Should the fox hunting ban be lifted? [UK]

Fox hunting was banned in England and Wales in 2005 under the Hunting Act (2004) after already being banned in Scotland in 2002. Fox hunting first came around in the 1600s and was originally used as 'pest-control' to help reduce the number of livestock being killed by foxes. It is now considered by some as a traditional sport, although there  was a time when bear and bull baiting were as well. According to the RSPCA, 70-80% of UK residents support the ban, however, a YouGov poll in 2015 suggested that only 51% did. 

The Hunting Act 2004

Originally the ban was thought to be a simple and inexpensive way for politicians to gain popularity. However, it resulted in a drawn out process which cost the government over a million pounds and is thought to have had very little impact on animal welfare. Hunters on the other hand feel that it has outlawed a grand rural tradition and has somewhat confusing guidelines. The Telegraph claimed that 'The circumstances in which a fox could be killed were so confused that prosecutions have been thin on the ground.' Foxes can still legally be trapped or snared but must only be caught using these methods so that they can then be shot. It is legal to use two dogs to chase a fox out of hiding so that it can be shot but a pack of dogs can be used to flush the fox towards a bird of prey. Hunters will admit that some dogs may attack without an order but it is incredibly difficult to prove whether it was accidental or not. Most will admit that the law is confusing and needs to be improved for both sides. Tony Blair described fox hunting as 'banned but not quite banned at the same time'. 

Does the hunt have a purpose?

Many of the foxes that were caught by hounds were either cubs or weaker foxes which were less likely to survive. Hunters will argue that it allowed the weaker foxes to be culled and the stronger ones to survive, creating a healthier population. The hunt is supposedly used keep down the number of foxes in the area, however, research has shown that when a fox dies another fox will just take over that territory, meaning the population numbers will usually stay around the same. While some people claim foxes are a nuisance for killing livestock, a study that took place in Scotland suggested that foxes only account for 1% of lamb losses (but only two farms were used for this study). During hunting, it has been known for the hounds to kill livestock or pets. Foxes also benefit farms by killing rabbits which feed on crops. A study in 2003 estimated that this saves us £7 million a year. 

Is it cruel?

Before the ban, it was estimated that hunting resulted in the deaths of 20,000 foxes per year. This sounds like a lot, however, around 100,000 are killed every year just from road accidents. The same number of foxes can still be killed even after the hunting ban as it is still legal to shoot them. Many animal-rights activists will argue that this is a quicker and less cruel way to kill the foxes. In many cases this may be true, however if a fox is only injured by a gunshot then it can suffer for hours or even days before dying whereas they will usually be killed by dogs within seconds. The use of dogs is often seen as torturous as they will rip the foxes apart. As cruel as this may seem, this happens everyday naturally in the wild between other species. Foxes themselves will kill other animals such as rabbits and chickens, which will not die particularly quickly either. On the other hand, hunters have been accused of employing staff to block up any holes or escape routes before the hunt. This gives the fox an extremely unfair disadvantage and could be seen as the same principle as live feeding. 

The treatment of hounds

The other main cruelty accused in fox hunting is the treatment of the hounds. Dogs can also face severe injury during hunting as some foxes may fight back. It has also been claimed that any unwanted dogs will be disposed of.  Lynn Sawyer, an ex-hunter, claimed that it is 'normal' for dogs to be shot and then incinerated when they are not strong enough to hunt. She stated that she knew some dogs were even clubbed to death. Another ex-hunter, Clifford Pellow, said that there was a common use of negative reinforcement such as whipping and any dogs that did not turn out savage enough would be disposed of. Dogs that are kept closely in packs are more likely to spread disease amongst themselves.

Has the ban had any benefit?

Hunters have admitted that foxes are still killed by hounds while flushing them out, but claim that this only happens accidentally when the hounds attack without being ordered to. In May 2015 the League Against Cruel Sports found 16 fox cubs being held captive for hunting and in December later that year rescued another fox being kept ready for a hunt. This shows that, despite being illegal, the practice still continues and it is not uncommon for them to capture the foxes in advance for an easy hunt. Paul Tillsley (head of investigations for LACS) said that they have been covertly recording illegal hunts taking place and passing the evidence on to the police. In his experience he claimed that 'when hunts think they are not being watched, they get on as they always have done'. 

