWestmerland 1 day ago

Ra Ra Ra!!!!

Thanks for posting this positive video Alexa ... thanks to ALL who participated in Saving and Protecting our precious Wildlife...

Comment by Alexa 1 day ago

Comment by PaulWestmerland on December 9, 2009 at 5:28am

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world. ~John Muir

As of November 17, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had received over 10,000 public comments in response to its plan to remove the Calico Complex wild horse herds in Nevada. Their response was to sign a “No Impact” decision, which means public comments played no part in their decision and they will proceed with the roundup on December 28.

Hope now lies with a lawsuit filed by In Defense of Animals and wildlife ecologist Craig Downer, which is scheduled to be heard on December 16.

The lawsuit was filed on November 23 in a federal court claiming that the roundups of wild horses are in violation of the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971, which was put in place to protect our horses and burros and ensure they have a home on western lands and remain free of “capture, harassment or death.”

Thus far, the BLM is failing miserably. Since 1971, the BLM has removed a staggering 270,000 wild horses and burros from public lands, in addition to taking away more than 20 million acres of their habitat. Wild horse and burro herds have disappeared from six states entirely.

Currently, the BLM has rounded up more horses than it can afford to care for. Approximately 33,000 wild horses are being kept in holding facilities, which is costing taxpayers something to the tune of $27 million a year. The BLM also wants more money to continue with roundups that will result in an excess of wild horses in holding facilities where they will wait for slaughter or death.

The Problem

According to the BLM, western rangelands can’t support the current number of horses and burros. However, they have not provided any scientific evidence to support this claim.

The National Academy of Science estimates that the population growth estimates the BLM uses are double the actual number. Oddly, they also seem to see nothing wrong with grazing 8 million cattle on this land. According to Downer, the wild horses and burros, of which there are approximately 36,000 left, consume only 5.3 percent of the total forage consumed in combination with livestock. When forage consumed by big game animals is taken into account, wild horses and burros are responsible for less than 2 percent. He also adds that these wide-ranging herbivores are perfect for reducing dry flammable vegetation, re-seeding native plants, and building soils.

According to the Animal Law Coalition, “[interior Secretary] Salazar and the BLM do not mention the thousands of cattle grazing and drinking and fouling water on these lands, BLM's land sales, development, increasing recreational use, and mining as well diversion of water from herd areas. Wildlife ecologists say if public lands are "degraded", something that is disputed, these factors are far more to blame. In fact, citizens living in the areas where there are wild horses and burros, including small ranchers, contradict BLM's assessments the range is "degraded" or lacks sufficient water for these few remaining animals.”

Incidentally, modern molecular biology has also shown wild horses to be a reintroduced native North American wildlife species. Horses reintroduced by the Spanish were genetically equivalent to those that had gone extinct in North America 12 to 11 thousand years prior. The American wild horse evolved over the past 500 years and adapted to the same ecological niche as its native ancestors had once thrived in, according to the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.

The Numbers

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported the federal government spends at least $144 million each year managing private livestock grazing on federal public lands, but collects only $21 million in grazing fees—for a net loss of at least $123 million per year. These numbers were reported in 2005. Money was spent by the BLM and the Forest Service on activities such as managing permits and leases, building fences, developing water projects and reducing predators.

All of this to graze cattle that make up an estimated 3 percent of our nation’s beef supply.

What Can Be Done

The BLM is on a mission to rid the west of wild horses and burros. They’ve made a mockery of the public comment process and will continue to mismanage our public lands while wasting millions of our dollars doing it.

Wild horse advocates are calling for a congressional investigation, public hearings and a moratorium on all roundups until a management plan that works in conjunction with current laws can be executed.

Contact your representatives and senators asking them to support a moratorium on roundups pending a Congressional decision on a sustainable management plan.

Sign the American Wild horse preservation Campaign’s petition on Care2.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/166841148

Urge President Barack Obama and BLM Director Bob Abbey to stop rounding up our wild horses and burros:

BLM Director Bob Abbey:

Phone: 202-208-3801 or 866-468-7826
Fax: 202-208-5242
Email: Robert_Abbey@blm.gov

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden:

Phone: 202-456-1111 or 202-456-9000 Fax: 202-456-2461

Source: www.care2.com

Comment by Alexa on December 3, 2009 at 2:09pm

Rescue a Polar Bear, Revive a Rainforest, Save a baby Whale
These gifts and more can be given to loved ones as a special holiday gift that will keep on giving. See weblink below for details.

This year, give your friends and family the rewarding experience of playing a personal role in saving wildlife, wildlands ... and the planet's future.

CLICK HERE to view Holiday Gifts

These unique gifts are meaningful, affordable -- and most can be delivered by postal or on the same day by e-card.

And with e-delivery, you'll be giving a gift to the wild as well. Without the need for wrapping paper, you'll save trees and reduce waste. And by skipping a trip to the mall, you'll spare the air of pollutants and save gasoline.
NRDC, Natural Resources Defense Council

www.savebiogems.org/giftsfromthewild/

Comment by velvetviolet on December 1, 2009 at 8:44pm

Comment by PaulWestmerland on November 20, 2009 at 3:22am

Wild Horse Update - Comment Period Extended Until Sunday

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has extended the public comment period concerning the latest assault on wild horses - the scheduled removal of 2,500 wild horses from Calico Mountain Complex in northwest Nevada. Please, if you haven't already, take a moment to send in your opposition to the Calico roundup. Public comments will be accepted through this Sunday, November 22.

If you have already responded to this alert, as did more than 7,000 IDA members, please re-visit the alert and use the Tell-A-Friend function at the top to pass it on to your friends and family. Ask them to speak up against the inhumane government practice of removing wild horses and burros.

The fight to stop these roundups is heating up. We will soon call upon you again to help us continue this battle to stop this ill-conceived program. Thank you for speaking up against the BLM practice of removing wild horses from lands which were specifically designated for them by Congress.

The BLM has for decades mismanaged millions of acres of publicly-owned land for the benefit of the private cattle industry and other special interests. Land has been destroyed, and countless wild horses and other animals have died. It's time to to manage the public lands for all Americans who strongly support protection for wild horses and wildlife.

Click here

https://secure2.convio.net/ida/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=U...

before Sunday to send this important e-mail in less than one minute.

Thank=You
Thank+You
Thank*You

Comment by Alexa on November 1, 2009 at 7:55pm

OK, so I just left a lengthy comment on Paul's page re this film. This whale film rocks, Paul... and so do you! And that song with the footage, "just breathe". It's just like a whale. Thanks so much for sharing this.
xoxo

Comment by PaulWestmerland on November 1, 2009 at 12:03pm

Bryant Austin and his Amazing Photography ...

Short Film: In the Eye of the Whale from MMCTA on Vimeo.

Comment by PaulWestmerland on October 27, 2009 at 2:14am

Bear Hugs ALL Round!

Comment by Alexa on October 26, 2009 at 3:45pm

For All You Do, This Hug's For You!

Great job, my fellow defenders.

Have a Totally Great Day

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