by Karen R. Joseph DuMond, an animal behaviorist, released six monkeys into the wilds of dense South Florida in 1933, never realizing his endeavors would help shape the attitudes of many in the primatological and zoological fields. What he did over seventy five years ago signified the beginning of the larger thriving group of primates that runs free at Monkey Jungle today.  Monkey Jungle is a primate “biopark” – a place where monkeys and apes thrive; conservationists study, train and conduct projects; and where visitors can explore and learn.   Situated off of U.S. 1 in South Dade County, Monkey Jungle was an innovator of many of the concepts currently seen in the design of zoological parks. It is home to nearly 400 primates, most running free on a 30 acre reserve. It is one of the few protected habitats for endangered primates in the United States and the only one that the general public can explore. Visitors are greeted by the Java monkey troop, now numbering in the 80’s. The [...]

by Karen R. Approximately 73 million sharks a year are killed just for their fins, to make shark fin soup. With the help of Ellen Pikitch, a shark expert at Stony Brook University, part of the State University of New York education system, a 2000 law tried to curb this practice. The industry found loopholes in the law and finally Congress has wisely voted to close them. The Shark Conservation Act was introduced by Reps. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, Eni Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass and will require all sharks caught in U.S. waters to be landed with their fins still attached. The law targets a practice called shark finning, the removal and retention of shark fins and the discarding at sea of the rest of the body. This causes the shark to sink toward the ocean floor, with no means of swimming or defense. Regulations previously prohibited finning practices in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and now also apply to the Pacific. Opposing shark finning is [...]

by Karen R. In the past few years rescue groups have developed as an alternative to shelter surrender for purebred dogs and as a source of healthy, well behaved, spayed or neutered pets for families. In some cases the groups are run by individuals, others by local or national breed clubs or rescue networks. These groups have saved thousands of animals from death and provided thousands of families with loving pets. The idea of saving a dog that has had a tough life appeals to many, so they go to a shelter or rescue when looking for a pet. Rescues are usually preferred for a purebred pet; shelters seldom have a selection of dogs of a particular breed and rarely have time to train dogs or treat minor illnesses. The dogs in rescue groups traveled many routes to their destination. Some were purchased by families on a whim; others lost their homes when an owner became too old or sick to provide the necessary care. Some due to a family’s [...]