More Information:

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mBvlVGNLRg

-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/countryside/11418998/Ten-years-on-from-the-hunting-ban-has-anything-really-changed.html

-https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/12/truth-fox-hunting-ban/#

-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/4517219/The-Hunting-Act-always-was-unworkable.html

-http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/thousands-healthy-foxhounds---including-6061265

The Immortal Jellyfish

Turritopsis dohrnii (not classified on the IUCN red list)

Although the species T. dohrnii was first discovered in 1883, its amazing ability to regenerate was not discovered until the 1990s. The immortal jellyfish was formally thought to be the Turritopsis nutricula, a similar but different species of jellyfish. The 'immortal jellyfish' is now classified as Turritopsis dohrnii, which is mainly found in the Mediterranean sea and the oceans surrounding Japan. The species is now being found more widely around the planet as they travel long distances by attaching themselves to cargo ships. Their preferred temperature is water around 22 degrees celcius, however, they are also found in colder water. They are made up of a clear bell-shaped structure filled with jelly. They have a bright red stomach which can be seen from the outside. This looks like a red cross from underneath. 

Red stomach cross-section

Once fully grown they are still incredibly small at 4.5mm in diameter and are only just visible without the use of a microscope. The first article published on the amazing ability of the immortal jellyfish classified it as a Turritopsis nutricula however this was corrected later on. The dohrnii has many similar features and genetic code to the T. nutricular and T. rubra. It has yet to be proven that these species also have the ability to 'regenerate' but it is thought that this could be possible. The dohrnii have nematocysts (also known as cnidoblasts or cnidocytes) on the tentacles which allow it to immobilise its prey before eating. These will not immobilise humans, but will cause a sting. Unlike other species, such as the box jellyfish, the dohrnii sting in not venomous. Jellyfish do not have a heart, brain or bones but the T. dohrnii do have light-sensitive receptors which allow it to detect light from the surface, helping it to recognise up and down directions.

The regeneration process

The process that the jellyfish undergoes to sustain its 'immortality' is known as transdifferentiation. Transdifferentiation is a type of metaplasia cell transformation which allows one type of specialised cell to turn into another. Although this process is found in other animal species such as newts, it is no where near as specialised as the process which occurs in the immortal jellyfish. The lens cells in the eye of a newt can become damaged. When this happens an iris cell within the eye can change into a stem cell. Stem cells have the ability to replicate any other cell and can then revert into a lens cell to replace the damaged/missing ones. In the immortal jellyfish, cells change directly into the required cell. The jellyfish can carry out this process in its entire being whereas a newt can not carry out differentiation in every cell of its body. The immortal jellyfish can even convert muscle cells into nerve or reproduction cells. 

 - Reproduction

The jellyfish are first born when a male ejaculates sperm into the water and some find their way into a female by chance. The fertilised eggs will stay on the surface of the female until they release free-swimming larvae known as planula

 - Planula

These planula have tiny cilia (hair-like structures) along their surface which allows a minimal amount of propulsion, but not enough for them to swim against currents.They will drift/swim through the water until they land on a firm surface such as the ocean floor or a rock. It will then anchor itself to this surface and transform into a polyp. 

 - Polyps

Polyp Stage

Polyps are cylindrical-shaped, stalk-like structures. They feed on small organisms such as zooplankton and plankton. Polyps use asexual reproduction to multiply. Eventually the polyps grow into a branch-like structure where the colony acts as a single organism (also known as hydroids). Polyps can live for 5 years and will eventually develop buds at its tips which will develop into medusae.

 - Medusae

The jellyfish that form from the buds of the polyps are also known as medusae. When the medusa buds off from the polyp it is only 1mm in diameter with just 8 tentacles. Once they are fully matured they are still incredibly small at about 4.5mm in diameter but they have 80-90 tentacles. It takes them about 2-4 weeks from budding to reach maturity. They will feed on plankton, tiny molluscs, larvae and fish eggs. 

 - Stimuli

The medusa will not automatically begin the regeneration process at sexual maturity. During its medusa stage the jellyfish may be exposed to environmental stress, injury, starvation, or it will eventually reach old age. This will stimulate the regeneration process. 

 - Retraction

Once the process is initiated, the medusa tentacles will retract and its body will begin to shrink in size. It will then drop down to the ocean floor and attach itself to a firm surface as a polyp again. The jellyfish then begins to mature all over again from the polyp stage. 

Transdifferentiation Cycle

Could these cells benefit humans?

A man named Shin Kubota is an associate professor at the Kyoto University in Japan, who has dedicated his life to studying the immortal jellyfish. These jellyfish are incredibly difficult to keep in captivity due to the fact that they have to be hand fed, given clean water daily, and must be constantly monitored. Shin Kubota is currently the only person who has managed to keep these jellyfish in captivity for a prolonged period of time. This species has inspired some scientists to research a new method of using stem cells to replace damaged cells, such as cancer cells, in humans. These jellyfish are more genetically similar to humans than simplistic species such as insects or worms. Despite this, the jellyfish are still a primitive species in comparison to humans. Without a brain, heart or bones it is much easier for these cells to perform transdifferentiation. We can not even be sure whether this process is possible in these organs. The process would not allow humans to revert back to the stage of being a baby but could be used in small collections of cells to repair damage. Overall, the structure of polyps and medusae are incredibly different to that of humans and this process is almost certainly not going to be seen in the near future. 

