Everybody probably knows, or knows of, someone who apparently has a special affinity with animals. That person may be able to interact with an animal that everybody else is afraid to get near or they can quickly calm a frightened creature. In the human-animal bond...
The Kruger National Park in South Africa is home to the largest wild rhino population in the world. But a 2019 census documenting a dramatic decline in the Kruger rhino population in just ten years has shocked rhino conservation organizations. The park last conducted a...
Asian wild tigers are clinging to existence in relatively few protected areas located mainly in India, Russia, Nepal and Bhutan. The vulnerability of these populations is reflected in the excitement generated by the announcement that the wild tiger population had recently increased from a global...
There is minimal careful analysis of gross companion animal demographics and of the trends in animal shelter intake and outcome. The best current estimate of the USA dog and cat population is 135 million from a survey conducted every five years. Several other national surveys...
In 2013, a paper in the journal Nature Communications appeared that estimated that cat predation in the United States led to an estimated death of 1.3 - 4.0 billion birds every year. This large range in the predation estimate was due to the big uncertainties...
It seems fitting during Valentine’s week to address the mystery of how the dog became the dog and ended up as a devoted and beloved companion for billions of people over the span of 20,000 years or so. Several academic papers and one blog by...
In these Covid times, Valentine’s Day celebrations are going to differ from those of past years. As opposed to a romantic meal in a restaurant, maybe a nature walk would be more appropriate. It is certain to be a healthier option as one of our...
Over the years, the use of laboratory animals by drug companies and other commercial laboratories has elicited more than its share of criticism. In the late 1970s, animal advocates turned their attention to the testing of cosmetics and personal care products on animals, with particular...
Once upon a time a remarkable lady, Anna Merz, decided to jettison her business and instead dedicate her life to trying to save black rhinos. She tells her story in Rhino at the Brink of Extinction.[1] These were the dark days during the time of...
Underdogs: Pets, People and Poverty (2020) by Arnold Arluke and Andrew Rowan, published by University of Georgia Press, Athens, Georgia, 2020. This book covers the growing movement toward creating affordable veterinary care programs in high-poverty and low-access communities. Its emphasis on the human aspects of such...
