In an effort to raise international awareness of the immediate need to protect rapidly diminshing wildlife from poaching, Wildlife artist, Richard Symonds has been making banners and cover photos for facebook. His artwork has gone wildly viral. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) asked Symonds to create a banner for them. The banner has been circulated in excess of 3,000 shares around the world!
Symonds has created banners for public use that include translation for the Chinese and Japanese social media campaigns with DSWT.
All are invited AND encouraged to copy and share these banners on ALL social media networking platforms. It will take the actions of the individuals of the entire international community to assure our precious wildlife is protected. Example banners are below.
Also find below, a link to the URGENT CITES CoP16 Petition calling for an immediate ban on international ivory trade. This petition is in need of worldwide signatures.
Poachers move in quickly using chain saws, machetes, axes and hunting knives, to cut the tusks from elephants, often while they are still alive. They leave the faceless, innocent, sentient being in agonizing pain to die. The poachers will often wipe out an entire elephant family at one time. Many of the elephants are pregnant or are nursing babies. The babies are left traumatized and alone to starve, to die of exposure or to be fed upon by the lions.
Rangers by hundreds patrol the vast acres of land in Africa where the elephants are constantly on the move. The rangers rarely have even the most basic of needed supplies and are generally unarmed, no match for poachers using high-powered automatic rifles and cutting-edge weaponry. Many of the rangers die in the process of protecting the elephants that they have grown to love.
Why is this happening? Greed ~ They do this for profit from the ivory trade. The bulk of the ivory ends up in China, who has made a mockery of international bans on ivory. The Chinese feed the market by purchasing trinkets made of ivory, which has become a national symbol of status. But China is not the only villain in this heinous crime against our wildlife. Trophy hunters from around the world, pay exorbitant amounts of money for permission to kill elephants. And . . . countries around the world, use ivory for numerous reasons, including the creation of religious icons. However, worldwide spiritual and religious leaders are beginning to become active in banning the trade of ivory.
Recently the Vatican spoke out against ivory trade. In January of 2013, after groups and individual activists in mass, wrote letters, placed phone calls and signed petitions, THE VATICAN condemned the poaching of elephants. Father Frederico Lombardi, the director of the Holy See Press Office in the Vatican, referencing Catholic tradition, made the following statement:
“We are absolutely convinced that the massacre of elephants is a very serious matter, against which it is right that everyone who can do something should be committed,” . . .
“Creation is entrusted to humanity to be cultivated and safeguarded as a precious gift received from the Creator and therefore should not be destroyed, treated violently, or exploited but rather treated with great responsibility toward the creatures themselves and toward future human generations so that they might be able to enjoy these essential and marvelous goods.”
Up until now, the world has looked to international governments to protect this highly endangered species, but to date, the governments have failed. It is now up to the international community to assure that the African elephant is saved from extinction. Environmentalists, Religious and Spiritual Groups, Non-Profit Organizations, Private Groups, Celebrities and Millions of Individuals worldwide have delared an all-out war on poachers who are obliterating our African Elephants for profit from the ivory trade. The massacre of near 40,000 elephants per year (60-100 per day) has become the greatest environmental crime on our planet. It is now estimated that if the trade of ivory is not banned worldwide, the African Elephant will be extinct by the year 2020.
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IN ONLY A FEW SECONDS,
THE WWF COMMERCIAL AGAINST IVORY TRADE MAKES IT’S POINT
WATCH THIS 30-SECOND VIDEO BELOW:
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It is up to every individual to assume a sense of responsibility
and to take action to save this majestic, gentle species we call “Our Elephants.”
When individuals take action ~ we become a group of millions.
Help raise public awareness and influence empathy and compassion for this urgent need.
Write letters, place phone calls, sign petitions,
use every social media networking platform available,
Facebook, Twitter, Blog Sites . . . they are all free international tools to let your voice be heard.
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Blessings on those who from a place of empathy and compassion
lend voice to innocent, sentient, living beings
who cannot speak for themselves.
THE FIGHT IS ON.
~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits
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PLEASE TAKE ACTION:
TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION BY SIGNING THE WORLDWIDE C.I.T.E.S. PETITION:
This article was written by Gerean Pflug, 2/5/13, All Rights Reserved ~ Permission is granted to reblog, copy and repost this article in full, as long as links back to this page are present on the copy. Copies of part of this article must be requested in writing via email to: Animalspirits222@aol.com
I cry . . . and then I reblog and share on my social networking platforms. Every individual action taken to lend voice to innocent, sentient, living being matters. Every living being matters. Please show compassion in action. ~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits
I am writing this post in support of the efforts of Captain Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. This is a call to action to the WordPress blogging community. For the past few days, many of us have followed and posted about the status of the 12 orca whales trapped in the ice in Quebec. The Facebook and blog posts were flying faster ‘n speeding bullets and the comments were off the charts. Meanwhile, Captain Paul Watson and the crew of The Sea Shepherd fleet were preparing for their next dangerous and sure-to-be-bloody battle on the front lines of the war on poachers who are planning to begin the slaughter of literally thousands of whales within the next 10 days.
This plea for help is being sent out to all of those who claim dedication to the welfare, protection and convervation of our planet and our wildlife. I challenge all bloggers to begin utilizing the written word as a mighty tool . . . to raise public awareness to the highest levels of action, to reach influencial members of society and to demand action by world leadership, who currently are not illustrating the level of concern necessary to stop these heinous, criminal acts against our oceans, the animals that live there and to the human species.