Are they immortal or just clones?
Although this process is described as 'immortality' it is actually closer to a cloning system that allows the jellyfish to replicate itself continuously, thus creating the possibility for immortality. It does not protect the species against other causes of death such as predation. This process can only be carried out during the medusa stage of life. Therefore, the species can die like any other animal from injury or disease during the polyp stage. 

The regeneration process has only been witnessed in captive jellyfish and never in the wild. This could suggest that it does not occur in their natural environment, however, 100% of specimens in captivity demonstrated the regenerative ability. Kubota stated that in two years, his colony re-birthed itself 11  times. The process is quite rapid, going from medusa to polyp in just three days. These jellyfish are so difficult to see that it is unlikely to observe them at the right time outside of captivity. They are likely to succumb to predation or disease during the polyp stage and are therefore highly unlikely to survive forever. They will be preyed upon by fish species such as tuna as well as other, larger species of jellyfish. Rebecca Helm from DeepSeaNews said that it is possible new clones may become more fragile from errors when copying the genetic code during the polyp stage. Mutations and errors in genetic code can occur during reproduction which could build up over time, causing the specimen to become weaker. It may eventually reach a stage where it can no longer complete the regeneration process, rendering it mortal after a certain life span. Due to the large number of varying factors and lack of observational research, it is impossible to determine an accurate lifespan for this species. 


More information:
-http://immortal-jellyfish.com/
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kLSiE-eNjw
-https://www.rsb.org.uk/membership/individual-membership/158-biologist/features/1510-everlasting-life-the-immortal-jellyfish

Animal Testing - Pharmaceuticals [UK]

The UK regulations are considered some of the strictest animal testing regulations in the world. They are regulated by the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act (1986) which was revised again in 2013. This act makes it illegal to use great apes such as gorillas and chimpanzees for testing, but the use of other primates is still legal. Animals such as dogs and primates are used the least due to the time and expense of keeping them in captivity. Rodents are used for about 80% of animal tests. Three licences must be obtained from the Home Office to carry out animal testing under the scientific procedures act. A project licence, personal licence, and an establishment licence. Each establishment must have appropriate accommodation and veterinary facilities to obtain a licence. The licence will specify which areas are suitable for certain procedures. For example some areas may be suitable specifically for dispatching animals after use, while other areas may only be used for certain types of testing. An establishment licence remains in force until it is revoked and should be reviewed annually. A personal licence is required by any person carrying out testing procedures. All researchers and technicians must have necessary training, skills and experience. They must carry out an accredited modular training course for each species being used and an additional course if they are going to carry out surgical procedures. The licence specifies where they can carry out procedures, the supervision in place, what types of procedures can be carried out and on which species. The licence remains in place indefinitely or until it is revoked, and is reviewed every 5 years. A project licence specifies the numbers and types of animals used, types of experiments carried out, purpose of the testing, and requires a certificate to confirm there are adequate facilities and staff for the procedures. A project licence can be issued for any length of time up to 5 years. After 5 years the holder must apply for a new licence. If the licence has been issued for less than 5 years the holder can apply to extend the licence up to 5 years. In 2015 approximately 570 project licences were granted and around 1400 inspections were carried out. 

Each project is also evaluated on the 3 R's:

Replacement: A project will only be granted a licence is there is no reasonable scientific alternative. They must prove that non-animal methods will not provide satisfactory or reliable results.

Reduction: They must use the smallest number of animals needed to give reliable results. It is the responsibility of the project licence holder to ensure there is no unnecessary or surplus breeding of animals. Procedures should not be carried out if there is data already available and sharing data should be encouraged to minimise the testing required. A project licence must justify any need for the duplication of tests (to confirm the accuracy of results). 

Refinement: Stress and pain must be reduced as much as possible in methods of testing, breeding, accommodation and care of the animals. Animals must be given pain relief where possible and when it will not disrupt the accuracy of results. Death should be avoided as an end-point when possible. A 'humane' end should be provided as soon as possible. 

Most animals will be euthanized after testing as they will be in too much pain and stress to justify keeping them alive. There are a few places that have been set up to rescue animals after lab testing, however, too many animals are used during testing to put them all up for adoption. Animals such as primates will have been born in captivity and can not be released into the wild. Often, the injuries and health problems sustained are so severe that it is kinder for them to be euthanized. 

