Fall 2011

Volume
60
Number
4
Fall 2011 AWI Quarterly Cover - Photo by Jon
About the Cover

A wary deer peers out from a February forest. As deer flourish in the absence of natural predators, and suburbs extend tendrils into formerly wooded areas, deer-human conflicts inevitably arise. In the past, these conflicts most often have been resolved through culling of deer populations. Immunocontraception drugs offer a way to keep deer populations in check through nonlethal, relatively nonintrusive means. Scientists, citizens, and many animal welfare advocates are increasingly supportive of immunocontraception as a humane method of controlling wildlife populations in lieu of traditional lethal methods. On page 6, AWI examines the benefits of immunocontraception as well as the resistance to such methods by some. On page 28, we tell you about two upcoming conferences that address immunocontraception.

Photo by Jon/Flickr.com

Table of Contents

Animals in Laboratories

The national meeting of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) in San Diego featured a description of the many ways to modify existing caging and employ social introduction methods for nonhuman primates.
In a presentation at the AALAS meeting, J. Hau from the University of Copenhagen described an interesting work in progress, the replacement of the rabbit with a free-range, free-will chicken as the traditional polyclonal antibody...

Companion Animals

AWI staff members are dedicated to helping animals on the job and off, and many of us engage in various activities for animals after we leave the office.
The USDA has amended regulations designed to reduce the suffering of horses transported for slaughter so as to include horses who are first transported to intermediate collection points.

Farmed Animals

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by the meat industry challenging California’s downed animal law (California Penal Code § 599f).
Ohio's new farm animal care regulations went into effect in September. Ohio follows New Jersey as only the second state to establish legal standards for the treatment of animals on the farm.
The United Egg Producers (UEP) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced in July that they had reached an agreement to phase in modifications to conventional battery cages over the next 15...

Marine Life

A federal grand jury indicted Maggie Ahmaogak, the former executive director of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC), in September.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recently reported that the American eel, a fish found in freshwater systems in the eastern U.S., may be at risk of extinction, and thus warrants federal protection under...
Through genetic sequencing of living and mummified Nile crocodiles, scientists have proven that the formidable African reptiles are actually two distinct species - Crocodylus niloticus, who lives up to the Nile croc’s reputation in size...
“That was the worst meeting that I have ever attended” commented a senior member of the US delegation to the International Whaling Commission (IWC), upon departing the 63 rd IWC meeting. Held in July on...
Around the world, intensive commercial fishing operations are driving many marine fish stocks to the brink of collapse.
In July, the Secretary of Commerce certified to President Obama that Iceland was undermining the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and its treaty because of its rogue whaling (AWI Quarterly, Spring 2011).
While other baleen whales have been extensively studied, the Bryde’s (pronounced "broo-dus") whale remains a bit of a mystery.

Terrestrial Wildlife

In this two-part series on immunocontraception, AWI will explore the technology and discuss the politics inherent to its use. In this article, AWI provides background information about immunocontraception. In part two, to be published in...
In the fashion world, accessories are a must to accentuate the style from top-name designers.

Government Affairs

The federal government, in the last few years, has increased coverage of and penalties for animal fighting activities under the Animal Welfare Act, but it is still lacking in one area: the spectator.
The Pet Safety and Protection Act, H.R. 2256 (PSPA), introduced by Reps. Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ), prohibits random-source Class B dealers from selling dogs and cats to laboratories for experimentation
While all the talk coming out of Washington is about cutting spending, a few politicians are quietly trying to restore funding for the slaughter of horses for human consumption - which would also necessitate resurrecting...
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) reintroduced legislation to end the use of brutal traps on furbearing animals within the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) finally took steps to end the use of Class B dealers by its outside researchers, after years of pressure from Congress and animal welfare organizations and faced with the...
In a rare victory for endangered species, the House adopted a floor amendment to the FY 2012 Interior appropriations bill offered by Reps. Norm Dicks (D-WA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Colleen Hanabusa...

Reviews

As the world is starting to open its eyes to the impacts of over-fishing and over-exploitation of the ocean’s resources, Juliet Eilperin has authored a superb chronology of humankind’s cultural association with sharks.
Project Nim , a documentary film directed by James Marsh, is the story of scientist Herb Terrace and his experiment - initiated in December, 1973 - to teach sign language to a chimpanzee named Nim.
Humane treatment of farm animals is of increasing importance to consumers, according to a tracking poll conducted to help the food industry keep up-to-date on evolving consumer trends.
Hardy Jones, a legend among marine mammal advocates, has finally penned a memoir of his 30-plus years working to help dolphins.