AR-NEWS Digest 571

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) (US)Foodborne outbreak, Salmonella - USA (Maryland)
     by bunny 
  2) (NZ)RCD etc Interesting NZ articles and news
     by bunny 
  3) (NZ)Codex NZ - (NZ spreads deadly RCD)
     by bunny 
  4) Re: Art and AR
     by David J Knowles 
  5) [UK] 'Extinct' beetle alive and well
     by David J Knowles 
  6) [UK] Sick 'squish' movies on sale to Britain
     by David J Knowles 
  7) [BW] Bushmen forced to march into oblivion [LONG]
     by David J Knowles 
  8) [UK/BW]How the EU compounds the Bushmen's woes
     by David J Knowles 
  9) (US) Caution Urged on Alaska Wolf Plan
     by allen schubert 
 10) (US) Attorney for cat killer says client 'overcharged'
     by allen schubert 
 11) (US) Hog Farm Divides Utah Community
     by allen schubert 
 12) (US) Fur Free Friday Events Calendar
     by "allen schubert, arrs admin" 
 13) Endangered species video to shock pupils (HK)
     by jwed 
 14) Animals abused at safari park (CN)
     by jwed 
 15) (US) Attorney for cat killer says client 'overcharged'
     by allen schubert 
 16) (US) Oklahoma's Feed the Children Hunting Program
     by JanaWilson@aol.com
 17) (US) Oklahoma Deer Hunt Description
     by JanaWilson@aol.com
 18) (US) Oklahoma Possible Deer Hunt Record
     by JanaWilson@aol.com
 19) (US) Fur Free Friday Events Calendar
     by "allen schubert, arrs admin" 
 20) (NZ)New Zealand Biosecurity Enforcement a World Leader
     by bunny 
 21) (NZ)NZ Ministry SUPPORTIVE advice on rabbit virus smoothies
     by bunny 
 22) (US) Hog Farm Divides Utah Community
     by allen schubert 
 23) Pet assisted Therapy - info' needed
     by erez ganor 
 24) (US) PA legislation on the transport of horses to slaughter
     by allen schubert 
 25) Patrols needed for Hunting season
     by Peter Muller 
 26) [US] Roadside Zoo Reforms Practices
     by Debbie Leahy 
 27) Endangered species video to shock pupils (HK)
     by jwed 
 28) Animals abused at safari park (CN)
     by jwed 
 29) (US) PA legislation on the transport of horses to slaughter
     by allen schubert 
 30) (US) anti-hog farm web resource
     by allen schubert 
 31) Woman starts island wildlife zoo (CN)
     by jwed 
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 10:36:58 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US)Foodborne outbreak, Salmonella - USA (Maryland)
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19971109103037.2f1f4da0@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 
Source: Media sources


CHAPTICO, Maryland

An elderly woman died of _Salmonella_ [food] poisoning and at least 143
people became sick after eating turkey, ham and oysters at a church dinner.
Approximately 1,400 people ate the meal Sunday at the church in Chaptico
[about 65 miles south of Baltimore,] Maryland.

[State and hospital health officials have been cited as identifying a]
_Salmonella_ as [responsible] for the death, but they had not yet
determined the [specific food] source of the bacteria.  Meat, poultry and
eggs routinely carry _Salmonella_. 

Since Sunday, at least 17 people were admitted to hospitals in southern
Maryland suffering from diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting and
fever.  All of them were in stable condition Wednesday night.  Hospital
officials said dozens more had been treated and were not admitted. The ill
range in age from 2 to 81. 
===========================================

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

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Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 10:48:40 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (NZ)RCD etc Interesting NZ articles and news
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19971109104218.2f1f39c4@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

7 November 1997

RCD Released In Hawkes Bay

The Ministry of Agriculture has been advised that the rabbit calicivirus
disease (RCD) was released in the Hawkes Bay about a week ago.

Farmers at a meeting in Palmerston North this morning informed MAF officials
of the release. The meeting, which was designed to share information about
RCD, was also attended by Hawkes Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui and Taranaki
Regional Councils, Federated Farmers groups from those areas, and the
Department of Conservation. The Rural Futures Trust also provided
information on its experiences with RCD in the South Island.

In light of the news of the North Island release, MAF's Chief Veterinary
Officer Dr Barry O'Neil said owners of rabbits should take precautions not
to expose them to the virus, or should have them vaccinated. He said there
had been reports of pet rabbits in South Island dying from the disease.

Dr O'Neil said farmers reported the virus was killing wild rabbits in the
area, but said it was too early to say whether the introduction would be
successful or not. He said he had been informed that an earlier release of
the virus was made in the same area in late August or early September, but
was unsuccessful.

MAF has received no reports of releases of the virus in other parts of the
North Island.

The Biosecurity (Rabbit Calicivirus) Regulations 1997, which came into
effect on 24 September, made it lawful under the Biosecurity Act for
individuals to harvest, possess and spread material containing RCD virus.

Dr O'Neil said today's meeting - and a similar one with Waikato and Bay of
Plenty regional councils and farmers yesterday - had been very positive,
with farmers and regional councils agreeing to meet further to discuss how
to co-ordinate releases of the virus in their areas. He restated that MAF
itself would not be directly involved in releasing the virus but would
provide appropriate information.


Media inquiries to:

Dr Barry O'Neil, Chief Veterinary Officer, (021) 470 582

RCD Information



This page is designed as an entry point to MAFnet information on rabbit
calicivirus disease (RCD).

[ Latest Media Release ][ Map ][ Background Information ]

Some of the information was produced by the Rabbit Biocontrol Advisory Group
in mid 1996. Those documents are identified by this symbol - . 

Other information is available from the CSIRO's Rabbit News. That link is
identified by this CSIRO symbol. 



A link is also provided to information produced in 1996 by the Australia and
New Zealand Rabbit Calicivirus Disease Program. That information is
identified by this symbol. 



The views expressed in these documents are not necessarily those of MAF, and
are subject to the MAFnet disclaimer. 




MAF information has largely been published through media statements. MAFnet
has a complete archive of RCD Media Statements.


Situation as at 07/11/97

4 November, 1997

RCD and Experimental Use of LiveAnimals

The National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) is warning farmers of
their legal obligations under the Animals Protection Act 1960 when
generating rabbit calicivirus disease (RCD) to spread around their properties.

NAEAC chairman Keith Robinson said anyone who uses live animals for
experimental purposes is required by law to have an approved code of ethical
conduct in existence before such work is carried out.

"Some farmers who spread RCD virus initially are reported to have generated
it by infecting rabbits in a cage with a virus mixture. After they died, the
carcasses were removed and other rabbits were put in the cage. Others were
apparently kept alive in cages, injected with the virus, and then released.

"These actions were all manipulations of live animals dependent on humans
for their care and sustenance, as defined in the Act", Mr Robinson said.
"Since the farmers had no approved code of ethical conduct, their actions
amount to criminal offences." (See below)

Mr Robinson said farmers or anyone else who might be considering generating
the virus in this way should realise that it would be an offence, and that
action could be taken against them.

However, Mr Robinson said there was nothing in the Animals Protection Act to
prevent farmers collecting dead rabbits from the field and formulating viral
material from their carcasses.


Media inquiries to:

Keith Robinson, Chairman, National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee, (04)
495 3457

6 November 1997

Provisional New Structure for MAF Released Today

A new provisional structure for the merger of the Ministries of Agriculture
and Forestry was announced today. The new ministry, which comes into effect
in March 1988, will be led by chief executive designate, Bruce Ross. 

The new Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will have a policy function, a
regulatory authority, an operational group, a forestry management group,
corporate support and MAF Quality Management.

Transition Manager, Ross Tanner, said the merger resulted from a government
decision to bring the two ministries together in order to facilitate the
best contribution from the land-based sectors to New Zealand's welfare
through sustainable economic growth and environmental quality.

"The two ministries had complementary and duplicated activities in many
areas, such as border activities, biosecurity and policy advice," he said.
"The structure outlined today brings together those synergies and
streamlines operations while preserving a focus on forestry, biosecurity and
sustainable land use.

"Users of the core regulatory and operational services of existing
ministries can be assured that these services will not be affected by the
merger."

"As far as cost savings are concerned, indications are that the $2.5 m
sought by Government has been found. A further $2 m has also been found
through Government's decision to cease the purchase of most forestry and
agricultural facilitation services from the new ministry. These include some
advisory services to industry and potential investors, technology transfer
and certain publications. The savings from the facilitation services have
been transferred to the tussock moth eradication programme.

"It is not yet possible to identify how many redundancies will result from
the merger," Mr Tanner said. "These will not be known until the employee
transfer process is completed, in late February next year. However,
redundancies will be less than might normally be expected as both ministries
have been operating a non-replacement policy over recent months."

There will be four functional groups under the proposed structure.

A new Operations group will take over quarantine services and the
Verification Agency.

The Forest Management group will manage and/or administer the Government's
forestry responsibilities including; forestry encouragement loans, the East
Coast Forest Project, Crown lease forests on Maori land, disposal of Crown
interests in forests on leased Maori land, Northland Facilitation Project,
indigenous forests and forest health. This group will retain its presence in
the regions and ensure that forestry expertise is retained.

MAF Regulatory Authority will develop, set and promulgate sanitary and
phytosanitiary (SPS) standards as they relate to standards, specifications
and assurances for; animal welfare and ethics, animal products, forest
products, plants and plant products, dairy products, seafood and seafood
byproducts, chemicals, agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines and
domestic food safety and food safety for export.

The role of the Policy group will be to provide advice to the Government on
agricultural, forestry and biosecurity issues. 

Ross Tanner said, "It is early days yet in the merger process. However the
development and release of this proposed structure will give staff and
stakeholders a meaningful concept upon which they can comment and plan.

"The next step in the process is to consult with key stakeholders, including
staff, gauge their reactions and take on board their views. There will be
further announcements as progress is made." 
ERMA: Have Your Say 



The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) has prepared three
discussion papers about how best it can carry out its role of assessing the
risks and benefits to NZ of hazardous substances and new organisms. 



The three papers deal with the "methodology" (the methods and principles
ERMA could use to make decisions); the process for considering applications,
and how applicants will be charged. ERMA wants to hear from the public,
industry, the science community, Maori, and environmental organisations, so
that a process can be developed on which all NZers can rely. 



The proposals are aimed at strengthening and streamlining the way decisions
are made about risks to the environment, and making sure there is a
co-ordinated and consistent approach to the way they are managed. 



Once submissions on all three consultation documents have been received and
considered, the Authority will work with government departments to prepare
final proposals on the way it will work. These will go to the government for
consideration. 



Background: ERMA - Environment Watchdog 



ERMA is a new organisation which was set up to protect the environment and
the health and safety of NZers. 



The Authority will operate under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms
(HSNO) Act which was passed last year. This Act replaces several pieces of
legislation (including the Dangerous Goods Act and the Pesticides Act), and
it deals with applications about explosives, toxic substances, genetic
modification, new organism imports, flammable materials, biotechnology and
corrosives. 



ERMA will be responsible for: 



•regulating the importation and manufacture of hazardous substances, the
introduction of new organisms, and the development of genetically-modified
organisms; •protecting NZ’s natural, social, and cultural environment, and
the health and safety of people and communities, by preventing or managing
adverse effects; and •taking account of the principles of the Treaty of
Waitangi. 



Its main functions will be to: 



•make decisions on applications through evaluating risks, costs and
benefits, and placing conditions on approvals; •put in place transitional
provisions of the HSNO Act, especially the transfer of existing approvals;
•promote public awareness; •provide advice to the Minister for the
Environment; •monitor the effectiveness of the HSNO Act; •monitor the
enforcement of conditions and decisions; •keep registers of information;
•carry out international requirements; and •enquire into incidents or
emergencies. 



It will take over a number of these functions from the Department of
Labour’s Explosives and Dangerous Goods Inspectorate, the Ministry of
Health’s Toxic Substances Board, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Pesticides
Board, and the Interim Assessment Group on Genetically-Modified Organisms. 



It will also work closely with other agencies who have functions under other
legislation dealing with related areas, such as the Biosecurity Act and the
Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Bills currently before
Parliament. 



ERMA is made up of eight members appointed by the Minister for the
Environment, who have knowledge and experience in the areas where the
Authority is likely to receive applications under the HSNO Act. Current
members are: W J (Bill) Falconer (Chair); Oliver Sutherland (Deputy Chair);
Helen Hughes; Terry Lomax; Lindie Nelson; Alastair Scott; Barry Scott and
John Maasland. Bas Walker is ERMA’s Chief Executive. 

Submissions on all three discussion papers close on 15 November. Copies of
the papers from/submissions to: Consultation, ERMA NZ, PO Box 10 840,
Wellington, tel (04) 473 8426, fax (04) 473 8433, e-mail
method@ermanz.govt.nz. The full name and address of the individual or the
organisation making the submission should be stated. It would be very much
appreciated if submissions could refer to specific sections of the
consultation documents, wherever possible. Unless a specific request is made
for confidentiality, for reasons which fall under the exclusion provisions
of the Official Information Act, all submissions will be regarded as being
in the public domain.

•
•Want to join? This is what you do: 




------------------------------------------------------------------------






RCD: (Cyber)Talk About It...



The Rural Futures Trust (RFT) has been contracted by Ministry of Agriculture
to collate farmer information on/experience with RCD, and it is establishing
an e-mail mailing list which will enable people with an interest in RCD to
regularly communicate information to other people with similar interests. 



A "mailing list" is a group of people who communicate together via e-mail.
It provides an opportunity for people to discuss issues regardless of their
geographic location. The mailing list distributes e-mail messages (or
"posts") to people who subscribe, and enables them to participate in
discussions, ask questions, find information, and share their own expertise
with the others in the group. 



The Trust is also contacting people in Australia and UK and inviting them to
join, widen the network in their own countries, and give us a good picture
of what is happening overseas. There is no cost for the service, which is
provided by the RFT. 



Want to join? This is what you do:



Option A: from your own e-mail address, send a message to
 and in the message area type the word . If
at a later date you wish to have your name removed then send a message to
the same address and type . You will receive confirmation that
you are on the list. You don’t need to enter anything in the "subject" line. 



Option B: send Don Ross a reply message asking to be put on the mailing list. 



To send out a message to everyone on the list all you need to do is enter
the e-mail address of  and type in your message. (Note: this
address is different from the Trust’s administration address.) 



A report on a recent meeting held in Christchurch to discuss future RCD
management needs in this country will also shortly be available from the Trust. 