More Information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/291350/Guidance_on_the_Operation_of_ASPA.pdf

https://speakingofresearch.com/facts/animal-research-regulations-in-the-uk/

http://www.aboutanimaltesting.co.uk/project-licences-animal-testing.html

Animal Testing - Household Products [UK]

Household Products

Household products include items such as washing up liquid, polish and air fresheners. On the 1st October 2015, the government implemented a ban on the testing of household products on animals. However, animals had not been used in the UK in this way since 2010 as it is usually the chemicals being tested, not the product as a whole. The government also included a 'qualified ban' for testing ingredients, where any ingredient expected to make up at least 50% of the final product can not be tested. All other ingredients and any chemicals that require testing under legislation such as REACH are still allowed. In addition to this, products that have been tested on animals abroad may still be imported. PETA described this new legislation as a 'step in the right direction' however the RSPCA believed 'it'll make little difference to animal welfare'. Since thousands of ingredients have already been tested and proved as safe, these will not need to be tested again. Testing of ingredients in household products is still allowed, despite cosmetic testing being banned, as substances used in these products (such as bleach) are more hazardous to consumers and the environment. They are also more likely to end up in the environment in larger quantities (bleach put down toilets, air fresheners in atmosphere etc). It is often questioned why new testing needs to be carried out when there are thousands of ingredients already proven to be safe. However, new ingredients still need to be tested as an attempt to find safer, less environmentally damaging chemicals. 

More Information:

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/laboratory/testingchemicals/householdproducts

http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ethicalreports/householdcleaningproductsreport/animaltesting.aspx

http://www.animalresearch.info/en/designing-research/chemical-toxicology/testing-household-products-animals/

Animal Testing - Cosmetics [UK]

Cosmetics

Cosmetic products are usually thought of as make up, however this also includes things such as shampoo, toothpaste and deodorant. In 2009 animal testing was banned for the use of cosmetic products in the EU. However, products could still be tested outside the EU then imported and sold in countries within it. This was changed in 2013 when new legislation was put in place to prevent the sale of cosmetic products, or products with ingredients that have been tested on animals, anywhere in the EU. Israel and India introduced similar legislation and India became the first country in Asia to ban animal testing for cosmetic products and their ingredients. Many people believe animal testing is now unnecessary as we already have thousands of products and ingredients that we know are safe. The RSPCA stated that 'there are more than enough cosmetic products available'. However, new chemicals can be tested under REACH (Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals). REACH is an EU regulation which carries out toxicity tests for chemicals on animals to ensure they are safe. New chemicals are required to be tested for the effect that they will have on workers who will be handling them and their environmental impact.They believe that hazardous chemicals can not be determined using only non-animal methods but require companies to share data so that the number of tests carried out will be limited. Although the products sold in the UK will not be tested on animals, products from the same company can be tested and sold outside the EU in countries such as USA and China, so some feel that buying from these companies is still indirectly funding animal testing. 

More Information:

http://www.peta.org.uk/issues/animals-not-experiment-on/cosmetics/

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/laboratory/testingchemicals/cosmetics

http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/policy/cosmetics/

The Aintree Grand National Video

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (part 2)

Patella luxation
Patella luxation is a condition that involves repetitive dislocation of the patella (knee cap). It is seen in all types of dog but is most common in toy and miniature breeds of dog, such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It is also thought to be more common in females than males. Symptoms include abnormal movement in the hind limbs, lameness, skipping, and an abnormal posture while sitting. Clinical symptoms can be seen in dogs as early as four moths old. It is usually diagnosed during a physical examination from a veterinarian and is then confirmed by an x-ray. It is thought that it can lead to ruptured cranial cruciate ligament in 15-20% of cases. Dogs with intermittent or permanent lameness will be considered for surgery but most cases will be treated with pain killers, physiotherapy, and/or weight management. 

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS)
KCS (also known as dry-eye syndrome) is a disease that affects the precorneal tear film and prevents the production of moisture in the eye. It results in the inflammation of the cornea and tissues in the eye due to dryness. It is thought to affect around 1% of dogs. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is one of the breeds more commonly affected, along with breeds such as pugs and the English bulldog. Symptoms include redness and yellow/green discharge. If untreated it will eventually result in a cloudy film over the cornea and scarring around the eye. It can cause blurred vision, or loss of vision completely and causes the eyes to be more prone to infection. It can be diagnosed by a schirmer tear test which checks whether there is adequate tear production in the eye. KCS can not be cured and requires life long medication. Two commonly used medicines are cyclosporine and tacrolimus which must be administered in the eyes once or twice a day, every day. 

