Tag : wild animals

02 Apr 2021

World Aquatic Animal Day 2021 & UK Legal Protections for Fish

By Otis Graham, barrister April 3 marked the second celebration of World Aquatic Animal Day, an occasion created by the Lewis & Clark Law School and its Aquatic Animal Law Initiative (AALI). The theme this year is ‘The Impact of Our Human Activities on Aquatic Animals’. Human activity impacts aquatic animals (fish and other animals with aquatic habitats) in many ways. An estimated 0.79-2.3 trillion fish are wild caught and killed for food globally every year, and billions more are […]

Blog

12 Mar 2021

World Wildlife Day 2021 and the Oak Flat Dispute

By Denise Ho, law student In its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly declared March 3rd to be World Wildlife Day. Since 2013, the date has marked an annual celebration of wildlife, bringing awareness and appreciation to the dense ecosystems we cohabit with on this planet. Each unique ecosystem is like a living individual. They are home to an immeasurable range of species that compose an important part of their foundations. Due to climate change brought about by humanity’s […]

Blog

18 Feb 2021

International Marine Mammal Protection Day: Law Reform to Protect Marine Mammals Globally

By Chris Butler-Stroud and Sarah Dolman, Whale and Dolphin Conservation For International Marine Mammal Protection Day, we asked WCD what laws they would like to see changed to protect marine mammals. This is their response. The increasing pressures that marine mammals face worldwide, including bycatch and pollution (noise, litter, and chemical), remain an ongoing conservation and welfare challenge. In all ocean basins, anthropogenic impacts are leading to population declines and extinctions. Entire populations as well as individuals are […]

Blog

21 Jan 2021

Declaring Wild Animals as “Vermin”: The Right Approach to Resolve Animal-Human Conflict?

By Avanti Deshpande, student at ILS Law College, Pune, India In June 2020, a pregnant elephant died in Kerala, India after consuming a pineapple stuffed with firecrackers. This event caused massive outrage in the media and sparked a conversation about wildlife-human conflict. Upon investigation, it was found that the explosives-filled fruit was intended to ward off wild boars. As an explanation, this is perplexing, since it does not seem justifiable to allow this mechanism to be used on any […]

Blog

17 Nov 2020

Bureau rejects Scottish Wildcat Haven Bern Convention Complaint

By Sophie Mills, Trainee Solicitor The Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris) is one of the few native predators left in Scotland. With only 35 recorded in northern Scotland in recent years, they are at risk of genetic extinction. Three main factors have contributed to this: (1) hunting for sport; (2) loss and fragmentation of their habitat; and (3) hybridisation and associated disease. In 1988, the Scottish wildcat gained legal protection under schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, […]

Blog

23 Jul 2020

Changes in Wuhan: A Temporary Reprieve for the Wildlife of China

By Denise Ho, student at Durham University Following the outbreak of Covid-19, regulations in China have attracted a great deal of attention. The main piece of legislation governing China’s use of its environment is called The Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife (1988). This act expressly states its aim of protecting species that are rare or near extinction, and it pledges to use natural resources rationally. Also, the act highlights a need for China […]

Blog

10 Jul 2020

Hen Harrier Brood Management in England

By Luke Steele, Masters student at the University of Bradford, Managing Director and Spokesperson of Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshire’s Moors At first glance, the Hen Harrier Recovery Plan (DEFRA, 2016) looks positive: a protection scheme for at-risk hen harriers that looks to give one of England’s rarest birds of prey a renewed foothold in the uplands. However, this brood management project may do more harm than good, even though Natural England, the government’s habitats regulator, has been clear that […]

Blog

17 Jun 2020

The Role of Beavers in UK Ecosystems

by Sophie Lunn The Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber), formerly a native inhabitant of Britain, became locally extinct in the 16th century due to anthropogenic persecution and the classification of their species as vermin. Some studies show bounties placed on the head of the beaver well after this time, demonstrating perhaps a distaste towards the species. Since then, much scientific evidence has shown the necessary role the beaver plays in our ecosystem, showing them as ecosystem engineers for their great impact in natural flood management. […]

Blog

15 Jun 2020

From Victorians to the Modern Day: The Truth About UK Tiger Kings

by Emma Hinds Like many other people in lockdown, I have turned to Netflix for solace. One of the shows dominating public conversation lately is Tiger King. With murder, mayhem, and madness, it’s the ultimate binge show, but alongside meme-worthy content it also provides a horrifying insight into the wild cats trade in America. As a UK citizen, I watched this show with my jaw on the floor, shouting out “This would never happen here!” At least, that was what […]

Blog

08 Jun 2020

Judicial Review of UK Oil Law and the Danger to Seahorses

By Erin Lanza During the early part of 2020, environmental and animal advocates turned their attention toward the devastating losses of wildlife in Australia. In a vastly different habitat, irresponsible human activity threatens the lives of seahorses. These animals now face a risk of extinction due to water pollution in coral reefs, mangrove swamps, and sea-grass beds in coastal regions. Indeed, Save Our Seahorses reports that, without vastly improved legal protection, seahorses may become extinct within 20-30 years. Unlike the […]

Blog

Page 1 of 212