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Federal Bill to End Elephant and Great Ape Captivity Referred to Committee

Bill S-15, sponsored by Senator Marty Klyne, has advanced to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs after completing second reading. During the debate on March 19, Senator Chantal Petitclerc voiced her support for the bill, stressing the importance of updating our laws to reflect current scientific understanding of animal suffering in captivity, and changing societal attitudes towards such practices. Critics of the bill, including Senator Claude Carignan and Senator Donald Neil Plett, Leader of the Opposition, criticized the bill as frivolous, arguing that it diverts attention from pressing national issues, such as economic struggles, crime rates, healthcare, and infrastructure. Plett also raised concerns that the bill's constraints could impede conservation efforts, despite ample evidence suggesting most zoos contribute minimally to conservation endeavours. Despite opposition, Plett supported sending the bill to committee for further study.

Environment Minister Threatens Federal Action to Protect Quebec's Endangered Caribou

Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has once again issued a warning, threatening to invoke federal powers to protect Quebec's endangered woodland caribou. Guilbeault said in a letter that Quebec has until May 1st to release its long-delayed caribou protection strategy or face potential federal intervention under the Species at Risk Act. Initially slated for release in June 2023, the Quebec government deferred the deadline for its strategy until the year's end. However, as of now, the plan has still not been released. The delay, attributed to ongoing assessment of the impact of recent forest fires on caribou, exacerbates concerns for the species already facing habitat destruction and industrial threats. Guilbeault's letter marks the third such warning to Quebec in two years.

Canada Bans Strychnine Poison for Wildlife Control

Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has banned the use of strychnine poison to kill wild animals like wolves, coyotes, and black bears. This decision marks a reversal of PMRA's previous proposal, which would have allowed the continued use of both strychnine and Compound 1080. Strychnine has faced criticism for its cruel effects, including agonizing muscular convulsions that can last for hours or days. The ban will be phased out over six months, with strychnine no longer permitted after September 7, 2024. Leading animal welfare and conservation groups, including Animal Justice, Humane Society International/Canada, We Howl, and Wolf Awareness, have applauded the decision following years of advocacy. According to the re-evaluation decision, Health Canada will continue to register Compound 1080.

British Columbia MLA Re-Introduces Bear Den Protection Bill

British Columbia Green Party Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Adam Olsen has re-introduced a bear den protection bill for the third time. The bill aims to amend BC's Wildlife Act to penalize disturbing or destroying bear dens on Crown or private land. Expert reports stress the importance of dens for bear survival, particularly in old growth forests. On March 6, 2024, the Kwakiutl First Nation and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) issued a joint statement calling on the province to form and fund a joint panel with the UBCIC to co-evolve legal orders that protect bear homelands and dens.

Prague and Berlin Zoos to Reintroduce Endangered Horses to Kazakhstan

Prague Zoo announced plans to transport eight endangered Przewalski's horses to Kazakhstan's Altyn Dala steppe in June, part of a collaborative effort with Tierpark Berlin Zoo. Over five years, at least 40 horses will roam free in the area. The flight, facilitated by Czech army planes, will take 15 hours, followed by a truck journey to the Alibi reintroduction center. Przewalski's horses narrowly escaped extinction due to global breeding programs. The project aims to bolster their wild population.

New Research Suggests Climate Change May Create “Generational Trauma” for African Great Apes

A new study suggests that the effects of climate change may create “generational trauma” for African Great Apes. The study investigated 333 chimpanzee and gorilla habitats across Africa and found that all of them have seen increases in temperature in the last ten years. Due to climate change, apes are also expected to face more extreme rainfall events, more wildfires, and more consecutive dry days. According to Bella Lam, the CEO of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, crop failures and other drastic events push humans to seek resources in forests, increasing the number of incidents of human-wildlife conflicts.

Bangladesh Court Suspends Licences Allowing Capture and Captivity of Critically Endangered Asian Elephants

Bangladesh's High Court has issued a landmark order suspending all licenses allowing the capture and captivity of young elephants for exploitation, such as in begging, circuses, street shows, and for hauling logs. With only about 200 wild elephants left in Bangladesh, half of whom are in captivity, poaching and habitat loss have led to their decline. The court's ruling aims to prevent further exploitation, signaling hope for the rehabilitation of captive elephants.

Alberta Updates Plan to Save Endangered Ferruginous Hawks

The Alberta government is updating its plan to save the endangered ferruginous hawk, which has been listed under the province’s Wildlife Act since 2006. Their updated plan targets habitat loss, disturbance, and climate change as key threats. Strategies include safeguarding nest sites, reducing human interference, and preserving grasslands. Alberta's Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz said the plan is "a collaborative, multi-year conservation effort between [the ministry] and multiple partners” including Indigenous communities, industry, and conservation groups. The goal is to increase the hawk population to 1,300 pairs long-term, with interim targets set to maintain and boost numbers to at least 800 pairs.

Senate Debates Continue Over Federal Bill to Ban Great Ape and Elephant Captivity

During second reading debates on Bill S-15, sponsored by Senator Marty Klyne, Senator René Cormier voiced support for the legislation, labeling the captivity and breeding of elephants and great apes for entertainment as animal cruelty. He referenced a letter from six law professors affirming the bill's constitutionality, organized by Professor Angela Fernandez and Krystal-Anne Roussel, Research Associate in Animal Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. Senator Cormier concluded his speech by saying: “We need to acknowledge that the human race is not superior to the natural world around us. Perhaps the committee could study this question within the bill or in another context.”

Academic Article Examines Wild Animal Related Trade Laws in Most Biodiverse Countries

Gohar A Petrossian et al, “A synthesis of wild animal-related trade laws in some of the world's most biodiverse countries” (2024) 354 Journal of Environmental Management 1.

Abstract: We examined the laws and legal provisions governing the commercial trade of terrestrial wild fauna across the trade chain in some of the world's megadiverse countries and how these relate to key animal welfare and conservation concerns. Over the past century, an increase in the quantity and complexity of laws related to commercial wildlife trade has been observed in the 11 focal countries examined. Our review identified 95 laws with 560 provisions adopted since 1910 across these countries. Surprisingly, the level of biological diversity in a country does not correlate with the extent of legislation addressing wildlife trade. Moreover, legislation is unevenly distributed across different stages of the wildlife trade chain, with more provisions on extraction and transportation compared to captive management. Notably, animal welfare considerations are relatively underrepresented in legislation related to wildlife trade, despite their broad implications for public health and economies. Urgent legislative action is needed to meet global biodiversity targets and respond to the challenges posed by the growing scale and complexity of the wildlife trade. Recommendations are made to streamline legislation, consider the legal status of wild animals, and address gaps in enforcement mechanisms. We conclude that alignment of national and international regulations is crucial for the effective protection of both wild animal populations and individual animals' welfare in the context of commercial trade. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of existing laws, bridge legal gaps, and address diverse concerns related to wildlife trade, including public health and the rights of local communities.