Syringomyelia

Syringomyelia MRI
http://cavalierhealth.org/syringomyelia.htm

Chiari-like malformation (CM) is a condition seen in cavaliers causing their brain to be too big for their skull. The back part of their skull puts pressure on the brain and some of the brain is squeezed out the back of the skull (foramen magnum). This is known as syringomyelia when the skull partially blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid from the brain, which is pushed through the central spinal canal. This causes a variation in pressure and creates fluid-filled cavities within the spinal cord, known as syrinx.
It is thought that this produces a pins-and-needles feeling around the head, neck and spine, while in severe cases it is thought to cause a burning sensation. Symptoms include being sensitive to touch, walking/moving slowly, problems jumping, scratching, phantom scratching, biting hind legs, or weakness in limbs. The symptoms seem to be worse during exercise, when excited, at night, and can even worsen due to changes in weather. It is thought that this is because of the changes in atmospheric pressure. It can be diagnosed by an MRI scan but there is no cure. Some dogs may have surgery to remove the back parts of the skull which are putting pressure on the brain. This will result in an improvement in about 80% of dogs, but 50% of these will have symptoms recurring within 2 years. In the most severe cases the dog will have to be euthanised as the condition is so painful. It is most commonly found in cavaliers and other toy breeds such as pugs, chihuahuas and yorkshire terriers. Symptoms will usually be seen after 2 years of age and a study showed that about 70% of cavaliers will have syringomyelia by the age of seven. It is a progressive illness which means it will get worse with time. It may end up destroying parts of the spinal cord, and the dog's legs will become progressively weaker. Some medications may be given to help limit the pain and reduce symptoms. Dogs with syringomyelia prefer to have their head elevated so keeping food and water bowls raised can help make them more comfortable. 

Video of cavalier with syringomyelia: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UGp45LMCis

Animal Fat vs Palm Oil [£20 note] Video

Animal Fat vs Palm Oil [£20 note]

After a new £5 note was released fairly recently in the UK, there were a number of complaints among vegans and vegetarians due to the fact that they were made using animal fat. Now that a new £20 note is due to be released in 2020, the bank of England has considered using palm oil as a replacement. However, despite them doing this in an attempt to please the 134,000+ people who signed a petition against the use of animal fat, they have now sparked new outrage from people claiming that the use of palm oil will have a severely negative environmental impact.

Pro Animal Fat

Palm Oil deforestation

By using animal fat, no populations of wild animals or indigenous people will be affected as it is already a by-product from slaughterhouses. Animal fat is already used in thousands of products, in much larger quantities. According to the Humane Slaughter Association, approximately 2.6 million cattle are killed per year in the UK and yet the Bank of England estimates that the entire production of new £20 notes would only 'equate to the usage of tallow by-products from around 25-30 cattle'. An insignificant amount in comparison. Palm oil was responsible for 8% of the world's deforestation between 1990-2008. This act of deforestation releases large quantities of carbon pollution and is a major contributor to climate change. Deforestation for the sake of palm oil is responsible for bringing Sumatran orangutans to near extinction. It has also resulted in many indigenous people being brutally forced from their homes. Emma Keller, agriculture commodities manager at WWF, explained that palm oil comes at the 'expense of human rights and tropical forest'. 

Pro Palm Oil

Animal slaughter by-products

Although animal fat is found in thousands of products, people who oppose these products are able to avoid them. The £5 note makes it impossible for anybody to bypass the use of animal products. The use of palm oil will avoid offending a number of groups including vegans, vegetarians, hindus, sikhs and jains. The additional cost would only be £5 million over 10 years in addition to the £300 million already being spent. Similarly to animal fat, palm oil is already used in thousands of everyday products. The Bank has suggested that using palm oil as an alternative would only require 'one year's production of less than six hectares of palm oil plantation'. This would only be a tiny addition to the huge number of palm oil plantations that are already present. Despite speaking out against palm oil, Emma Keller stated that palm oil 'produces more oil per land than any other equivalent oil crop'. Using coconut oil would require more land space and could have a greater negative impact on the environment. Using animal fat would directly cost the lives of animals whereas the palm oil could be sourced from a sustainable plantation (RSPO). 

Why use either?

Doug Maw, who started the online petition against the use of animal fat in the £5 note, has also expressed disapproval for the idea of using palm oil, believing it is 'something they should avoid doing'. It would be possible for the bank to avoid using either of these products by sticking to the old design, however it has been shown that there are a number of advantages to polymer notes. It is thought that the polymer notes provide 'unique' anti-static and anti-slip properties and are more durable than paper notes. Professor David Solomon, developer of the first polymer note in 1988, also said that these notes are harder to forge, more hygienic, and don't require trees to be cut down. 

Only trace amounts of beef tallow are used (significantly less than 1%) and similar levels of palm oil would be required. Either way these notes will make an insignificant difference to the huge problems these products are already responsible for. 