More information about Landcare/the report on RCD: D Ross, RFT, PO Box 16
269, Christchurch, tel (03) 349 2630, fax (03) 349 2640, e-mail
rosswd@chch.planet.org.nz




   

•Small Business: Advisors’ Association •Review of EEO Trust •Homebuyers:
Touchscreen Street Kiosks •Holidays Act: Amendments? •Goodbye IRD Form?
•More Landcare Co-ordinators •Tradenz: Off to Auckland? •Processed Rabbit
Petfood: Okay •Farmers’ Fighting Fund: Figure •Tertiary Education: Funding
•Forestry: Port Survey... •...& Logging Trucks: Stability •Work for
Inmates... •...and Prisoner Escorts: Pilot 

El Nino 



Article for the NZ Farmer by Chris Ward, Senior Policy Analyst with MAF Policy



There is little debate that we are in an El Nino weather phase. Whilst the
actual Southern Oscillation Index is of varying negative intensity from
month to month the sea temperature off the Coast of Peru is running at 5
degrees centigrade higher and it is this phenonmonen which has the influence
on the weather.



Debate will continue on the likely agricultural impact of El Nino. Will it
be similar in severity in terms of lack of rain and warm hot winds to the
82/83 El Nino drought on the East Coast of both Islands.



In looking at past El Ninos the more negative the index is not a predictor
of a worse affect on agriculture. For instance the 1986/87 El Nino had more
of an influence on dairying in the Waikato and Taranaki than the more
negative indexed 1982/83 affect. Dairy production was estimated to be 10%
down in these regions in 1986/87 but only 3% down in 1982/83.



The best potential parallel for likely impacts this time is perhaps the
1982/83 El Nino impact.



The differences this time are:



•Stocking rates for sheep and beef are lower than 1982/83( At least 1
SU/Hect.) and ewe liveweights especially are higher than in 1982/83 thus
providing a bigger buffer. •Stock with some exceptions (Marlborough) are in
good condition after a relatively mild winter. •There has been plenty of
warning, and farmers have more experience and are better prepared than the
were in past El Nino’s. •Dairying in most regions is off to a great start
due to excellent cow condition following a mild winter. •Supplementary
feedstuffs are generally in good supply and farmers in Canterbury feel that
there will be available feedgrains at reasonable prices. •Grazing off farm
in some regions will be restricted by TB movement control. Grazing
availability we estimate is less with recent forest plantings. 



We estimate that the potential detrimental impacts of droughts on the East
Coast and possible Northland regions are unlikely to be fully compensated by
positive affects due to increased rainfall on the West Coast.



We have also assumed that product prices will not change in the event of
reduced supply. This we think is reasonable for some preliminary ballpark
figures, but we would hope and trust that exporters would make the most of
any perceived supply shortages amongst importers.



Not as much transporting of stock to areas which have feed occurs as might
be expected. Farmers in areas with feed usually prefer to purchase store
stock to finish themselves, finances permitting.



In arriving at a cost at the farm gate we looked at the estimates of
regional costs from past drought periods (which incidently weren’t all El
Nino related). For instance in 1990 the effects of the East Coast drought
and its flow on affects 1988/89 and 1990 were estimated at $365 million
(farm gate costs)



We have looked at past product production statistics and categorised these
as to the weather pattern at the time and taken on board the differences as
outlined above.

Estimate of Farm Gate Loses potentially attributable to El Nino:
(Spread over this and next financial year)Lower national lamb slaughter
weights:Down 1kg for 16,000,000 lambs      @ $2.50/kg (East Coast
Lambs)$40MLighter ewes to the works  3,500,000 ewes @$5 less $17MLower
Cattle Slaughter weights Down 15kgs for 1,300,000      kill
@$2.12/kg  $41MLower Wool Weights   25,000,000 Sheep with       0.7 kgs less
@3.00/kg $52MExtra stock cartage and feed costs      $9MDairying     A
reduction of 40,000 tonnes of       milk solids on the earlier
prediction      of 930,000 tonnes production for       1997/98 @
3.35/kg  $134MGrain     Barley, Wheat and to a less extent      Maize yield
reductions $25MApples, Kiwifruit and other Horticulture     $10MFlow on
impacts next financial year:Fewer lambs with lighter ewe weights4% drop in
lambing % nationwide      1,440,000 lambs @$35 $50MOther future impacts with
a more extreme influence could include lighter replacement 2 tooths and
heifers and in a real extreme slaughter of capital stock and expensive
replacement costs in latter years.Total          $378M


Just as predicting the weather is an inexact science so to is predicting the
impact. From the above estimate we derived our range of $300 to $500
million. To put this is perspective it is approximately 3 to 5% of total
farm gate returns which in turn make up 5% of GDP.



At FOB prices Agriculture however forms about 15% of GDP. We have not
attempted yet to estimate the impact to downstream industries.
===========================================

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

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      /'-^-'\
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 jgs  \_/^\_/









Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 10:52:09 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (NZ)Codex NZ - (NZ spreads deadly RCD)
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19971109104550.2f1f2080@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

NEW ZEALAND INVOLVEMENT IN CODEX: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND
DIRECTIONS

•Purpose •What is Codex? •Codex in the Post Uruguay Round •Policy Objectives
•Codex Standards: Scope and Coverage •Policy Objectives •Role of Science in
Codex Decision Making •Risk Analysis •Policy Objectives •New Zealand
Membership and Participation in Codex •The CAC and the Executive Committee
•Technical Committees of Codex •General Subject Committees •Commodity
Committees •Trans-Tasman Cooperation in Codex matters •Consultation and
Coordination •Role and Responsibilities of New Zealand Codex Coordinator and
Contact Point •Strategic Objectives •ROLE OF SCIENCE IN CODEX •CODEX
COMMITTEES •COMMENTS FROM THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT ON CODEX
PROPOSED DRAFT
FOR THE LABELLING OF FOOD OBTAINED THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY




Purpose



This paper outlines the significance of Codex Alimentarius as an
International Food Standards Code with the advent of the WTO Agreements on
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade. As an
agricultural trading nation, New Zealand has a major interest in the work of
Codex Alimentarius Commission and its technical committees both from food
safety and international trade perspectives. With the signing of the WTO
Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Codex standards have
become the reference points for international trade. The paper identifies
the strategic objectives for New Zealand in Codex and outlines the steps
that will need to be taken to ensure the achievement of these objectives.



Introduction: What is Codex



CODEX ALIMENTARIUS or Codex, as it is commonly known, is an international
food standards code that has been developed by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission (CAC) for use by all nations. The CAC is an international food
standards agency that was established jointly by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization
(WHO) in 1962 to facilitate world trade in foods and promote consumer
protection through the development of international food standards. Since
its formation, Codex has established a comprehensive set of international
standards covering a wide range of commodities and subject areas. In terms
of Article 1 of its charter, Codex standards are to protect the health of
the consumer and promote fair practices in food trade. Codex membership
currently stands in excess of 150 countries.



Codex in the Post Uruguay Round



With the signing of the WTO Uruguay Round, Codex standards have gained new
recognition and status. In terms of the WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS)
Agreement, Codex is an international standards setting body and for food
safety, the standards, guidelines and recommendations established by Codex
have been recognised as international standards for the purposes of trade.
The SPS Agreement places considerable importance on international
harmonization by encouraging countries to base their national measures, as
far as possible, on international standards, guidelines and recommendations.
More significantly, Article 3.2 of the SPS Agreement states that "SPS
measures which conform to international standards guidelines or
recommendations shall be deemed to be necessary to protect human, animal and
plant life or health". This Article provides a major incentive to countries
to base national measures on international standards by protecting them
against possible challenge under the WTO. Countries have the right to
establish national measures which provide for a level of protection higher
than those provided by international standards but these must be
scientifically justified and must be consistent with other provisions of the
SPS Agreement.



The WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement is also equally relevant
to Codex and its standards setting role because many of the components of
food standards are about product description, labelling/packaging
requirements, trade practices, quality factors and consumer information. The
revised TBT Agreement, like the SPS Agreement, is binding on all signatories
of the Uruguay Round. Article 2.2 of the TBT Agreement states that "Members
shall ensure that technical regulations are not prepared, adopted or applied
with a view to or with the effect of creating unnecessary obstacles to
international trade. For this purpose, technical regulations shall not be
more trade restrictive than necessary to fulfil a legitimate objective and
taking account of the risks non fulfilment would create". In terms of this
provision, countries have an obligation to ensure that national measures
that fall within the scope and coverage of the TBT Agreement have legitimate
objectives and are not more trade restrictive than necessary. The TBT
Agreement gives similar but slightly less status to international standards
as the SPS Agreement. Article 2.5 specifies that when a TBT measure meets
the legitimate objective criteria of the agreement and is in conformity with
an international standard "it shall be rebuttably presumed not to create an
unnecessary obstacle to international trade." The TBT Agreement does not
however explicitly recognise Codex, the IPPC or the OIE.



To avoid possible ambiguities, Article 1.5 of the TBT Agreement specifically
excludes those measures that fall within the definition of the SPS Agreement.



Policy Objectives



New Zealand will base its SPS and TBT measures on Codex standards to the
maximum extent possible; unless these standards do not meet our appropriate
level of protection and a higher level of protection can be justified in
terms of the SPS/TBT Agreement.



New Zealand will actively participate in the work of CAC and its relevant
committees with a view to ensuring to the greatest extent possible that CAC
standards etc serve New Zealand's interests.



Codex Standards: Scope and Coverage



The objective of Codex standards is to protect the health of consumers and
ensure fair practices in food trade. This is very much reflected in the
structure of Codex standards. Codex is as much concerned about protecting
the health of consumers as in protecting them from deceptive trade practices
(adulteration, deceptive description etc). Historically national authorities
have tended to see the objectives of health protection and facilitation of
trade in separate and seemingly conflicting terms. National health
authorities have statutory responsibilities for health protection and both
the SPS and TBT Agreements recognise the rights of countries in this regard.
The objective and challenge for Codex is to reconcile these objectives at
the international level by:



•developing international standards that are sound and based on science; and
•encouraging greater adoption/use of its standards at the national level and
in international trade. 



As a Codex member and as signatory of the SPS and TBT Agreements, New
Zealand has a clear interest and obligation to support Codex in this process
and apply the same criteria at the national level.



Codex standards can be grouped into two categories, namely commodity
standards and general or horizontal standards. There are currently 14
commodity groups responsible for the development of global standards. The
format of commodity standards is specified in Codex manuals and cover,
scope, product description, essential composition and quality factors, food
additives, contaminants, hygiene, weights and measures and methods of
analysis and sampling. Provisions relating to food additives, contaminants,
food hygiene, food labelling and methods of analysis and sampling are
established with the approval of the respective general committees.



The 1991 FAO/WHO Conference on Food Standards, Chemicals in Food and Food
Trade resulted in a major review of Codex work and procedures. The
Conference, which was the direct outcome of the Uruguay Round developments,
agreed that health, safety and consumer protection provisions should be the
main focus of Codex Standards. Since that time, the Codex Alimentarius
Commission and its Committees have begun to look critically at the scope and
structure of its standards. The Conference agreed that Codex Committees
should work to simplify Codex standards, make them less prescriptive and
include in standards those provisions that are considered essential for
protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in food
trade. The components of Codex standards must be assessed against the
criteria of food safety and promotion of fair practices in food trade. Those
parts of Codex standards that relate to food safety and, as such, are
essential for health protection, fall within the definition of "mandatory"
standards. There is also a need to examine the status and relationship of
the so-called related texts and guidelines which are currently part of the
standards but are clearly not intended to be applied or adopted in the same
way as standards. Members are also looking critically at the relevance and
status of quality provisions (grade, style, appearance etc) in Codex
standards. New Zealand has not generally supported international standards
in this area as we believe that such matters are not related to food safety
or essential for fair practices and are best left to the market place. New
Zealand needs to take a consistent line on this issue in all relevant Codex
committees.



Another major implication of the SPS Agreement is that it has basically made
Codex's acceptance procedures irrelevant and in need of major review. To the
extent that Codex standards are now the internationally recognised standards
for the purposes of trade, countries have an obligation to adopt/use them
unless they can justify alternative standards in terms of the provisions of
the SPS Agreement. This has encouraged Codex to re-examine its existing
acceptance procedures with a view to giving itself a clearer purpose and
objective. The focus has clearly shifted from monitoring of acceptance to
monitoring of non use and the reasons therefor. Codex and its members are
also working to develop a procedure for identifying priorities and more
efficient utilisation of its limited resources.



Policy Objectives



New Zealand should support:



•the establishment of standards that are directly related to food safety and
fair practices in food trade; 


•simplification of Codex standards where possible, to make them less
prescriptive, to focus them on protection of health and safety and to make
standards applicable over a wider range of products; 


•efforts to leave quality factors (style, grade, appearance) for
determination by the marketplace. 



Role of Science in Codex Decision Making 
- Statements of Principle



In recent years Codex has been debating the role of science in its standards
setting process. The debate was closely tied to the outcome of the Uruguay
Round. The SPS Agreement attaches great importance to science as a basis for
standards setting. The emphasis on international harmonization and the
encouragement of countries to use international standards, where these
exist, has focussed attention on the whole process of international
standards development. Codex has sought to do this through the enunciation
of the Statements of Principle that recognise the role of science in Codex
decision making and the extent to which other relevant factors are taken
into account in the development process (see Appendix 1).



New Zealand had a significant role in the development and adoption of the
Statements of Principle by the Executive Committee in 1994 through our
support for a clear separation between Codex standards-setting and adoption
processes from the national acceptance processes. While upholding the
pre-eminence of science in the standards-setting process as a basic tenet,
the Statements do recognise that other factors can and do have relevance for
national decision making. The key points elaborated in the Statements are as
follows:



The First Principle maintains the pre-eminence of science in the Codex
standards setting process and reinforces the focus of Codex standards on
consumer health and safety.



The Second Principle recognises that there may well be situations when it is
appropriate for Codex to take account of other legitimate factors in the
standards development process but these must be relevant to the health
protection of consumers and promotion of fair practices in food trade.



The Third Principle recognises the potential role that food labelling might
have in achieving the objectives of health protection and promotion of fair
practices in trade.



The Fourth Principle addresses the very real problem that Codex has faced in
recent years with approval of its standards. The Maximum Residue Limits for
Hormonal Growth Promotants had, for example, remained unapproved until June
1995 because of opposition from some countries that maintained a different
position at the national level.



The key principle is that Codex standards must be well founded in science
and its processes should be rigorous and transparent. Countries are, of
course, free to accept or not accept a particular Codex standard for
whatever reason(s) but they have to recognise that their position will be
subject to challenge.



The Statements of Principle will require strong support and commitment from
all member countries if they are to become operationally effective at both
international and national levels. Advances in modern science and new
technologies are leading to the development of new products and processes.
The role of international bodies like Codex is to develop standards and
guidelines for new products and processes that are sound, scientifically
justified and fulfil its objectives of health protection and fair practices
in food trade.



Risk Analysis



Recent debates within Codex on the development and application of all
standards have clearly highlighted some of the inherent conflicts between
the processes of international standards development and their application
at the national level. The Statements of Principle by the CAC in June 1995
was intended to clarify this situation.