We are living in desperate times. These times require that all available humans dedicate themselves and their abilities to the channeling of passionate intensity for the entirity of at-risk whales. Those on the front lines, such as The Sea Shepherd, are putting their lives at risk in defense of 1000,s of innocent, precious lives. They need immense amounts of support
When I read Captain Watson’s letter below, I felt embarassed and ashamed that it had not been ridiculously obvious to me that MY help is needed. I fight my own negative thoughts daily that whisper to me, “You are only one person. You don’t have enough power. You will not make a significant difference.” But, that is a lie. Every action taken with intention is MIGHTY and every action taken with intention makes a difference. I believe that in a state of passion, we can unite and make a “SPLASH” that is heard across all of the oceans of the world. I can. I will. You can too. Will you?
In ten days the Japanese whaling fleet arrives with their harpoons to inflict an agonizing and brutally prolonged death to hundreds of whales. The Sea Shepherd units will be there to attempt to stop them. This is an URGENT request for assistance. Digital animal welfare supporters ALL need to “strap on a set” and ring louder bells from our laptops, blogs and all other possible social media network platforms. If the pen is at least as mighty as the sword, then take up your pens. Let your voices be heard. Become a mighty warrior for the whales from where you stand. THIS IS NOT A DRILL!
Many Blessings on all who take action to protect
and to give voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.
~Gerean Pflug, The Animal Spirits
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MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON OF THE SEA SHEPHERD
COPIED FROM CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON’S FACEBOOK PAGE 1/10/2013
“When nature is the enemy, the world rallies to save the whales from being trapped in ice or stranded on the beach. I am happy that people are so compassionate and so eager to lend their help. I am… happy that the media covers the plight of the whales, like the orcas trapped in the ice in Canada or pilot whales stranded on the beach in New Zealand or a lost whale that wanders up the Thames River. I love whales and to see people rally to them to save and protect them fills my heart with joy and gives me hope for humanity. But what I don’t understand is why such passion and concern is displayed for 13 orcas in the ice off Quebec or the three Grey whales caught in the ice a few years back in Alaska yet the fact that Japan intends to kill 935 Minke whales and 50 endangered Fin whales and retains the option to slaughter 50 endangered Humpbacks and this elicits the response by many, not all, but many, of the people who rally to the trapped whales to turn a blind eye to the slaughter by the whalers.
What is it that makes people accepting of the death of whales by harpoons yet so concerned about the threat of death by ice or stranding? Why are those who thankfully volunteer to go to the whales in the ice to help the whales lauded as heroes yet those who try to block the harpoons are called extremists. I am glad there are selfless people willing to rescue whales in trouble and they are indeed heroes but are we the lesser for trying to save whales from a horrific death by these savage harpoons. Is it that we humans like to display our compassion in the face of nature but we submit to the violence of our own kind when humans murder the whales.
We are presently in the Southern Ocean trying to save the lives of 1035 whales and for this we are vilified, made to look like criminals and accused of being extremists and some of these accusations come from people who have expressed concern for the fate of the Orcas in the ice off Quebec. Thankfully it looks like the Orcas have been freed but in ten days the whaling fleet arrives with their harpoons to inflict an agonizing and brutally prolonged death to hundreds of whales. We are here to stop them and we will, but it is sad to think that our support base would be so much stronger if we were down here to rescue whales from being trapped in the ice and not from the harpoons of the Japanese whaling fleet.”
This needs to stop immediately. Please use all social networking platforms available and reblog to raise public awareness. Write letters. Contact information of public officials are listed below ~Gerean Pflug, The Animal Spirits
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RAISE AWARENESS
REBLOG AND POST TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKING PLATFORMS:
FACEBOOK, TWITTER, TUMBLR, EMAIL, etc.
WRITE LETTERS/SIGN PETITIONS
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Write these people NOW. DEMAND a buffer zone around Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. DEMAND they relist wolves. No more killing. Reinact laws. Stricter laws of protection. Stop inhumane treatment of the wolves. Highest level of punishment for those who do not adhere. Add Obama to this list too.
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Ken Salazar, Secretary Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
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Tom Vilsack, Secretary Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC 20250
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Tom Tidwell, Chief U.S. Forest Service 1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20250-0003
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Jonathan Jarvis, Director National Park Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240
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Daniel Ashe, Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
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Mike Pool, Acting Director Bureau of Land Management 1849 C Street NW, Rm. 5665 Washington, DC 20240
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Mary Gibson Scott, Superintendent Grand Teton National Park P.O. Drawer 170 Moose, WY 83012-0170
Dan Wenk, Superintendent Yellowstone National Park P.O. Box 168 Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168
I can hardly believe the numbers. 605 wolves have been slaughtered in the combined hunts since August 30, 2012. In 102 days or a little over three months, hundreds of wolves have been wiped out. Images of their mangled, bloodied bodies litter FB and hunting forums. The smiling, grinning wolf killers are gloating in their blood bath. AND this is only December. Montana opens wolf trapping season on December 15. The Colville Tribes in Washington state are hunting wolves on their reservation.
Seven collared wolves from Yellowstone National Park have been killed.
Killed late October: 824M of the Mollies pack.
Early November: 829F of the Blacktail Plateau pack.
November 10th in WY: 754M of the Lamar Canyon pack.
November 13th in MT: 823F of the Junction Butte pack (sole collar).
Date/location unknown: 762M and 763F of the Madison pack.
Date unknown, killed in WY: 793(?) of the Snake River pack.
THE ANIMAL SPIRITS 