More information:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/03/30/bank-england-backs-palm-oil-replace-animal-fat-plastic-20-note/
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/dec/02/5-animal-fat-bank-note-british-vegetarians-being-stupid-says-inventor
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/new-5-notes-why-do-they-have-animal-fat-in-them-a7448106.html

Why should we avoid palm oil? 

http://www.ecowatch.com/why-is-palm-oil-so-bad-1881907014.html

Why should we avoid animal products? 

https://www.animalaid.org.uk/the-issues/our-campaigns/slaughter/

The White Tiger Video

Bear Bile Farms [China]

Bear bile farm
http://www.sickchirpse.com/chinese-bear-bile-farming/4/

Uses

Bile is a fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder to help aid digestion. It has been used as an ingredient in traditional Asian medicines for thousands of years. The fluid contains high levels of ursodexoycholic acid (UDCA) which has been proven to be effective at treating liver and gallbladder issues. Bear bile is also used as a treatment for fever, heart disease, headaches and cancer, however, there is no evidence to suggest it is effective in treating these problems. There are currently thought to be about 12,000 bears in bile farms across China, Korea, and Laos. 10,000 of which can be found in China alone. There are a number of methods of bile extraction, but all are described as painful and invasive by animal rights activists. This has been disputed by the head of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2012), Fang Shuting, who described the process as 'natural, easy and without pain' and thought that it 'might even be a very comfortable process'. This seems unlikely however, as these bears have catheters or tubes inserted into their gallbladder, some of which are left in permanently. Some bears have holes made in their abdomen and gallbladder, and are then left to allow the bile to drip out. These bears have been seen to display a number of unnatural behaviours associated with severe stress, such as self mutilation and voluntary starvation, and often contract diseases and infection from poor sanitation. It is very rarely disputed that the conditions endured by these bears is horrific and incredibly cruel. 

Purpose

While bear bile farms have been outlawed in countries such as Vietnam, it is still legal and defended by the government, in countries such as China. They claim bear bile farms are an effective way of conserving bear species  by protecting them from poaching. The most commonly found bear in bile farms is the Asian black bear which is classed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. Sun bears and brown bears are also used, the sun bear is classed as vulnerable while the brown bear is least concern. Prior to the 1980s, bears were hunted and killed for their bile. The bile was collected by removing the gallbladder from dead bears. The first bear farm opened in Korea in 1980 which allowed people to keep bears in cages and extract bile from the gallbladder throughout the bear's life without having to kill the bear. Fang Shuting, claimed that 'bear farming is the best way to protect wild bears' as the market demand was too great to be supported by the wild bear population. Chinese government officials say that without bile farms, an additional 10,000 wild bears would be killed per year. Chris Shepard from the conservation group, Traffic, claimed that there are over 50 alternatives to bear bile available but practitioners are reluctant to use them. 

Bear in bile farm
http://www.mhsuk.com/charity/

Does it help to conserve bears?

The Chinese government claimed that bear bile farms would have a positive impact on the conservation of these bear species as the farms would eliminate the necessity of poaching wild bears. In addition to this, more bile can be extracted throughout the life of a farm bear, than killing a bear in the wild. Many say this hasn't worked as, despite being illegal, it is still cheaper and easier to take bears from the wild than set up a breeding programme within the farm. Jill Robinson, head of Animals Asia, found that within a bear bile farm approximately 30% of bears had 'wounds indicating that they were wild caught'. Breeding bears in captivity involves the additional cost of maintaining denning pens for the bears to breed and providing extra food for the females during pregnancy. Instead, many farms have been accused of keeping bears individually, in cages too small for them to move, underfeeding them, and not providing sufficient water. Many consumers of traditional medicine view bile from the wild as preferable due to its natural appeal, seeming more authentic, and low levels of sanitation seen in bile farms. According to The Guardian 'no countries have shown that farms enhance bear conservation'.  In fact, it has been shown that numbers continue to fall due to habitat destruction and illegal poaching. Since this practice is legal in China, it has also allowed bear bile to be more readily available, and is now being used in more products. In 2012 the IUCN called for the phasing out of bear farms due to a lack of evidence that these farms have helped to lessen the effect of poaching on the bear population.

Alternatives

In 2015, Kaibao Pharmaceuticals, a company that supplied about half of China's bear bile, claimed that it was going to invest the equivalent of £1.3 million into researching an alternative to bear bile. They claimed that this was going to be a poultry bile, likely sourced from poultry farms already present around the country. However, this seems unnecessary as there are already so many natural alternatives to bear bile that have been proven to be effective. Most farms are owned by pharmaceutical companies who will be reluctant to shut down when they supply thousands of jobs to workers and make huge amounts of money from bear bile. The Guardian estimated that Kaibao makes around £40 million a year in net sales from bear bile. In 2011, Animals Asia carried out a poll which suggested that 87% of the Chinese population disagrees with bear bile farming but alternatives need to be accepted by doctors before they replace bear bile in pharmaceuticals in China.