New Zealand has made a significant input in getting recognition for the
application of risk analysis principles to Codex standards setting and
decision making. The term "risk analysis" covers Risk Assessment, Risk
Management and Risk Communication. The current priority and focus of Codex
is in the development of guidelines on risk analysis for consistent
application across all committees. Effort is also going into clarifying the
methodology and application of risk analysis principles to biological risk
situations. The current work on development of guidelines for the
application of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles is
an example of this. The development of guidelines for risk analysis and the
separation of the processes of risk assessment by various Codex technical
committees such as the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and
the Joint Meeting of Experts on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) from the risk
management functions of these same bodies is considered essential to
promoting greater acceptance/use of Codex standards. Codex is also moving to
make the technical evaluation processes of JECFA and JMPR more transparent.



Further, public understanding and acceptance of risk management decisions by
Codex and national agencies will call for an effective risk communication
strategy. New Zealand agencies with responsibilities for decision making on
food safety and SPS matters will need to develop a risk communication
strategy to improve understanding and acceptance, by the various
stakeholders, of the basis of decision making at both the national and
international levels.



The SPS Agreement requires countries to determine national measures on the
basis of risk assessment. Similarly Codex is required to apply the
principles of risk analysis to its standards setting and decision making
process. This is critical to promoting greater acceptance and use of Codex
standards both for domestic application and international trade. Codex is
currently engaged in developing guidelines on risk analysis for consistent
application across all its committees. 





Policy Objectives





New Zealand should :



•continue to contribute to the development of international standards and
guidelines for the application of risk analysis methodology in Codex; and 


•integrate the principles of risk communication to risk assessment and risk
management decisions at the national level and develop a risk communication
strategy at the national level. 



New Zealand Membership and Participation in Codex



New Zealand has been a member since Codex was formed in 1962



The CAC and the Executive Committee



New Zealand's participation in Codex is limited to those Committees that are
of greatest significance and interest to us. The CAC is the supreme decision
making body and provides a forum for discussion and debate on all major food
standards/safety issues of interest and concern to member countries. Codex
decisions are based on consensus but its rules of procedure do provide for
decision making on the basis of majority vote. The Commission's biennial
sessions are open to observers from industry, non governmental agencies and
consumer organisations.



The Executive Committee of Codex comprises the Chairman, three vice chairmen
and six elected representatives from the various geographical groupings of
Codex. New Zealand is on the Executive Committee as the elected
representative of the South West Pacific region for the 1995-99 period.



The Commission and the Executive Committee have been instrumental in
promoting many of Codex's key objectives such as the recognition of science
in standards development, the need for greater transparency, establishment
of accelerated procedures for standards development, and simplification of
Codex standards etc. New Zealand, along with Australia, the US and Canada
(the so called Quadrilateral Group) has had a significant input in the
Commission and the Executive Committee and has consulted closely on all key
Codex matters. Introduction of new concepts and SPS based work plans have
their genesis at the Commission/Executive Committee level and participation
is essential to ensure cost effective use of technical resources at later
stages of development. 



Technical Committees of Codex



The task of developing international standards for commodity and general
subject areas is spread across specific technical committees. There are
currently fourteen Commodity and eight General Subject Committees.



General Subject Committees



The eight general subject committees cover the following areas:





•Food hygiene •Food labelling •Pesticide residues •Residues of veterinary
drugs •Food additives and contaminants •Methods of analysis and sampling
•Food import/export certification systems •General principles. 





New Zealand participates in all of the above Committees with the exception
of the Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling. New Zealand is usually
represented by specialists from the relevant departments. At times, industry
representatives have also attended meetings of the above committees.



The significance of the work of the general subject committees has increased
as Codex has moved away from prescriptive commodity specific standards to
those that have broader and more generic application. The work of these
Committees will remain a high priority for New Zealand.



Commodity Committees



There are currently fourteen Commodity Standards Committees. Of these, New
Zealand chairs and funds the work programmes for the Meat Hygiene and Milk
and Milk Products Committees in recognition of the importance of these
products to our export economy. The Meat Hygiene Committee has held seven
sessions since its establishment in the early seventies and is currently
adjourned until further notice. The Milk and Milk Products Committee was
established in 1993 and has held two sessions. New Zealand's primary
interest in these committees is working towards standards that are essential
to food safety and fair practices in food trade. 



Apart from the above committees the only other committee on which New
Zealand has participated on a regular basis is the Fish and Fish Products
Committee. We have not usually participated in the work of the Committees on
Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) and Fresh Fruits and
Vegetables but will be participating in future meetings of these CCNFSDU in
recognition of its growing importance.



Details of New Zealand representation/responsibilities for the CAC,
Executive Committee and the Individual Committees are set out in Appendix 2.



Trans-Tasman Cooperation in Codex matters



The recent establishment of the Australia/New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA)
with responsibility for developing food standards for both countries raises
a number of issues relating to Trans-Tasman coordination and operational
relationships. At present the two countries have no particular requirement
to consult with each other on Codex issues. In practice however, the two
countries have had close cooperation on a wide range of Codex issues and
have worked closely in the Commission and in the Executive Committee. 



With the creation of ANZFA, there is a need to review existing
consultation/working relationships so that both countries maintain an
effective and coordinated input on various Codex matters. As sovereign
countries with separate membership status in Codex, both countries have
independent interest and responsibilities in relation to Codex. Within this
context there is opportunity for greater degree of cooperation and
coordination on a number of areas of food standards and related matters. 



Consultation and Coordination



Given the new significance and importance of Codex and its work, New
Zealand, like other countries will need to strengthen its consultative
arrangements. Improved mechanisms for consultation and coordination are
essential to promote understanding and agreement on national objectives and
to ensure that New Zealand's input into Codex is sound, transparent and
consistent with agreed national objectives. This calls for:



•clearer definition, understanding and agreement on strategic policy
objectives; •improved structure and processes for consultation amongst
departments; •improved structure and processes for consultation with
industry and non-governmental agencies including consumers; •strengthened
links with overseas governments (particularly Australia, US and Canada); and
•strengthened role of the New Zealand Codex Coordinator and Contact Point. 



Role and Responsibilities of New Zealand Codex Coordinator and Contact Point



As the Codex Contact Point and Coordinator in New Zealand, MAF has the
primary responsibility for managing the New Zealand input on Codex matters.
The Contact Point and Coordinator has a pivotal role in policy coordination,
consultation and communication on all Codex matters. The main
responsibilities of the Contact Point and Coordinator are as follows:



•to lead and coordinate policy input on all Codex matters; •to ensure that
specialist representatives on Commodity and General Committees of Codex are
fully briefed on broader policy issues and guidelines that are relevant to
their respective committees; •to facilitate consultation within and outside
Government on all Codex matters. •maintain close contact with relevant
overseas government agencies on Codex to facilitate exchange of information
and achievement of shared objectives. 



Strategic Objectives



The objectives for New Zealand can be summarised as follows:

a. Work within Codex and other appropriate fora to promote the principles
and objectives of international harmonisation, equivalence and mutual
recognition to the maximum extent possible;
b.Support initiatives to simplify the structure of Codex standards by making
them focussed on outcomes rather than process;
c.Ensure that the Statements of Principle (the so-called Science Principles)
are upheld in codex standards development;
d.Ensure that Risk Analysis principles are applied to Codex and national
standards development and decision making. Risk Communication should be
included as an integral part of this process.
e.Establish structure and processes for consultation/coordination between
Government agencies on all Codex matters;
f. Establish structure and processes for consultation and communication with
industry and non-governmental organisations on Codex matters.
g.Establish improved consultative arrangements with relevant Australian
agencies in recognition of the closer relationship between the two countries
under ANZFA.


Next Steps



The primary focus of this paper has been to review New Zealand's interests
and involvement in Codex and define the strategic objectives and directions
for the future. As highlighted in the recommendations, the New Zealand Codex
Coordinator and Contact Point and other relevant government agencies now
have the responsibility to establish the necessary systems and processes for
achieving the strategic objectives. This work is under way and is expected
to the completed in 1997.



APPENDIX 1



STATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLE CONCERNING THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN THE CODEX
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH OTHER FACTORS ARE
TAKEN INTO
ACCOUNT



The food standards, guidelines and other recommendations of Codex
Alimentarius shall be based on the principle of sound scientific analysis
and evidence, involving a thorough review of all relevant information, in
order that the standards assure the quality and safety of the food supply.



When elaborating and deciding upon food standards Codex Alimentarius will
have regard, where appropriate, to other legitimate factors relevant for the
health protection of consumers and for the promotion of fair practices in
food trade.



In this regard it is noted that food labelling plays an important role in
furthering both of these objectives.



When the situation arises that members of Codex agree on the necessary level
of protection of public health but hold differing views about other
considerations, members may abstain from acceptance of the relevant standard
without necessarily preventing the decision by Codex.



APPENDIX 2



CODEX COMMITTEES



NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTATION/RESPONSIBILITIES



 

COMMITTEEABBREVIATIONREPRESENTATION/
RESPONSIBILITIESCodex Alimentarius CommissionCACMAF Policy & MAF RA
MOHExecutive CommitteeEXECMAF Policy & MAF RAGeneral PrinciplesGPMAF Policy
& MAF RA
MOHResidues of Veterinary Drugs in FoodsRVDFMAF RA
MOHFood Import and Export Inspection and Certification SystemsFICSMAF RA
MOHFood Additives and ContaminantsFACMOH
MAF RAPesticide ResiduesPRMAF RAMOHFood LabellingFLMOH
MAF Policy & MAF RAMethods of Analysis and SamplingMASMAF RA
MOHFood HygieneFHMOH
MAF RANutrition and Foods for Special Dietary UsesNFSDUMOH
MAF: MAF RAFish and Fishery ProductsFFPMAF
MOHFats and OilsFOMAF RA
MOHFresh Fruits and VegetablesFFVMAF RA
MOHMilk and Milk ProductsMMPMAF Policy & MAF RA
MOHNorth America and South-West PacificNASWPMAF Policy & MAF RA
MOH


COMMENTS FROM THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT ON CODEX PROPOSED
DRAFT FOR THE
LABELLING OF FOOD OBTAINED THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY 
(PROPOSED DRAFT AMENDMENT TO THE GENERAL STANDARD FOR THE
LABELLING OF
PREPACKAGED FOODS)
(At step 3 of the procedure) REF: 97/22 A (Appendix VI)

Key principles



1.New Zealand agrees that the essential principle of any food legislation is
that foods should only be available if they are safe for general
consumption. This includes foods obtained through biotechnology. Labelling
is not a substitute for evaluating the safety of foods and all governments
have clear responsibilities in this regard. It is critical to avoid any
confusion between safety criteria and labelling considerations.
2.There are four key elements to be taken into account when considering the
regulation of labelling of foods from production processes:

•the protection of the health of consumers from any specific risks
introduced by the production process; •any nutritional implications
resulting from changes to the composition of the food; •any significant
technological changes in the properties of the food itself that may affect
the intended use of the product; and •the prevention of deceptive trade
practices. 



These are the critical regulatory requirements that Codex must address.



3.In New Zealand, as elsewhere, concerns have been expressed about ethical,
environmental, social and cultural issues related to foods derived through
biotechnology. The concerns are complex and vary from country to country.
New Zealand believes consumer perceptions and concerns do need to be
considered when developing regulatory approaches. The issue is not whether
or not consumers have a right to know about these aspects of foods produced
by biotechnology, but how this need is met. New Zealand believes that these
concerns are most appropriately dealt with at the national level taking into
account specific national objectives and international obligations. Codex
standards should reflect its essential objectives which are to protect the
health of consumers and promote fair practices in food trade. Further, Codex
standards must be based on sound science and consistent with the provisions
of the WTO, SPS and TBT Agreements. 

Comments on proposed amendments to the General Standard for the Labelling of
Prepackaged Foods


Definition of terms


4.The proposed definition of products obtained through biotechnology needs
further clarification in terms of scope and coverage. If the standard is to
cover foods containing viable and non viable material, this fact needs to be
clearly stated and the standard itself should include a definition of
"organism".



Section 5. Additional Mandatory Requirements



5. 

New Zealand believes that labelling should be mandatory where the food or
food ingredient is no longer substantially equivalent to the corresponding
existing food or food ingredients with regard to:



•composition;

•nutritional value; and

•intended use.





6.These criteria require manufacturers to label products of biotechnology to
alert consumers to changes in composition, nutritional value or other
characteristics that affect the intended use of the product. These labelling
provisions are also essential to prevent deceptive practices in trade.
Appropriate labelling would declare the relevant change from the
corresponding existing food.
7.Where a food produced by biotechnology is not substantially equivalent to
any existing food and where a conventional comparator does not exist, New
Zealand agrees the labelling should indicate the nature of the product, its
nutritional composition, its intended use and any other essential
characteristic necessary to provide a clear description of the product for
consumers. However, there is no scientific basis for requiring the label to
describe the method by which the food or ingredient was obtained. 
8.New Zealand is unclear how Codex will apply the statement: 

"In addition, the presence in a food obtained through biotechnology of
material from the sources referred to in Section 4.2.2.2 which is not
present in an existing equivalent foodstuff shall always be declared"

Section 4.2.2.2 refers to pork fat, lard, and beef fat. Codex will need to
define the word "material", to clarify the intent and application as far as
products of biotechnology are concerned, before countries are in a position
to comment.


Recommendations concerning allergens



9. New Zealand believes the transfer of genes from commonly allergenic foods
(e.g. peanuts) should be discouraged. We note, for example, that an allergen
was recently identified during the safety testing of a gene transferred from
Brazil nut to soybean1 resulting in the soybean being withdrawn from further
development. How regulation is applied in this area is for national
governments to determine. If, however, a food that contains a material that
may have health implications for sections of the population (such as
allergens) is marketed, then the presence of such a material must be
declared and New Zealand would support the amendment to Section 4.2.2 as
proposed, namely:

"The presence in any food or food ingredients obtained through biotechnology
of an allergen transferred from any of the products listed in Section
4.2.1.3, shall be declared" 


General comments



10.These comments reflect New Zealand's preliminary views on the proposed
amendments to the General Standard for the labelling of prepackaged foods
circulated to governments for consideration at Step 3. The issues concerned
are complex and require careful consideration and evaluation. New Zealand is
not keen to support any hurried development of international standards
without consideration of all relevant criteria.






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Date: Sat, 08 Nov 1997 22:17:22
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Re: Art and AR
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971108221722.0f6f37f8@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

The following appeared in Friday's Vancouver Sun, regarding how the view of
animals (and aliens) have changed in the movies between the 1980's and 1990's.

- In 'The Bear' (1988), an orphaned cub befriends an adult grizzly, [both]
are stalked by hunters, and, in a climatic scene on a cliff, teach the
humans a lesson without bloodshed. In this year's 'The Edge' an adult
grizzly stalks a group of humans before a final, bloody encounter.

- In 'E.T.' (1982), an extraterrestial comes to earth in peace. In this
year's 'Starship Troopers', giant bugs destroy Buenos Aires and fight it
out with earthlings in space.

- In 'Project X' (1987), Matthew Broderick works to save a chimpanzee
condemned to medical research. In 'Outbreak' (1995), a monkey gets loose to
spread the deadly Ebola virus throughout the U.S.