More Information:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/05/160505-asiatic-bear-bile-trade-laos/
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/radical-conservation/2015/apr/09/bear-bile-china-synthetic-alternative
https://www.animalsasia.org/uk/media/news/news-archive/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-bear-bile-farming.html

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (part 1)

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are a small breed of spaniel, classed by the Kennel Club as a toy dog. They are a separate breed to the King Charles Spaniel, despite being very similar. They are defined by a few key features, primarily a more prominent snout. Cavaliers usually weigh 13-18 lbs and live for an average of 9-15 years.

Classic King Charles Spaniels

Spaniels were originally popular with royalty, particularly King Charles II (1660-1685) who wouldn't go anywhere without two or three of his spaniels, hence why they became known as the King Charles Spaniel. After he died the popularity of spaniels died down and flat faced dogs such as pugs became more popular. Breeders began mixing the breeds to produce flatter faced spaniels which kept the name King Charles Spaniel. In the 1920s an American name Roswell Eldridge came to England in search for the classic KCS, seen during the time of King Charles II. He offered £25 at the Crufts dog show as a reward for any breeder that could produce a spaniel that looked like the ones seen during the reign of King Charles II. It wasn't until five years later, one month after his death, that a breeder with the dog Ann's Son, was able to claim the money. This reestablished the interest in the classic looking spaniels. Eventually the long-nosed spaniels became more popular and were given the name Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to differentiate them from the flat-nosed King Charles Spaniel (known in America as the English toy spaniel). In 1945 the Kennel Club recognised it as a separate breed but it wasn't until 1995 that it was recognised as a separate breed by the American Kennel Club. 

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

King Charles Spaniel today

Due to the amount of inbreeding that occurs in pedigree dogs, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has developed numerous health problems. 

Episodic Falling Syndrome (EFS)

EFS is a recessive, genetic condition that is unique to the cavalier breed and has never been diagnosed in any other dog breed. It prevents the muscles from being able to relax, normally instigated by excitement, exercise, or frustration. Symptoms vary for each dog but could include things such as freezing/stiffness, spasms, or being unable to react to stimuli. The dog will not lose consciousness. The condition can be improved with therapy and is very rarely life threatening. Most dogs will carry on without any reaction after a mild episode and will become used to the incidents over time. There is no official cure for EFS but a study carried out in 2002 showed cavaliers with EFS improved dramatically when given a drug called clonazepam. After being given the medication for two years they were described as being almost completely cured. However, it has been suggested that being given this drug for an extended period of time can result in tolerance of the drug, causing it to lose effectiveness. 

Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a degenerative disease which can develop in any dog breed. A degenerative disease is one which will get worse with age, however it can also be affected by weight and volume of exercise. Any dog may develop hip dysplasia, however, it is a partially inherited disorder as it is more likely to occur in dogs that have been bred from parents who also suffered from hip dysplasia. Puppies will not be born with the condition, it will develop as they age. About 10% of cavaliers are diagnosed by two years old. It can cause varying degrees of arthritis and is thought to affect 12-24% of cavaliers. However, some people believe that it may be higher than this as, once the dog reaches a certain age, it will probably be diagnosed as arthritis. It can only be diagnosed accurately with an x-ray. Once diagnosed, a dog will probably be given medication to limit the pain and help increase mobility. If this is not effective then surgery may be considered. 

Mitral Valve Disease (MVD)

MVD is thought to be the leading cause of death in cavalier spaniels. It is a poly-genetic disease which means it can be caused by more than one gene and the genes responsible for MVD have yet to be identified. It affects over half of the breed by the age of five and will be present in nearly every cavalier spaniel by the age of ten. It is about 20 times more common in CKCS than other breeds of dogs. MVD is a condition that causes the degeneration of the mitral valve in the heart. This valve usually prevents any back flow when blood is pumped through the heart. MVD results in the back-flow of blood, resulting in less blood being pumped round the body. This causes symptoms such as breathlessness, a distended abdomen, lack of appetite, restlessness, weight loss, and possibly fainting. All cavaliers should be screened for a heart murmur once a year from one year old. Eventually the mitral valve will deteriorate and collapse completely, inevitably resulting in death by chronic heart failure. 