- "Never Cry Wolf' (1983) plants a researcher in the Canadian north to try
to learn more about wolves. 'Wolf' has a wolf plant a his teeth on Jack
Nicholson's arm, turning him into a wolf-man.

BTW, just saw an episode of 'Red Dwarf' - a British comedy - in which a
character named Kryton, a robot, cooked his humanoid companions the remains
of a dead man they found on the street. When the others learnt of this, and
displayed their disgust, he noted that as humanoids ate chickens, he felt
they would also eat members of their own species. "Otherwise," he said,"
it's just pick'n on the chicken."

Also just heard about an episode of "Star Trek - Voyager" last week, in
which the crew were being used by a "superior" species for various
experiments. They pointed out that millions of lives could be saved, both
for their species and those on board Voyager, at the cost of a few
sacrifices amongst the crew; that there was no alternative, that the crew
would not suffer unnecessarily, and many other familiar arguments used by
vivisectors. (Didn't see it myself, due to a hitch on my VCR.)

As for my own efforts, although I do write, it is usually only factual
stuff for broadcasting on radio - I have somewhat of an advantage over most
in that I also happen to be the producer of the same program I write the
news and some features for. (In order to control my ego, I do let the rest
of the team involved in production read over the articles first and I've
given them a veto on anything they feel isn't up to scratch - for whatever
reason.)

I haven't done much in the way of fiction, or non-prose - the poem I just
posted was my first effort at this art-form, so things might improve. As
for painting, forget it - just don't have the talent.

David 

Date: Sat, 08 Nov 1997 23:12:00
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK] 'Extinct' beetle alive and well
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971108231200.2b3f863a@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

>From The Electronic Telegraph - Sunday, November 9th, 1997

'Extinct' beetle alive and well
By Peter Birkett and John Gaskelle 

ONE of Britain's rarest beetles which was feared to be extinct has been
found in a public lavatory.

An RSPB volunteer spotted the Maid of Kent (Emus hirtus) on a bird
sanctuary at Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, last week. The beetle was
last seen in Sussex in 1966, but had not been seen in Kent since 1951. It
was captured and sheltered from the frost in a warm tank before being
released. 

Adam Roland, an assistant warden, said:"It was crawling in through the
entrance to the public toilets. "We put some soil in a tank with some grass
and some invertebrates for it to feed on. We took photographs then, when
the weather warmed up, we released it." The find has delighted
entomologists. "This is the crown jewel of British coleoptera," said Peter
Hammond of London's Natural History Museum. "It is an extremely rare and
exciting find, one which any entomologist would dearly like to have made."

One-inch long and golden-haired, the beetle has the appearance of a giant
bee. "It is very pretty but because something so big and showy has gone so
long without a confirmed sighting there were obvious fears that it might
have become extinct here," Dr Hammond said.

"Part of the reason for its rarity is because it has no set habitat, like
an undercliff, leaf mould or a stagnant pond. "Emus doesn't form colonies,
it makes use of ephemeral and patchy resources, so encounters with the
species are normally by chance." The beetle acquired its "Maid of Kent"
nickname because most sightings have been made in the county. 

"Sheppey has traditionally been its best-known habitat in Britain," Mr
Hammond said. "Sixteen were found near Sheerness in 1909 and there are
records of one being found at nearby Sittingbourne in 1896." The beetle is
so rare that it was not included on the list for special conservation
measures in the national Biodiversity Action Plan of 1995.

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997

Date: Sat, 08 Nov 1997 23:18:48
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK] Sick 'squish' movies on sale to Britain
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971108231848.0f6f471e@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

>From The Electronic Telegraph - Sunday, November 9th, 1997

Sick 'squish' movies on sale to Britain
By Cassandra Brown 

FILMS in which baby mice, hamsters and chickens are stamped to death by
women wearing high-heel shoes are being smuggled into Britain to satisfy an
audience whose bizarre tastes are now attracting video producers here.

Customs officers discovered the grisly trade a year ago after raiding a
house in the South-East. They found tapes containing animal "snuff" - or
"squish" - movies, child pornography and illegal firearms. Dozens more of
the films, classified as obscene material, have been intercepted since.But
it can be difficult to prosecute offenders. In Britain it is illegal to
import or distribute the tapes, but not to possess them.

The films are difficult to detect. One piece of footage was discovered
halfway through a recording of Batman Forever. Others have been spliced
into home movies. The RSPCA is alarmed at what it believes is a growing
trend. "This is deeply disturbing," said Martin Daly, an inspector working
with the special unit investigating the source and distribution of the films.

"It is of particular concern that many videos apprehended by Customs have
belonged to people who were found to have tapes containing child
pornography in the house. What sort of people want to buy this sick material?"

In one confiscated video, seen by The Telegraph, a woman wearing stiletto
shoes is shown stamping on a hamster. After she steps on the immobilised
animal, the camera zooms in to show the terrified hamster which, despite
its broken back, struggles to escape. The woman stamps on it five times
before it dies and she grinds it into the floor.

In another, a 22-year-old blonde called "Michelle" is shown talking about
her hatred of worms, snails and bugs before being shown "squishing" them
into the floor. Even as the Government clamps down on the use of animals to
test cosmetics, the popularity of "squish" films seems to be increasing.
Jeff Vilencia, of Squish Productions in California, was one of the first to
make this type of movie commercially available. He said the product
appealed particularly to men, who found them "stimulating".

Mr Vilencia's videos feature baby rats, goldfish, bugs and mice and go
under names such as Death In The Afternoon. Promotions for his series of
Squish Playhouse films include descriptions of women such as "Ms Tiffany"
and how viewers can see several of her "tiny pink friends [mice] crushed to
death on her black and white tile floor". Mr Vilencia admitted last week
that he had sent dozens of films to Britain where he claimed to have 38
customers. He sells to more than 600 people worldwide.

Some British "fans" were now making their own movies, rather than pay up to
$100 (£65) for each tape. "These activities, except for bugs, are highly
illegal in Britain," he said. "But I know some people over there are now
making their own films."

Mr Vilencia defended his business. "I tell the models they can squish
anything in the pet shop as long as it is part of the food chain of another
animal - that's my criteria," he said. Underground film-makers in Britain
and Germany were often less discriminating, he argued. "In Germany there's
a big black market for these films and there seems to be no limit to the
size of the animal," he said. "They use cats and dogs and also, I'm told,
have filmed different kinds of films with horses, which are ridden bareback
until they are exhausted then shot dead on camera. I would not do that."

Mark (not his real name), from the north of England, said he and his wife
made their own movies, usually confining the victims to bugs. "We film her
squashing bugs and pinkies, which are baby mice. But we keep this aspect
quiet, because we have children. I think my interest began as a small child
when I watched my older sisters and their friends squashing ants." Mark
confirmed there was a ring of people in Britain who produced their own
videos. "People keep it very quiet," he said.

The RSPCA now has a squad investigating the "ugly phenomenon", and has
called for information from anybody who might have information about
"squish" films.

"There appears to be a growing market and we are concerned that the movies
are being made at home in Britain," Mr Daly said. "In my job I have come
across some unpleasant sights, but these videos are the sickest thing I
have seen."

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997

Date: Sat, 08 Nov 1997 23:36:55
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [BW] Bushmen forced to march into oblivion [LONG]
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971108233655.0f6f0884@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

>From The Electronic Telegraph - Sunday, November 9th, 1997

Bushmen forced to march into oblivion
By Fred Bridgland in New Xade, Bostswana 

A GREAT tragedy is being played out in New Xade, a bleak settlement in the
Kalahari Desert. This is the dumping ground for Bushmen, the original
inhabitants of southern Africa, who are being removed in cattle trucks by
the Botswana government from their last refuge, the Central Kalahari Game
Reserve.

New Xade, named after the main cleared settlement in the Central Kalahari
Game Reserve, is a desolate place, without running water or shade trees, 70
miles into the desert from the nearest small town.

Around New Xade there are few of the veld foods the Bushmen were so adept
at surviving on in the central Kalahari - desert melons, nuts, berries and
a variety of roots and truffles. None of the Bushmen has been given a
hunting licence, nor have they been given seeds, land or tools to plant a
few crops before the rains begin later this month. Limited compensation
between £330 and £3,300 has been paid to heads of families, but most of
this has been spent on alcohol brought in by Batswana traders and officials.

The central Kalahari clearances are the final act in the theft of the
Bushmen's land that has not stopped since Europeans landed in the south and
black tribes pushed down through Africa from the north. The expulsions have
come at a time when a South African-Canadian
consortium admits it has discovered a major diamond-bearing volcanic pipe
in the central Kalahari and begun pre-production studies. Beneath a canopy
of twigs, providing shade from the midday sun, one Bushman cradled his
infant daughter and told The Telegraph how he was removed recently from the
central Kalahari, where he was born more than 50 years ago.

"We were moved by the government against our will," said Gakeolate Keilwe,
who was born "in the time of the smallpox, the locusts and Hitler. The
government put pressure on us and said we can't live among the animals. But
our forefathers lived with the animals and the animals didn't get wiped
out. So why does the government think we cannot live with the animals now?
We were just forcibly taken out. They [government officials] walked around
and told us to pull down our huts and put them on the trucks. I'm quite
sure we've been tricked. We're being cheated because all this land which
was ours now belongs to the government."

Thereby hangs a tangled tale. The apricot-skinned, oriental-looking Bushmen
- who call themselves the "red people" - assert that the central Kalahari
was given to them by the British colonial government in 1961. They say the
first President of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama, reaffirmed the commitment
at independence in 1966. Whatever the moral strength
or legal basis of the Bushmen's arguments, they are rejected by the
government of President Queti Masire, dominated by the majority black
Batswana tribe.

Roy Sesana, head of the First Peoples of the Kalahari, a Bushman human
rights organisation, said the government line was brutally spelt out by a
former land and local government minister, Patrick Balopi. "He told us [in
September 1995] that the laws of the President [Seretse Khama] died with
him and that the laws of Queen Elizabeth have no relevance.

"The life in these places [New Xade and other settlements] has turned our
people into thieves and beggars and drunkards. First they make us destitute
and then they say we are nothing because we are destitute." Bushmen support
organisations plan a series of domestic and international legal actions to
reclaim the central Kalahari - at 32,000 square miles almost three times
the size of Wales - for its original  inhabitants.

An international human rights lawyer, who has taken up the Bushmen's case
but asked not to be named, told The Sunday Telegraph that the government
has played a Machiavellian game of divide and rule: it has picked off
Bushmen one by one by intimidation and bribes and presented a clean face to
the international community while supporting the mining groups and
accelerating the clearances.

"It's an enormous tragedy, because the Botswana government is playing on
its reputation as the good boy of Africa and thinks it can get away with
it," he said. The Land and Local Government Ministry in a report this year
said the reason for the removal of the Bushmen was straightforward:
management and conservation of wildlife, and related tourism development,
is incompatible with Bushmen settlements in the central Kalahari.

The main architect of the expulsion policy appears to be Eric Molale: the
senior civil servant in the ministry. In a statement from Gaborone, Mr
Molale asserted that the central Kalahari is state land and that, although
the British had given the Bushmen the right to reside there, it was only on
condition that they "be seen as part of the reserve's flora and fauna".

It was with "the desire to promote the dignity of Basarwa [Bushmen] as
human beings" that the government had been trying for 15 years to  persuade
them to leave the central Kalahari, he said. 

"The Botswana government has never had the intention that Basarwa be
alienated from the mainstream of Botswana society, and that view shall
continue to hold," says Mr Molale. "They have not been, and will never be,
dispossessed of any land."

Not so, said Tsoroma Teebe, another old Bushman living on a patch of
Kalahari dust at New Xade with no work to sustain his family and a monthly
maize flour hand-out from the government which lasts only two weeks. He is
one of more than 800 Bushmen who have been removed from Xade, the main
settlement in the central Kalahari, to New Xade. A few hundred more Bushmen
in scattered small groups remain to be relocated.

"There's no way we can get justice," said Mr Teebe. "The government has
been trying for years to get rid of us, so from June we just gave in. They
say we disturb the wildlife, but it's not a good reason to move us. We have
always been there. It's the diamonds; we've seen the machinery moving in."

>From Johannesburg, Barry Bailey, the manager in charge of prospecting in
Botswana for the world's biggest diamond producer, De Beers, confirmed the
discovery of a "moderately large" kimberlite diamond pipe at Gope, in the
south-eastern corner of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The neck of the
Gope pipe, buried beneath about 250 feet of Kalahari sand, covers 11
hectares - two-thirds the size of De Beers' most important diamond
development in the Nineties, the prosperous Venetia mine on the South
African bank of the Limpopo.

"In about a year's time we'll be able to say if it will be feasible to mine
there," said Mr Bailey. He declined to say how many people a mine at Gope
might initially employ. Told that the Bushmen believe one reason for the
expulsion is because of pressure from De Beers on the Botswana government,
Mr Bailey replied: "I can categorically state that there's been no pressure
from De Beers. We see it purely as a matter for the government to deal
with. In fact, the Bushmen don't affect our operations."

Nevertheless, European diplomats in Gaborone say the government is
unrelenting in its determination to clear the central Kalahari of all
Bushmen as fast as possible. "There's no love lost between the Batswana and
the First People of the Kalahari," said one ambassador.
 "The Batswana don't think of the Bushmen as equal citizens or that they
deserve equal treatment. "It would be a nightmare for the government to
have tourists entering the game reserve and seeing people living in twig
huts. They think it's degrading."

However, said the ambassador, the government had no plans to develop the
central Kalahari for international tourism. Of one site identified for a
potential game lodge, he said: "I'd rather spend a week in Wormwood
Scrubs," adding that he believed the government's real fear was that the
Bushmen might establish firm title to a vast tract of land in the centre of
the country.

Alice Mogwe, director of the Botswana Centre for Human Rights and daughter
of Botswana's first foreign minister, Archie Mogwe, said the Kalahari
Bushmen had not been given enough information by the government to make an
informed choice on whether or not to leave the
place that has been home to their ancestors for more than 20,000 years:
"Government officials told them that if they stayed there would be no
development: if they left, there would be development in the new places."

Ms Mogwe, in a report on the Kalahari Bushmen which the government tried to
suppress, said wildlife officials torture Bushmen. The most common form of
torture, said the report, involves "the use of a rubber ring placed tightly
round the testicles and a plastic bag placed over the face of the person".

One Bushman told her: "You are castrated, you are throttled so that you
excrete all that you have eaten."

The Bushmen's human rights lawyer said: "Precisely what happened with
Australia's aborigines is happening in the central Kalahari. There are
fewer and fewer sites in the world where the people inhabiting them have
links going back tens of thousands of years. For the Bushmen this is more
than just a loss of their last land. It's a spiritual loss as they're
wrenched away from the place that gives their lives meaning."

Last year the then British overseas development minister, Baroness Chalker,
told the Lords that she accepted Botswana government assurances that "there
will not be forcible removal of the Bushmen". If there were forced
expulsions, "we would stop our technical aid and the
European Union would stop its help to Botswana as well".