White Lies

The White Tiger

Possible offspring
Ww carries the gene but does not exhibit traits
because it is a recessive gene

The white tiger is not an albino tiger or sub species of tiger. It is in fact a genetic variant of the Bengal tiger. The colouration of the white tiger is a result of a recessive gene being passed on from parent to offspring. This genetic mutation can also happen naturally but is incredibly rare. The gene results in a pale coat (some may have an orange tint) with black markings which would not be seen on an albino tiger. It also results in a blue colouration of the eyes, instead of the usual yellow/green seen in tigers. This occurs because the gene that is passed on from the parent inhibits the production of pheomelanin which produces orange/yellow colouration. However, it does allow the production of eumelanin which produces the dark stripes and results in the eyes being blue instead of red like an albino tiger. To pass on the white trait, both parents must carry the recessive gene. This means that despite the gene being found in one in every 15,000, not all of these tigers will display the white trait. This also means that both parents do not need to be white to produce white offspring. However, the only way to ensure that the offspring is white is to mate two white tigers together. 

Survival and Conservation

White tigers in captivity

Despite the fact that white tigers are incredibly rare, there is no conservation advantage of breeding them. The white colouration gives them a disadvantaged survival. These tigers are found in forest areas where they will no longer be able to camouflage with white fur. They have no natural predators but eat by stalking their prey and surprising it. With white fur they will find this much more difficult and as a solitary animal there are no other individuals to help them catch prey. White tigers are also much more valuable to hunters and are more likely to be shot or captured, especially when the are unable to hide. Tigers are already an endangered species, with a habitat that is constantly declining. No white tigers have been spotted in the wild in over 50 years, confirming their struggle to survive. The last one was supposedly shot in 1958. While zoos and exhibitors may say they are breeding these tigers for conservation, this simply isn't true as they can not be re-released into the wild due to their inability to survive. 

Inbreeding

Kenny - rescued white tiger
Lived to the age of 10

The American Zoological Association (AZA) has banned members from breeding white tigers due to the fact that they are bred for profit, not for conservation. Although this mutation was not caused by inbreeding, it is thought that severe inbreeding has been a result. White tigers are a huge attraction, allowing zoos and exhibitors to bring in more visitors and make more money. This has resulted in them inbreeding white tigers to ensure they produce white offspring which are more valuable. They have also been cross bred with Siberian tigers to produce a bigger cat, but once again not providing any conservation purpose. The first white tiger was captured in India in 1951 (only 7 years before the last white tiger was spotted). Some people believe that all white tigers are descendants from this tiger and are therefore all related/inbred. Although some have claimed there is no evidence to suggest white tigers are all inbred, many have been born with severe health issues such as kidney and spine problems, crossed eyes and cleft palettes. Some offspring may be born with the orange colouration but will still inherit these defects and these cubs will often be discarded as worthless. 

If these tigers are not bred in captivity it is likely that they will die out completely, as any that are produced naturally in the wild have such a struggle to survive against hunting, habitat loss and lack of camouflage. If these creatures can be kept in captivity without inbreeding, is it genetic diversity worth conserving?

Siberian / Amur Tiger

Panthera tigris altaica (endangered)

Amur (Siberian) tiger

Despite what is commonly thought, Siberian tigers are not the same as white tigers. Siberian tigers are also know as Amur tigers as they are mostly found in the Amur river valley in Russia. Amur tigers are mainly found in Eastern Russia, however, some can be found around the borders in China and North Korea. They live in boreal and temperate forest, consisting of coniferous trees such as birch. The temperature can drop as low as -45 degrees Celsius or -50 degrees Fahrenheit so they require a thicker, heavier coat than sub species such as Bengal and Indian. It is thought that there are only 450-550 left in the wild. They average as the largest cat on Earth (excluding the liger), males usually weigh up to 300kg while females are noticeably smaller at 180kg. They usually grow to around 3m in length. The largest Amur tiger was found in captivity at 3.9m in length. They have long legs and large paws which allows them to run up to 80km/ph. 

http://siberian-tigers.tumblr.com/page/2

Predation

They have no natural predators except for humans who account for 80% of Amur tiger deaths in the wild. They are killed for their pelts, for use in Chinese medicine or from fear. They rarely attack humans, however, this could be due to the fact that there are few left, so human contact is highly unlikely. They have a range of prey, from small animals such as rabbits and salmon, to large mammals such as moose, deer and wild boar. They have even been known to kill brown and black bears. They are hunters not scavengers but have been known to scavenge if the opportunity arises. They cover a larger area of land than other sub species as food is not as readily available in this habitat. They can eat up to 40kg (60lbs) of food in one sitting and are usually nocturnal.

Breeding
Like the majority of cat species, Amur tigers are solitary which means they prefer to live alone rather than in a group. Amur tigers will only be found together when  a mother is caring for her young or during mating season. They begin mating usually around 4 years old. Pregnancy will last about 103 days until the mother gives birth to a litter of 2-6 cubs. Cubs are born blind and can not hunt until they are 18 months old. They remain with the mother until they are 2-3 years of age. In the wild Amur tigers will live for 10-15 years which is about the average life span of most big cats. 


Siberian Tiger Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq1eUtdpefs&t=17s