Meanwhile, old Bushmen in the Kalahari, sensing their final reduction to a
non-people, tattered remnants of a doomed way of life clinging to the edges
of the modern world, sing an old song around their night fires.

The day we die a soft breeze

will wipe out our footprints in the sand.

When the wind dies down,

who will tell in the timelessness

that once we walked this way

in the dawn of time?

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997

Date: Sat, 08 Nov 1997 23:41:29
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK/BW]How the EU compounds the Bushmen's woes
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971108234129.0f6f390a@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

>From The Electronic Telegraph - Sunday, November 9th, 1997

How the EU compounds the Bushmen's woes
By Christopher Booker 

IT is particularly poignant that the last act in the Bushman tragedy should
centre on the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, set up by Britain's colonial
government in 1961 to provide them with a final refuge. This "safe haven"
was created after the late Sir Laurens van Post led a government mission to
track down the elusive Bushmen in the Fifties.

In the Seventies and Eighties, after Botswana's independence, the Bushmen
were cleared off vast areas of the southern Kalahari to make way for cattle
ranching, encouraged by a special deal which allows Botswana to export beef
cheaply to the EU.

But this still left the central Kalahari untouched, and it was not until
February 1996 that - as first reported in The Telegraph - Patrick Balopi,
Botswana's lands minister, told the Bushmen that they would be forcibly
removed, so the reserve could be "developed for tourism".

Only recently has there been evidence of just why Botswana is prepared to
court international odium. It emerges that the tourism project is
part-funded by an EU programme originating from the 1992 Rio environmental
summit, under which various parts of Africa are being
opened up to "eco-tourism", on condition that human inhabitants are evicted
to encourage wildlife. African governments are given aid to organise these
programmes themselves, with advice from EU consultants.

The final blow for the reserve is the discovery of diamonds; it is
diamond-mining elsewhere that has made Botswana per capita the richest
country in Africa. The British Government has consistently accepted
Botswana's official assurances over the eviction of the Bushmen. 

Only last month a Foreign Office minister, Tony Lloyd, wrote to Sir John
Stanley MP that Britain's High Commissioner "visited the Central Kalahari
Game Reserve as recently as July but found no evidence that Bushmen were
being forced away from the Reserve" - although "it remained the
Government's view that, in the longer term, it was in the interests of the
Bushmen that they would be better off outside the Reserve".

It will be interesting to see how the Foreign Office reacts to Fred
Bridgland's evidence that it seems to have been seriously misled.

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997

Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 16:53:44 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Caution Urged on Alaska Wolf Plan
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109165342.006de384@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from AP Wire page http://wire.ap.org/
--------------------------------------
 11/09/1997 12:02 EST

 Caution Urged on Alaska Wolf Plan

 By DAVID GERMAIN
 Associated Press Writer

 JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- Large-scale wolf kills might temporarily leave
 more moose and caribou for human hunters in Alaska, but long-term effects
 on big game are unknown, according to a recent report.

 The study by the National Research Council, the working arm of the
 National Academy of Sciences, recommended a cautious review of the
 economic, social and biological need to kill wolves and bears before
 Alaska resumes predator management.

 The effects of previous predator-control programs in Alaska and Canada
 were not adequately evaluated, so researchers were unable to judge
 whether game herds would continue to flourish after large numbers of
 wolves or bears were killed, according to the report, released Oct. 28.

 ``We stress that complete predictability never will be possible, and the
 public must understand that unexpected outcomes will always be part of
 wildlife management,'' said Gordon Orians, an ecologist at the University
 of Washington in Seattle who headed the study.

 The yearlong study was requested by Gov. Tony Knowles, who called off a
 wolf-kill program when he took office in 1994 after videotape aired
 nationwide showing wolves suffering in snares in interior Alaska.

 Wildlife groups applauded the decision, saying such methods were cruel
 and unnecessary. Hunters say the state bowed to public pressure from
 outside Alaska and that predator control is needed to keep wolves from
 decimating game populations.

 Alaska paid the academy about $300,000 for the study to help the state
 decide whether it should resume killing predators or try less severe
 methods such as sterilizing the animals or moving them away from game
 herds targeted by hunters. The report does not recommend whether Alaska
 should reinstate predator-control programs.

 State wildlife managers plan to begin this month a sterilization program
 for wolves that prey on the Fortymile caribou herd, which numbered as
 high as 500,000 in the 1920s but has dwindled to about 25,000.

 ``They're still on target,'' said Diane Reagan, a spokeswoman for the
 Alaska Department of Fish and Game. ``It's a nonlethal wolf control
 method that calls for vasectomies on males and tubal ligations on
 females. Just the alpha pairs. They'll be relocating the sub-adults to
 other areas rather than killing them.''

 The 207-page report was based on discussions with government biologists,
 reviews of previous research on predator management and comments from
 people living in remote Alaska villages that depend on big game for food.

 Researchers also examined 11 predator-control programs in Alaska and
 Canada. The results on moose and caribou herds were inconclusive in most
 of those programs, the report said.

 But a few of the programs indicated that killing off 40 percent or more
 of wolves in a given area for at least four years can result in
 short-term increases in moose and caribou numbers, Orians said. However,
 whether that translates into long-range game increases could not be
 determined, he added.

 The report said that if Alaska decides to resume predator management, it
 should consider methods other than killing wolves or bears, including
 relocation, sterilization or altering the habitat to chase them away.

 Public pressure has built against harsher methods such as poisoning
 predators or hunting them from airplanes, the study said.

 Last year, Alaskans voted to prohibit the use of aircraft to hunt wolves.

Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 16:58:04 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Attorney for cat killer says client 'overcharged'
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109165801.006de2fc@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from http://www.gazetteonline.com/index.htm via Newsworks
http://www.newsworks.com/
-----------------------------------------------
Defense claims animal rights pressure

Attorney for cat killer says client 'overcharged'

Posted November 6, 1997

By Dave Gosch
Gazette staff writer

                      PHOTO: Chad Lamansky (left) and Daniel Myers listen
to Lamansky's attorney
                      Wednesday, November 6, 1997 during their trial in
Bloomfield. (AP photo)

BLOOMFIELD -- The attorney for Daniel Myers on Wednesday charged that
animal rights activists pressured
prosecutors into "overcharging" his client and Chad Lamansky in the
bludgeoning deaths of 16 cats.

Defense attorney Steve Gardner admitted the acts were "disgusting" and
"sick" but said Myers and Lamansky
were not deserving of the felony charge they are fighting in court.

The attorneys for Lamansky, 18, of Brighton, and Myers, also 18, of
Fairfield, have admitted the two broke into the
shelter on March 8 and killed the cats.

But they are contesting an element of one of the felony charges that
contends the 16 dead cats and eight injured
cats had a value of more than $500.

David Sykes, owner of the Noah's Ark animal shelter in Fairfield, testified
the cats were easily worth more than that
and that medical care given the injured cats totaled more than $4,000.

The surprise strategy by defense attorneys Gardner and Kirk Daily -- to
admit their clients entered the shelter and
used baseball bats to kill and injure the cats -- made testimony
unnecessary from most of the state's 30-plus
witnesses. Jefferson County Attorney John Morrissey on Wednesday pared that
list to five, four of whom testified
Wednesday.

The trial is being held in Bloomfield on a change of venue.

Morrissey, in his opening statement, said he'll prove four points to
support his assertion that more than $500
damage was done to the cats:

A Fairfield pet shop employee will testify that cats sell for $30 apiece at
that store.

Noah's Ark spends from $60 to $115 on each cat it takes in during the first
two to four weeks it is at the facility.
Those costs include vaccinations and tests.

Noah's Ark charges a $50 fee for the adoption of cats.

The veterinary costs of treating the eight injured cats amounted to $4,092.

Morrissey called former Fairfield veterinarian Kathy Klein to the witness
stand and asked her to describe some of
the injuries that the eight surviving cats suffered.

"Wilbur was pretty bad," said Klein, referring to one of the cats. "We
couldn't examine him without him crying out in
pain."

Klein said Wilbur suffered a concussion and a fractured jaw.

Klein said she sent another cat, named Pearl, to the Iowa State University
veterinary clinic to have its eyes treated.
She said both eye chambers were filled with blood. Another cat sent to ISU
had multiple leg fractures.

Klein described the scene at the shelter when she arrived to treat the
animals, saying blood was spattered about
and furniture was overturned.

All of the cats' injuries and deaths appeared to be the result of blunt
trauma.

On cross-examination, Klein said her veterinary clinic did not charge
Noah's Ark for its services.

Sykes testified later that the combined costs of treating the injured cats
was $4,092. Those costs included
services rendered by the Fairfield and ISU clinics.

However, Daily and Gardner said those medical costs were misleading because
the veterinarians donated their
services and never billed Noah's Ark. Noah's Ark sent $300 to each group
but only after depositions for the trial
started, they said.

Sykes also testified that initially it was thought that 15 cats died. He
said another cat was discovered a few days
after the incident. The cat had crawled into some furniture where it died.

He also said four or five cats were never found.

Sykes, who told the court that he hasn't been feeling well lately, is
expected to take the stand again today for
cross-examination by defense attorneys.

At this point, Myers and Lamansky face up to seven years in prison on the
felony charge of third-degree burglary
and the aggravated misdemeanor of offenses related to animal facilities.

The maximum penalty for the second felony charge -- of offenses related to
animal facilities in which the damage
exceeds $500 but is less than $50,000. -- is five years in prison.
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 17:06:35 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Hog Farm Divides Utah Community
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109170633.00696f30@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from AP Wire page http://wire.ap.org/
-----------------------------------------
 11/09/1997 12:24 EST

 Hog Farm Divides Utah Community

 By MIKE CARTER
 Associated Press Writer

 MILFORD, Utah (AP) -- For three generations, the Mayer family 
 raised alfalfa in emerald fields south of town, and sunrise   Keeping
 used to bring only the promise of another satisfying day of   hogs in
 hard work.                                                    
                                                          
 Now, however, dawn's first breeze usually bears the          
 eye-searing stench of tens of millions of gallons of hog    
 waste. The stink rouses sleepers, who stagger to slam windows 
 or flee to the basement. ``I've gagged in my own home,'' says
 Allen Mayer.

 Yet, to the Mayers and 50 other farm families, the fermenting waste in
 hog sewage lagoons isn't the only thing that stinks about their newest
 neighbor, Circle Four Farms, the country's largest hog-farming operation.

 Circle Four, a joint venture by four of the East Coast's largest hog
 producers, is setting neighbor against neighbor, by lying, corrupting
 local politics, fouling the air and threatening the semi-arid Utah
 desert's scarce water, according to its opponents.

 In short, they contend, the consortium of Smithfield Foods, Murphy Family
 Farms, Carroll's Foods and Prestage Farms is employing the same political
 tactics and environmentally questionable mass-production techniques that
 caused North Carolina in August to slap a moratorium on corporate hog
 farming, encompassing operations of all four hog producers.

 ``It's like the devil came to Milford,'' says Joey Leko, whose Green
 Diamond Ranch lies up the lane from the Mayer clan. ``This has split this
 community right down the middle, so's one half won't even talk to the
 other.''

 But Circle Four Farms is just getting started in Milford, a town of 1,164
 about 170 miles south of Salt Lake City. By the end of the decade, Circle
 Four wants its 600,000-hog-a-year Milford operation to anchor a 25-mile
 string of farms, quadrupling its annual yield to almost 2.5 million hogs.

 ``This is on a scale that has never been visited before,'' said Nancy
 Thompson of the Center for Rural Affairs in Walthill, Neb., which studies
 and monitors the effects of corporate farming. ``There is nothing to
 compare it to.''

 Four years ago, when ground was broken, locals called Circle
 Former hog  Four an answer to prayers, and many still feel that way.
 farm worker Mining and the railroad were dead or declining and the city
 issued a building permit in 16 years.

 Today, more than 60 homes and other buildings are under
 construction. Circle Four is the county's largest employer
             with 300 jobs and a payroll exceeding $6 million.

 ``They've been a godsend,'' said Mayor Mary Wiseman, whose living room
 foyer features a life-size plaster hog. ``This town was dying.''

 Patty Cherry, a waitress at the all-night Hong Kong Cafe, says three of
 her daughters and their husbands work on the farms. A fourth daughter was
 just hired and is moving home.

 ``My family is together because of that farm,'' she said. ``It seems to
 me that's a fair trade for a little smell.''

 That ``little smell,'' most often in the early mornings and late
 evenings, can roll into town like a putrid fog, clinging to clothes and
 sticking in the backs of throats.

 Even Wiseman and other unabashed fans of the farm say Circle Four's
 assurances the odor would be manageable have proven false.

 Reported plans to cover the lagoons never materialized. Today, each of
 roughly 80 open-air lagoons holds 6 million to 27 million gallons of
 waste. Solid waste is allowed to settle in a primary pond, where bacteria
 break it down. Liquid drains into a second lagoon for evaporation.

 Considering hogs generate two to three times the amount of waste as
 humans, Circle Four's current operation produces the yearly equivalent
 waste of 1.8 million people -- just shy of Utah's 2 million population.

 ``That's a lot of hog crap, any way you cut it,'' says rancher Leko.
 ``Look, we're farmers. We can put up with animal odors. We can't put up
 with a sewer in our homes.''

 Circle Four developmental director Rob Adams says the company has
 encountered unexpected problems. For one, Utah's cool, dry climate was
 expected to hold down the odor. Instead, it has slowed growth of the
 bacteria that break down the waste.

 But Circle Four also hedged its bets. In 1994, Circle Four lawyer Warren
 Peterson drafted -- and the state Legislature passed -- the Utah
 Agricultural Protection Act. Among other things, it prevents lawsuits
 against agribusinesses over such things as odors.

 The act must be implemented on a county-by-county basis, however, and the
 Beaver County commission balked after howls of protests from residents.

 Circle Four's influence is just as powerful close to home. Two Beaver
 County commissioners have significant business dealings with Circle Four
 and, for a time, the farms' former development director was both a
 Milford councilman and a member of the county planning and zoning
 commission, which regulated Circle Four's expansion.

 Opponents also worry that Circle Four's operations will deplete or
 contaminate the deep underground aquifer that feeds area wells. They view
 with alarm its wholesale purchase of water rights.

 Circle Four, they say, showed its colors last year by failing for 44 days
 to report an accident in which as much as 80,000 gallons of hog waste
 were siphoned into a well. The company was fined $6,800.

 The state requires the lagoons be lined with plastic or clay and has
 ordered monitoring wells, but concedes Circle Four does its own testing.
 The state takes samples from the wells once a year.

 Farm critics want more.

 ``Government should be involved more frequently,'' says Tom Bryson, who
 lives in neighboring Iron County, where Circle Four plans its next hog
 farm.

 ``This is kind of like letting the fox guard the henhouse,'' he says,
 ``although, in this case, it's the outhouse.''

Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 17:13:45 -0500
From: "allen schubert, arrs admin" 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Fur Free Friday Events Calendar
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109171343.006941d0@envirolink.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

The Animal Rights Resource Site (ARRS) is featuring the Fur Free Friday 97
Events Calendar is at:

http://www.envirolink.org/arrs/calendar/fff97.html

Please reply via private e-mail to have your FFF event listed on this page.
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 17:05:56 +0000
From: jwed 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Endangered species video to shock pupils (HK)
Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.19971109170556.007bcd60@pop.hkstar.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Sunday Morning Post, 9th November 1997 by Fiona Holland

     Children at more than 100 schools will watch a graphic video portraying
rare animals being shot, snared and torn apart by dogs as part of an
educational campaign aimed at stamping out the use of endangered species.

     The Asian Conservation Awareness Programme, a hard-hitting advertising and
education campaign, targets users of Chinese medicine and those who buy
ornaments and jewellery  made from endangered species.

     Local animal welfare group EarthCare has linked up with the British-based
Global Survival Network to launch the campaign early next year.

     The campaign slogan, "When the buying stops, the killing can too" will
appear in advertisements featuring five endangered species - the tiger,
rhinoceros, bear, sea turtle and elephant.

     In a harrowing 25-minute video, peaceful scenes of animals in the wild are
cut with footage of poachers gunning them down and undercover footage of
traders selling skins and body parts.

     Gruesome segments depict elephant herds stampeding in terror, a bear shot
in the face with an arrow and a live turtle, helpless while its shell is
cut off.

     Another scene shows "a machine for grinding tigers".

     EarthCare spokesman Clare Lissman admitted the video was hard-hitting but
said it was intended to grab consumers' attention.

     "It is not just about these five animals and how you can save them, the
idea is to start people thinking," she said.

     Film star Jackie Chan has added his backing. A message against endangered
species will precede showings of his upcoming film "Who am I?".

     Peter Knights, of the Global Survival Network, has said the campaign aimed
to work with the traditional Chinese medicine community rather than
criticising it.

     "It is very much trying to put the responsibility on the consumer to make
them realise their actions are actually causing the problem," he said.

Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 16:28:41 +0000
From: jwed 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Animals abused at safari park (CN)
Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.19971109162841.007c8370@pop.hkstar.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Sunday Morning Post, Hong Kong, 9th November 1997.
by Ng Kang-chung

     Bloody horse fights, a parade of bears with their nostrils ripped open by
metal rings and monkeys forced to dance on tightropes are among
"attractions" at China's first safari park.

     The "Carnival of One Hundred Animals" is a new daily circus performance at
the Shenzhen Safari Park.
     Monkeys, bears, tigers, lions and elephants are forced into acrobatic
performances, under the threat of whipping by park staff.

     Animal activists alerted by the Sunday Morning Post were "disgusted" at
the carnival, but marketing staff said it had reversed falling attendances.

     "There is a falling number of patrons, especially those from Hong Kong.
We are looking at new ways to boost our business," said a spokesman.

     "There is no question of cruelty.  All our animals are under proper care."

     But a visit to the carnival - staged at 3.30pm daily at the park's animal
theatre - showed clear signs of abuse.

     Dancing girls led brightly-clad Malayan bears on leashes attached to rings
pierced through their lips.  The dancers forced the animals to walk
up-right, dance, or "play music" by pulling their leashes.

     Some bears - whose nostrils were not yet ripped - wore rings in their noses.

     As a grand finale, staff pulled three horses - two males and a female,
said to be in season - before the grandstand.  The two stallions were urged
into a violent frenzy, fighting, kicking and biting each other.  Excited
audience members laughed as the bleeding and injured stallions neighed in
pain.

     Deep wounds and scars from flailing hoofs and teeth were plainly visible
on the horses, which fight for five minutes each day.  A park duty manager
said the horses were imported from Guangxi.

     "They did not know how to fight, but we have trainers to train them," he
said.

     "The horse fighting is a popular show.  We have received no complaints so
far."

     International Fund for Animal Welfare Asia representative Jill Robinson,
who saw the carnival last week, said she would file a formal complaint.

     "It was disgusting.  The horses were made to fight and bite each other,"
Ms Robinson said.  "The audience seemed impressed.  People hardly
appreciated the cruelty to the animals."

     Ten-year-old Shenzhen pupil Tian Jun said he had enjoyed the action.
"That was a good show.  But I like dog fighting more," he said.

     The park at Xili Lake - about 45 minutes' drive from Lowu checkpoint - is
run by the state-owned Shenzhen Tourism (Group) Corporation and is the
first safari park in China.


Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 00:29:54 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Attorney for cat killer says client 'overcharged'
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109002952.006dff70@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from http://www.gazetteonline.com/index.htm via Newsworks
http://www.newsworks.com/
-----------------------------------------------
Defense claims animal rights pressure

Attorney for cat killer says client 'overcharged'

Posted November 6, 1997

By Dave Gosch
Gazette staff writer

                      PHOTO: Chad Lamansky (left) and Daniel Myers listen
to Lamansky's attorney
                      Wednesday, November 6, 1997 during their trial in
Bloomfield. (AP photo)

BLOOMFIELD -- The attorney for Daniel Myers on Wednesday charged that
animal rights activists pressured
prosecutors into "overcharging" his client and Chad Lamansky in the
bludgeoning deaths of 16 cats.

Defense attorney Steve Gardner admitted the acts were "disgusting" and
"sick" but said Myers and Lamansky
were not deserving of the felony charge they are fighting in court.

The attorneys for Lamansky, 18, of Brighton, and Myers, also 18, of
Fairfield, have admitted the two broke into the
shelter on March 8 and killed the cats.

But they are contesting an element of one of the felony charges that
contends the 16 dead cats and eight injured
cats had a value of more than $500.

David Sykes, owner of the Noah's Ark animal shelter in Fairfield, testified
the cats were easily worth more than that
and that medical care given the injured cats totaled more than $4,000.

The surprise strategy by defense attorneys Gardner and Kirk Daily -- to
admit their clients entered the shelter and
used baseball bats to kill and injure the cats -- made testimony
unnecessary from most of the state's 30-plus
witnesses. Jefferson County Attorney John Morrissey on Wednesday pared that
list to five, four of whom testified
Wednesday.

The trial is being held in Bloomfield on a change of venue.

Morrissey, in his opening statement, said he'll prove four points to
support his assertion that more than $500
damage was done to the cats:

A Fairfield pet shop employee will testify that cats sell for $30 apiece at
that store.

Noah's Ark spends from $60 to $115 on each cat it takes in during the first
two to four weeks it is at the facility.
Those costs include vaccinations and tests.

Noah's Ark charges a $50 fee for the adoption of cats.

The veterinary costs of treating the eight injured cats amounted to $4,092.

Morrissey called former Fairfield veterinarian Kathy Klein to the witness
stand and asked her to describe some of
the injuries that the eight surviving cats suffered.

"Wilbur was pretty bad," said Klein, referring to one of the cats. "We
couldn't examine him without him crying out in
pain."

Klein said Wilbur suffered a concussion and a fractured jaw.

Klein said she sent another cat, named Pearl, to the Iowa State University
veterinary clinic to have its eyes treated.
She said both eye chambers were filled with blood. Another cat sent to ISU
had multiple leg fractures.

Klein described the scene at the shelter when she arrived to treat the
animals, saying blood was spattered about
and furniture was overturned.

All of the cats' injuries and deaths appeared to be the result of blunt
trauma.

On cross-examination, Klein said her veterinary clinic did not charge
Noah's Ark for its services.

Sykes testified later that the combined costs of treating the injured cats
was $4,092. Those costs included
services rendered by the Fairfield and ISU clinics.

However, Daily and Gardner said those medical costs were misleading because
the veterinarians donated their
services and never billed Noah's Ark. Noah's Ark sent $300 to each group
but only after depositions for the trial
started, they said.

Sykes also testified that initially it was thought that 15 cats died. He
said another cat was discovered a few days
after the incident. The cat had crawled into some furniture where it died.

He also said four or five cats were never found.

Sykes, who told the court that he hasn't been feeling well lately, is
expected to take the stand again today for
cross-examination by defense attorneys.

At this point, Myers and Lamansky face up to seven years in prison on the
felony charge of third-degree burglary
and the aggravated misdemeanor of offenses related to animal facilities.

The maximum penalty for the second felony charge -- of offenses related to
animal facilities in which the damage
exceeds $500 but is less than $50,000. -- is five years in prison.
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 14:32:16 -0500 (EST)
From: JanaWilson@aol.com
To: Ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Oklahoma's Feed the Children Hunting Program
Message-ID: <971109143216_104932519@mrin53.mail.aol.com>


Feed the Children is an Oklahoma-based charity which promotes
hunting.  This was in today's Oklahoma hunting news:

Deer hunters were responsible for feeding over 75,000 people
in Oklahoma during last year from the Sportsmen Against Hunger
program which provides meals of donated venison to the needy 
thruout the state.  A successful hunter can donate a deer to the 
program thru a participating butcher.  Deer check stations thruout
Oklahoma as well as all Wal-Mart stores have the locations of the
nearest participating meat processor.  The hunter fills out a 
donation form and leaves the deer for processing.  Feed the
Children distributes the venison to the needy.
Every hunter that donates a deer will be entered in a drawing
for a combination deer and turkey hunt in South Texas.  The
second winner wins a "wild hog hunt" in the Texas Panhandle.
Sportsmen Against Hunger is a national program that is 
administered at the state level by the Okla. Station of the
Safari Club International, the Wildlife Dept. and Feed the
Children.

                                                              For the
Animals,
 
                                                              Jana, OKC
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 14:32:21 -0500 (EST)
From: JanaWilson@aol.com
To: Ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Oklahoma Deer Hunt Description
Message-ID: <971109143220_86133543@mrin79>


This not so pleasant tale was in Oklahoma's Sunday
hunting news:

Three Oklahoma hunters got two deer for the price of one
when they came upon a couple of big bucks with locked antlers
on the final day of black powder season.
Mr. Mark Estep of Weatherford, Okla. said he spotted the
bucks in a meadow near the North Canadian River NE of Geary,
Okla.  One buck was on its feet struggling to free itself from
another animal which was down on the ground.  Estep, a bowhunter,
said "At first, I thought it was a cougar trying to drag a dead deer."
His companions, who were both armed with muzzleloaders, took 
shots at the standing buck and killed it.
Estep guessed the buck on the ground had been dead for two days
or so as it was in pretty bad shape.  The deer that was shot
dressed out at 175 lbs.  The dead deer was even larger with a
14-pointer with a rack that rough scored over 180.
Estep said they had to saw off the anlers of the dead deer because
one of the hunters wanted a mount of the buck he shot.  "It took
us 30 minutes and a couple of crowbars to get them apart,"
he added.

                                                         For the Animals,

                                                         Jana, OKC

                          
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 14:32:25 -0500 (EST)
From: JanaWilson@aol.com
To: Ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Oklahoma Possible Deer Hunt Record
Message-ID: <971109143225_243739175@mrin84.mail.aol.com>


A/w Oklahoma City hunting news:

  A survey of 30 Oklahoma check stations in different parts of
the state after the primitive firearms deer season ended indicates
hunters could be on their way to a deer harvest record this year.
  Oklahoma Wildlife Dept. personnel reported the number of deer
checked in at the 30 locations showed the overall harvest could
easily be from 15 to 20 percent higher than last year's.  This
estimate was based on the combined no. of archery and black
powder kills to date by the 30 check stations. Each year the
dept. surveys the same check stations after the close of the nine-
day muzzleloader season to get a handle on deer hunters'
succcess or lack of it.  The final harvest figures are not completed
until after the gun season.
  In 1995, hunters in all three seasons harvested a record 65,886
deer but fell short of that figure by about 1,500 animals last year.
  According to Mike Shaw, wildlife research supervisor for the Okla.
Wildlife Dept., "With an estimated 175,000 gun hunters expected to
go afield during the upcoming gun season (Nov. 22-30), the
previous harvest record of 65,886 could be history."
  "Hunters should begin to notice increased buck activity during the
next few weeks as the onset of the rut approaches.  That, combined
with additional anterless hunting opportunities over most of the state,
should translate to a new harvest record at the end of gun season,"
said Shaw.
  Several black powder hunters reported taking bucks as they trailed
does, a sign that the rut is either underway or near at hand.  That's
the best way to bag a buck, when they're concentrating on
female companionship rather than staying alive.
  Could 70,000 deer harvested in 1997 be a possibility?  "Only
time will tell, but I certainly wouldn't say it's out," said Shaw.

                                                    For the Animals,

                                                    Jana, OKC
  
  
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 10:28:11 -0500
From: "allen schubert, arrs admin" 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Fur Free Friday Events Calendar
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109102808.0069ad64@envirolink.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

The Animal Rights Resource Site (ARRS) is featuring the Fur Free Friday 97
Events Calendar is at:

http://www.envirolink.org/arrs/calendar/fff97.html

Please reply via private e-mail to have your FFF event listed on this page.
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 09:54:34 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (NZ)New Zealand Biosecurity Enforcement a World Leader
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19971109094815.2f070df6@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Media Release



7 November 1997

New Zealand Biosecurity Enforcement a World Leader



One fact lost in the wake of the enormous media coverage following the
illegal importation of the rabbit calicivirus has been MAF's increasing
overall success guarding the health of our animals and plants against
various ongoing imported threats. Our success in biosecurity has other
nations looking to New Zealand as the model of biosecurity enforcement.

Detection capability reached new levels with the purchase of the new
Rapiscan X-ray machines. The machines, first installed at Auckland
International Airport last November, represent the state-of-the-art, with
sophisticated features for detection of biological risk goods. 

There are now four X-ray machines at Auckland Airport, one each in the
airports of Wellington and Christchurch and one at the Auckland Mail Centre.
A leased machine is also being trialed at the Hamilton Airport.

Supplementing the X-ray machines is the Quarantine Detector Dog programme,
recently reinforced with new beagle teams. Three teams are currently
operating at Auckland International Airport, with another five being trained
before assignment to other airports and the Mail Centre.

The National Manager of MAF's Quarantine Service, Neil Hyde, says that with
the expanded resources MAF Officers will soon be able to efficiently scan
luggage of a significant proportion of the eight thousand-plus travellers
arriving daily in New Zealand.

There were 13, 896 seizures of high risk goods at airports for the quarter
ended 30 September this year. "We're currently averaging about 150
detections per day of goods that pose a high risk and require seizure, of
which, on average, more than 50 are undeclared. Yet the average delay to
each traveller who has their baggage X-rayed is just one minute four
seconds," Mr Hyde said. 

During the same three months, 4,441 seizures of fruit fly host material
weighing 1,588 kilograms were made at New Zealand airports, he said. "There
have been 27 actual fruit fly detections so far this year." (See chart below) 

On top of the detection network, there is the MAF Quarantine Service
Awareness Strategy, which includes multilingual in-flight videos shown to
arriving air travellers, and a regular performance monitoring programme
utilising predictive models. 

Mr Hyde said the results seem to speak for themselves, and had earned the
respect and envy of other nations. He said that recently, a high-ranking
United States Department of Agriculture officer visiting New Zealand
remarked, "You people are achieving levels of effectiveness and efficiency
we haven't even dreamed about."

Enforcement beyond point-of-entry has been busy, as well. Recent
investigations by the MAFRA Enforcement Unit have included the alleged
illegal importation of bee pollen and difficulties with imported birds,
trade in both of which expose our biosecurity to serious risk. 

Incidents such as these, and the rabbit calicivirus, highlight the fact
that, regardless of how effective border controls may be, determined
individuals can still put our biosecurity status in jeopardy for their own
personal gain.


Media inquiries to:

Neil Hyde, National Manager, MAF Quarantine Service (09) 377 3008

Debbie Gee, Manager, Corporate Communications, (04) 474 4258


High risk seizures at New Zealand international airports for the quarter
ended 30/9 for the past three years




Fruit fly host material seizures     19971996 1995Number declared22621855
1631Number undeclared 21791207777All seizures    Number
declared898771955615Number undeclared4909 33062247


Overall passenger numbers increased by approx 15% in the period. 
===========================================

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

     /`\   /`\
    (/\ \-/ /\)
       )6 6(
     >{= Y =}<
      /'-^-'\
     (_)   (_)
      |  .  |
      |     |}
 jgs  \_/^\_/









Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 09:51:56 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (NZ)NZ Ministry SUPPORTIVE advice on rabbit virus smoothies
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19971109094535.2bdf75ac@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

This Information Comes from THe Web Site Of the New Zealand Ministry Of
Agriculture.
The New Zealand Authorities voted NO to rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RCD) as
a biological
control because of the dangers involved.
Maverick farmers illegally imported and spread the RCD/RHD deadly
hemorrhagic disease.
I post this article in total disbelief and despair that the NZ MAF is now
openly complicit with advocating the spread of the formerly illegal,
dangerous and unacceptable use of RCD - now the brew is mixed up in kitchen
blenders
(one dead rabbit to a litre of water or saline solution)

7 November 1997
Farmer Practices For The Spread Of RCD

The following known methods have been compiled from discussions 
with agency staff and farmers involved with the recent spread of RCD.

Virus Strain
*No evidence that there is any need to import a new strain from Australia
The strain appears to be highly virulent and free from unwanted "passenger"
organisms.

Collecting and processing the virus

•Use only the liver of rabbits that have died from RCD.

•The spleen will be very dark if the rabbit has died from RCD.

•Best to collect from areas where there are multiple deaths believed to be RCD.

•Blend livers to a paste, add saline solution 
(2 level teaspoons salt or 9grams / litre ( up to 1 litre ) 
(or buy sterile saline from the vet)

•Use the sterile whiz for this purpose only and not in the kitchen

•This brew can be stored in sealed containers in a fridge for several days

•It can also be frozen in a household ( or Dog tucker ) freezer. 
The virus will gradually reduce in potency if stored for long periods 
(months ? )in house hold freezers.

•For long term storage, freezing at -80 degrees will maintain the virus in
good condition







Timing of the release



There is no consensus on the best time of a release but some issues are:





•Bait spreading provides good cost effective coverage

•Breeding patterns in your area

•A percentage of young are dying and predators seem to have a major impact

•The severity of the rabbit problem and local community wishes

•The proximity of TB to your farm







Oat Bait 





•Soak a bag of oats in water for 2 hours. Drain for 1 hour

•Molasses is optional. Add 1 litre molasses to 10 litres of water for soaking

•Mix 1 liver brew with 1 litre of water and mix with oats

•One bag of oats in an oat jenny will do 10 kilometres

•Oats can be applied by ground or aerial methods







Carrots 





•1 liver per litre of saline solution per tonne of carrots spread on the
heap before cutting

•Hopper opening set at 5 kgs per hectare. ( lines up to 300 metres apart )







General 





•Farmers are physically and legally in control of the virus, people should
help each other.

•Farmers will have to harvest fresh material to store and pass on.

•The virus is not like 1080 so don't expect immediate results. It also goes
in fits and starts. Don't expect to necessarily see any results for 5 days,
and it may be more than a week before anything happens. Kills are typically
50 -70 % after first 10 days.

•The carcasses of dead rabbits can be used as an effective method of spread

•1 liver to 40 litres of water sprayed on pasture kills rabbits. ( add 400
grams of salt )

•Do not store inoculated bait.

•More technical information will become available







For further farmer information on using the RCD virus contact:

Peter Innes ph 03 680 6795 Ben Aubrey ph / fax 03 435 0579


Follow up rabbit control



Remember that RCD is only a tool. For maximum reduction in rabbit numbers
and to reduce opportunities for immunity to develop, it is important to
monitor and deal with remaining rabbits, preferably by other methods (e.g.
shooting, pindone etc.). Where the original release continues to work as a
biocontrol, it may be best to wait until the autumn before doing follow up
work. 



Testing Surviving Rabbits 



Work is underway to determine methods and costs for farmers to get surviving
rabbits tested after RCD has been through an area. There is considerable
interest in knowing whether remaining rabbits have immunity to the virus, or
have just not been in contact. Such information will help determine
appropriate follow up control programmes.



Health





•There are no known health risks to humans or other animals from RCD.

•Consideration should be given to gloves and overalls to avoid other infections

•Cheap blenders ($30) are available. They should be used only for the one
purpose, and NOT in the kitchen.







DOC



DoC would like to be notified of any releases adjacent to sites of any
threatened or endangered species. You will have been contacted by them in
the past if this concerns you.



Acknowledgments



The Rural Futures Trust acknowledges the support and assistance of those
farmers - individuals and groups - that have had experience with the virus,
in preparing this provisional information sheet.



The Rural Futures Trust accepts no liability resulting from any use of this
information. This sheet will be modified as new information comes to hand.



7 November 1997
===========================================

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

     /`\   /`\
    (/\ \-/ /\)
       )6 6(
     >{= Y =}<
      /'-^-'\
     (_)   (_)
      |  .  |
      |     |}
 jgs  \_/^\_/









Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 16:46:22 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Hog Farm Divides Utah Community
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109164619.006d727c@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from AP Wire page http://wire.ap.org/
-----------------------------------------
 11/09/1997 12:24 EST

 Hog Farm Divides Utah Community

 By MIKE CARTER
 Associated Press Writer

 MILFORD, Utah (AP) -- For three generations, the Mayer family 
 raised alfalfa in emerald fields south of town, and sunrise   Keeping
 used to bring only the promise of another satisfying day of   hogs in
 hard work.                                                    
                                                          
 Now, however, dawn's first breeze usually bears the          
 eye-searing stench of tens of millions of gallons of hog    
 waste. The stink rouses sleepers, who stagger to slam windows 
 or flee to the basement. ``I've gagged in my own home,'' says
 Allen Mayer.

 Yet, to the Mayers and 50 other farm families, the fermenting waste in
 hog sewage lagoons isn't the only thing that stinks about their newest
 neighbor, Circle Four Farms, the country's largest hog-farming operation.

 Circle Four, a joint venture by four of the East Coast's largest hog
 producers, is setting neighbor against neighbor, by lying, corrupting
 local politics, fouling the air and threatening the semi-arid Utah
 desert's scarce water, according to its opponents.

 In short, they contend, the consortium of Smithfield Foods, Murphy Family
 Farms, Carroll's Foods and Prestage Farms is employing the same political
 tactics and environmentally questionable mass-production techniques that
 caused North Carolina in August to slap a moratorium on corporate hog
 farming, encompassing operations of all four hog producers.

 ``It's like the devil came to Milford,'' says Joey Leko, whose Green
 Diamond Ranch lies up the lane from the Mayer clan. ``This has split this
 community right down the middle, so's one half won't even talk to the
 other.''

 But Circle Four Farms is just getting started in Milford, a town of 1,164
 about 170 miles south of Salt Lake City. By the end of the decade, Circle
 Four wants its 600,000-hog-a-year Milford operation to anchor a 25-mile
 string of farms, quadrupling its annual yield to almost 2.5 million hogs.

 ``This is on a scale that has never been visited before,'' said Nancy
 Thompson of the Center for Rural Affairs in Walthill, Neb., which studies
 and monitors the effects of corporate farming. ``There is nothing to
 compare it to.''

 Four years ago, when ground was broken, locals called Circle
 Former hog  Four an answer to prayers, and many still feel that way.
 farm worker Mining and the railroad were dead or declining and the city
 issued a building permit in 16 years.

 Today, more than 60 homes and other buildings are under
 construction. Circle Four is the county's largest employer
             with 300 jobs and a payroll exceeding $6 million.

 ``They've been a godsend,'' said Mayor Mary Wiseman, whose living room
 foyer features a life-size plaster hog. ``This town was dying.''

 Patty Cherry, a waitress at the all-night Hong Kong Cafe, says three of
 her daughters and their husbands work on the farms. A fourth daughter was
 just hired and is moving home.

 ``My family is together because of that farm,'' she said. ``It seems to
 me that's a fair trade for a little smell.''

 That ``little smell,'' most often in the early mornings and late
 evenings, can roll into town like a putrid fog, clinging to clothes and
 sticking in the backs of throats.

 Even Wiseman and other unabashed fans of the farm say Circle Four's
 assurances the odor would be manageable have proven false.

 Reported plans to cover the lagoons never materialized. Today, each of
 roughly 80 open-air lagoons holds 6 million to 27 million gallons of
 waste. Solid waste is allowed to settle in a primary pond, where bacteria
 break it down. Liquid drains into a second lagoon for evaporation.

 Considering hogs generate two to three times the amount of waste as
 humans, Circle Four's current operation produces the yearly equivalent
 waste of 1.8 million people -- just shy of Utah's 2 million population.

 ``That's a lot of hog crap, any way you cut it,'' says rancher Leko.
 ``Look, we're farmers. We can put up with animal odors. We can't put up
 with a sewer in our homes.''

 Circle Four developmental director Rob Adams says the company has
 encountered unexpected problems. For one, Utah's cool, dry climate was
 expected to hold down the odor. Instead, it has slowed growth of the
 bacteria that break down the waste.

 But Circle Four also hedged its bets. In 1994, Circle Four lawyer Warren
 Peterson drafted -- and the state Legislature passed -- the Utah
 Agricultural Protection Act. Among other things, it prevents lawsuits
 against agribusinesses over such things as odors.

 The act must be implemented on a county-by-county basis, however, and the
 Beaver County commission balked after howls of protests from residents.

 Circle Four's influence is just as powerful close to home. Two Beaver
 County commissioners have significant business dealings with Circle Four
 and, for a time, the farms' former development director was both a
 Milford councilman and a member of the county planning and zoning
 commission, which regulated Circle Four's expansion.

 Opponents also worry that Circle Four's operations will deplete or
 contaminate the deep underground aquifer that feeds area wells. They view
 with alarm its wholesale purchase of water rights.

 Circle Four, they say, showed its colors last year by failing for 44 days
 to report an accident in which as much as 80,000 gallons of hog waste
 were siphoned into a well. The company was fined $6,800.

 The state requires the lagoons be lined with plastic or clay and has
 ordered monitoring wells, but concedes Circle Four does its own testing.
 The state takes samples from the wells once a year.

 Farm critics want more.

 ``Government should be involved more frequently,'' says Tom Bryson, who
 lives in neighboring Iron County, where Circle Four plans its next hog
 farm.

 ``This is kind of like letting the fox guard the henhouse,'' he says,
 ``although, in this case, it's the outhouse.''

Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 13:59:16 +0200
From: erez ganor 
To: "ar-news@envirolink.org" 
Subject: Pet assisted Therapy - info' needed
Message-ID: <3465A593.54DAC989@netvision.net.il>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hello all,

I wander if you have any info' in regarding to pet assisted therapy.
I will appreciate any usefull information,
Thanks,

Erez Ganor
e_ganor@netvision.net.il
P.O.Box 10302 Bene-Ayish 79845 ISRAEL.
Tel/fax: +972 (8) 8691135.

Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 07:57:06 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) PA legislation on the transport of horses to slaughter
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109075703.0069aa44@pop3.clark.net>
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posted for Sue Emanovsky & John Foster 
------------------------------------------
HB1029 needs some amendments to make it an effective bit of legislation.
Take a look and write!!! Please!
http://members.tripod.com/~SueE/HB1029.html

Sue
http://www.cyberportal.net/buddy/homepage.html
http://members.tripod.com/~SueE/HB1029.html
http://xpointcgi.digiweb.com/cgi-bin/users/1595/wwwboard/wwwboard.html
ICQ# 2922942
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 11:04:58 -0500
From: Peter Muller 
To: ar-news 
Subject: Patrols needed for Hunting season
Message-ID: <3465DF29.5D37A5F3@worldnet.att.net>
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Patrols needed for Hunting season

C.A.S.H., Committe to Abolish Sport Hunting, will be partolling posted
land against hunters again this year. The most crititical day is opening
day of rifle season (Monday 11/17).

If you are interested be prepared to meet upstate NY at 5:30 am or come
the night before and sleep over.

We need a few good people who love to kick *ss.

Peter Muller

e-mail to above or call (914)256-0200



Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 09:06:43 -0500 (EST)
From: Debbie Leahy 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [US] Roadside Zoo Reforms Practices
Message-ID: <01IPSTSDBQAY8ZS6S5@delphi.com>
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Illinois Animal Action
P.O. Box 507
Warrenville, IL  60555
630/393-2935

NEWS RELEASE

        ROADSIDE ZOO REFORMS PRACTICES

BATAVIA, IL -  What was the target of an Illinois Animal Action
(IAA) protest just four months ago is now being heralded for its
progressive policy changes.  In late October, Deerpath Animal
Haven passed a resolution to immediately stop the breeding,
buying, and selling of animals.  They are also phasing out
off-site exhibitions and are guiding the facility towards
eventually becoming a true and legitimate sanctuary for homeless
animals.  Once a part of the problem, the facility will now
become part of the solution.  Deerpath has also accepted IAA's
offer to transport some of the animals currently kept in the
most unsuitable conditions to more spacious facilities.

The decision was reached after a series of communications and
meetings between representatives of Deerpath, IAA, and The
Association of Sanctuaries (TAOS).  TAOS accredits animal
sanctuaries that observe a strict code of ethics and provide
space and care that greatly exceeds the minimum guidelines
established by the Animal Welfare Act.  The transformation from
roadside zoo to recognized animal sanctuary is a rare event.  If
accredited, Deerpath would become the first recognized animal
sanctuary in Illinois.  Deerpath Animal Haven currently has
about 70 animals, including lions, tigers, bears, wolves,
primates, camels, bison, elk, and aoudads.

Because of the largely unregulated breeding of exotic animals
for the pet trade, roadside zoos, petting zoos, circuses,
traveling displays, and canned hunt operations, the very
critical issue of surplus exotic animals has become epidemic. 
Sanctuaries cannot keep up with the volume of disposable,
unwanted exotics. 

The previous exhibitor, Land O'Lorin, had been the subject of
USDA investigations and penalties, having been cited for
numerous violations over a six year period.  In July 1997, Land
O'Lorin surrendered its license as part of an agreement with the
USDA to avoid an impending court trial.  Another license was
subsequently issued to the newly formed Deerpath Animal Haven &
Zoological Society that now oversees operation of the facility.


     SEVERAL ANIMALS DESTINED FOR NEW HOMES

BOBCAT
The bobcat, Deeter, will be transported to Wildlife Rescue &
Rehabilitation (WRR) in Boerne, Texas (near San Antonio).  WRR
operates a 21-acre sanctuary in Texas Hill Country and is
considered one of the top sanctuaries in the country.  Their
facility includes four bobcat enclosures totaling 8,500 square
feet.  Deeter will soon be resting under oak trees and
scampering through the grass and underbrush with WRR's other 17
bobcats-all discarded as family pets.


SNOW MONKEY
Boza, the snow monkey, is headed for the Texas Snow Monkey
Sanctuary in Dilley, Texas.  This 60-acre sanctuary, dedicated
primarily to Japanese Snow Macaques, will provide Boza with
trees, lakes, and most important, the companionship of lots of
other snow monkeys.  Boza originally came to Deerpath when a
local animal control found him wandering through the streets.


ARCTIC FOX
The Arctic fox was abandoned at Deerpath and his history is not
known.  The Detroit Zoo is currently considering whether to
adopt him.  He could be placed there immediately while waiting
for the completion of an $8 million Arctic exhibit.  If
accepted, the Deerpath fox would not be used in breeding
programs.


HOOFED ANIMALS
A yet-to-be-determined list of exotic hoofed animals will be
sent to the widely acclaimed Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison,
Texas (outside Dallas).  This 1,000-acre sanctuary provides
refuge to an assortment of 600 animals.  Black Beauty Ranch was
featured in the November 2, 1997 edition of Parade Magazine,
distributed with Sunday's Chicago Tribune.


WOLF and WOLF HYBRID
Illinois Animal Action is continuing its search for new homes
for Deerpath's wolf and wolf hybrid.  Unfortunately, wolves, as
well as lions, tigers, and bears, are among the hardest animals
to place.  Sanctuaries throughout the country are completely
full with these species.

-----------------------------------------------------------

CAMPAIGN SUMMARY
IAA had been investigating Land O'Lorin for several years in
response to complaints from zoo workers and visitors.  The
legacy of extreme neglect, horrible conditions, and Animal
Welfare Act violations earned it the reputation as one of the
worst roadside zoos in the country.  Last July, the USDA
suspended zoo owner Lorin Womack's license for ten years.  But
then re-issued a replacement license to the newly created
Deerpath Animal Haven with a board consisting of Womack's
friends and supporters.  That dangerous precedent led IAA to
launch a protest--which was covered liberally by local press--
and generate a write-in campaign to the USDA in objection to
this settlement.

Since our protest, there's been a significant changeover in the
original board of directors.  And it turns out our demonstration
ultimately led to some very constructive dialogue.  The new
board considered our concerns regarding zoo practices and animal
care--and they agreed!  Deerpath Animal Haven is now completely
committed to turning this place around and giving the resident
animals substantially better care.

The transition period is not without its growing pains.  The
off-site exhibitions used to generate $20,000 per year in
proceeds.  This loss of income--along with the hiring of three,
knowledgeable animal caretakers and efforts to improve the
living conditions--has created a significant financial burden. 
The problems they inherited are enormous, but IAA is committed
to helping them achieve the most ambitious goal of becoming a
legitimate sanctuary.  The animals there now really do have a
second chance.

They urgently need lots of accolades and encouragement from the
animal protection community.  Donations would also be welcome.

Write to:

Mike Foster, Board President
Deerpath Animal Haven
P.O. Box 242
Batavia, IL  60510

Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 08:04:52 +0000
From: jwed 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Endangered species video to shock pupils (HK)
Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.19971110080452.007bd5b0@pop.hkstar.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
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Sunday Morning Post, 9th November 1997 by Fiona Holland

     Children at more than 100 schools will watch a graphic video portraying
rare animals being shot, snared and torn apart by dogs as part of an
educational campaign aimed at stamping out the use of endangered species.

     The Asian Conservation Awareness Programme, a hard-hitting advertising and
education campaign, targets users of Chinese medicine and those who buy
ornaments and jewellery  made from endangered species.

     Local animal welfare group EarthCare has linked up with the British-based
Global Survival Network to launch the campaign early next year.

     The campaign slogan, "When the buying stops, the killing can too" will
appear in advertisements featuring five endangered species - the tiger,
rhinoceros, bear, sea turtle and elephant.

     In a harrowing 25-minute video, peaceful scenes of animals in the wild are
cut with footage of poachers gunning them down and undercover footage of
traders selling skins and body parts.

     Gruesome segments depict elephant herds stampeding in terror, a bear shot
in the face with an arrow and a live turtle, helpless while its shell is
cut off.

     Another scene shows "a machine for grinding tigers".

     EarthCare spokesman Clare Lissman admitted the video was hard-hitting but
said it was intended to grab consumers' attention.

     "It is not just about these five animals and how you can save them, the
idea is to start people thinking," she said.

     Film star Jackie Chan has added his backing. A message against endangered
species will precede showings of his upcoming film "Who am I?".

     Peter Knights, of the Global Survival Network, has said the campaign aimed
to work with the traditional Chinese medicine community rather than
criticising it.

     "It is very much trying to put the responsibility on the consumer to make
them realise their actions are actually causing the problem," he said.




Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 08:05:04 +0000
From: jwed 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Animals abused at safari park (CN)
Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.19971110080504.007c6100@pop.hkstar.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
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Sunday Morning Post, Hong Kong, 9th November 1997.
by Ng Kang-chung

     Bloody horse fights, a parade of bears with their nostrils ripped open by
metal rings and monkeys forced to dance on tightropes are among
"attractions" at China's first safari park.

     The "Carnival of One Hundred Animals" is a new daily circus performance at
the Shenzhen Safari Park.
     Monkeys, bears, tigers, lions and elephants are forced into acrobatic
performances, under the threat of whipping by park staff.

     Animal activists alerted by the Sunday Morning Post were "disgusted" at
the carnival, but marketing staff said it had reversed falling attendances.

     "There is a falling number of patrons, especially those from Hong Kong.
We are looking at new ways to boost our business," said a spokesman.

     "There is no question of cruelty.  All our animals are under proper care."

     But a visit to the carnival - staged at 3.30pm daily at the park's animal
theatre - showed clear signs of abuse.

     Dancing girls led brightly-clad Malayan bears on leashes attached to rings
pierced through their lips.  The dancers forced the animals to walk
up-right, dance, or "play music" by pulling their leashes.

     Some bears - whose nostrils were not yet ripped - wore rings in their noses.

     As a grand finale, staff pulled three horses - two males and a female,
said to be in season - before the grandstand.  The two stallions were urged
into a violent frenzy, fighting, kicking and biting each other.  Excited
audience members laughed as the bleeding and injured stallions neighed in
pain.

     Deep wounds and scars from flailing hoofs and teeth were plainly visible
on the horses, which fight for five minutes each day.  A park duty manager
said the horses were imported from Guangxi.

     "They did not know how to fight, but we have trainers to train them," he
said.

     "The horse fighting is a popular show.  We have received no complaints so
far."

     International Fund for Animal Welfare Asia representative Jill Robinson,
who saw the carnival last week, said she would file a formal complaint.

     "It was disgusting.  The horses were made to fight and bite each other,"
Ms Robinson said.  "The audience seemed impressed.  People hardly
appreciated the cruelty to the animals."

     Ten-year-old Shenzhen pupil Tian Jun said he had enjoyed the action.
"That was a good show.  But I like dog fighting more," he said.

     The park at Xili Lake - about 45 minutes' drive from Lowu checkpoint - is
run by the state-owned Shenzhen Tourism (Group) Corporation and is the
first safari park in China.





Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 19:41:27 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Cc: fostesky@cyberportal.net
Subject: (US) PA legislation on the transport of horses to slaughter
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109194124.006dad20@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

posted for (and reply to) fostesky@cyberportal.net
-------------------------------------
HB1029 needs some amendments to make it an effective bit of legislation.
Take a look and write!!! Please!
http://members.tripod.com/~SueE/HB1029.html

Sue
http://www.cyberportal.net/buddy/homepage.html
http://members.tripod.com/~SueE/HB1029.html
http://xpointcgi.digiweb.com/cgi-bin/users/1595/wwwboard/wwwboard.html
ICQ# 2922942
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 19:58:45 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) anti-hog farm web resource
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971109195843.006dba70@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

For those fighting against the mega hog farms througout the US:

http://www.salamander.com/~manyhogs/index.html
IOWA HOG CONFINEMENT

Covers more than just Iowa.  Not necessarily pro-AR or pro-Veg, but
definitely anti-Hog Farm (factory/corporate farm).  
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 10:15:49 +0000
From: jwed 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Woman starts island wildlife zoo (CN)
Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.19971110101549.007bcb70@pop.hkstar.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Date: 11/10/97 Author: Huo Yan Copyright© by China Daily 

SHANG Xiao told me that she was born at dawn. Her parents gave her the name
"Xiao", which means dawn. 

Her words and actions were forthright enough to prove her a native
Shandongnese, but it was hard to connect her with the boss of a wildlife zoo. 

Shang's office, which was fewer than 9 square meters, felt like an animal's
world. Every thing on the table and walls were about animals. Pictures and
toys of rhinoceros, elephants, rabbits and squirrels decorated the tidy
room with a pleasant atmosphere. 

Shang said that she liked her office very much, but she did not have much
time to stay here. 

However, what she talked about the most was always animals. "The tiger is
going to give birth;" "The giraffe's mood is not stable;" "The bear does
not eat normally"... just like a nursery governess looking after children. 

"That's right. I have been a kindergarten teacher," Shang said. 

After graduating from a Qingdao middle school, Shang went to a kindergarten
teachers' school. She worked one year before she became a student of the
Shandong Art College, majoring in piano. She was the only one among her
classmates to go to college. 

During four years in college, Shang received strict training in music,
which helped fuel her imagination and creativity. 

After graduating from college, Shang became a piano teacher in Qingdao
Normal School. 

Perhaps people born at dawn are never content with the silence of night,
she said of herself. 

Two years later, in 1989, Shang went to Hainan Island by chance. At once
she fell in love with the sea of Hainan. She said that the sea of Hainan
was very different from that of Qingdao. In winter the sea of Qingdao
looked so vast and bleak that it made one feel lonely and gloomy. 

But the sea of Hainan was light and moist, like a waltz, she said. 

At first Shang wanted to continue her teaching career, but her application
didn't go through. She could only find work at a company as a clerk. 

In 1989, when Hainan Province held the "Song of Hainan" singing
competition, Shang was the piano accompanist. Her skill and performance
attracted the attention of the art department of Hainan Television Station. 

Shang became a television programme editor, which she had never thought
about before. Excited by this change of life, she put all her talent in TV
programmes. Audiences gradually recognized her name. 

Then at a party, Shang and her friends somehow shifted their casual talk to
the subject of a wildlife zoo. There came a spark from this collision --
finding a piece of land to build a wildlife zoo. They dreamed of opening up
a place to let lions, tigers, and elephants wander in the tropical jungle
and to give people a chance to return to nature and enjoy some sort of
African safari. 

Someone quoted a writer as saying that Hainan was a place without a tiger. 

"I will let this be history," said Shang. 

Her resolution helped her to clarify what she was going to do. 

In 1994 Shang went to Shenzhen by herself to visit the wildlife zoo. She
spent a whole day there, watching and thinking. 

Back in Hainan, she immediately wrote a report to apply for approval to
lease a piece of land. 

Meanwhile she began to study Hainan's climate, animals' living conditions
and the foreign experience of raising wild animals. 

At the end of the year, work to build Hainan's first wildlife zoo started
in Dongshanhu Township, Qiongshan County, about 26 kilometres from Haikou,
the capital city of Hainan province. 

After the celebration ceremony for laying the foundation of the wildlife
zoo, one difficulty after another occurred. 

Because of the lack of funds, the project stopped after only a
500-metre-long enclosing wall was built. The 2,000-mu (133 hectares)
leveled land for the zoo became a wild grass garden. 

Shang was really anxious about the situation. She kept running from one
place to another, trying to get financial help. Good for her, because at
the last moment Shang got tens of millions yuan. The zoo was saved! 

In May, 1995, the Hainan Dongshanhu Wildlife Zoo Corporation was born. It
was the most exciting moment for Shang. 

"I never thought of being a boss, especially the boss of a zoo," she said.
"But when the first fen (cent) was invested in the zoo, like the money, I
became a part of it." 

Shang said that her life took a turn for the better at the zoo. She also
knew that she needed all her courage to do it. She resigned her favourite
work at the TV station and delayed her marriage. She also refused an
opportunity to tutor piano for a high salary. 

Putting on jeans and boots, she became one of the workers in the jungle.
She worked 13 to 14 hours a day building bamboo fences and wire netting.
There were also all kinds of hoops for her to jump through. Sometimes she
had to run to and fro between the zoo and Haikou several times a day. 

"At that time I was turned into another person. Under the high pressure I
could not make one single mistake," she said. 

The most difficult problem was transporting animals. 

Big ones like tigers, lions and elephants were not easy to ferry. In danger
of being hurt, workers had to be sure that animals would not break their
nets and run out. 

Small ones were so delicate that they often got ill or even died. 

Shang felt that looking after animals was just like being with children.
She had deep feelings for them. Whenever an animal was ill or dead, Shang
would mourn for a long time. 

Today, Shang's zoo is the only tropical wildlife zoo in China. 

It is also the only enterprise zoo in China without local government
investment. In addition Shang is the only female general manager of a
wildlife zoo in China. 

Several thousand animals covering more than 30 species -- some costing
hundreds of thousands of yuan each -- now live in the zoo. 

For many reasons the zoo isn't earning as much as its fame claims. 

"But I believe this situation is going to change. After all Hainan is a
province of tourism," Shang said confidently. 

Although the wildlife zoo had become Shang's cause, she often felt the
desire for artistic creation. 

"I am still a cultural person,"she often said. 

Recently, "The Next Door of Heaven," the first Chinese comic TV play about
tropical adventure was shot in Hainan. 

Shang was the producer of the play, and the setting was monkey mountain in
Shang's zoo. 

When asked about the trouble of dealing with animals, Shang said, "I don't
think it is troublesome at all. Animals are very pure. I feel they are much
less troublesome than dealing with people." 

Shang has times of loneliness and sorrow, but she said she didn't expect
sympathy from others. For Shang, as soon as she started the work of the zoo
her life put her on a new journey. She said she became a mature young woman
with fewer illusions and a more realistic view of life. 

"I want to develop this zoo into a trinity of a modern botanical garden, a
zoo and a tropical garden," she said. 

She also plans to build another wildlife zoo near Laoshan Mountain in
Qingdao. 

Every dawn for Shang Xiao is full of hope, since the dawn she was born.



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