Former Las Vegas city planner gets 4-12 years in 2005 slaying of Nigerian-born boxerOctober 12th, 2009 Ex-city planner gets 4-12 years in boxer's slayingLAS VEGAS — A 55-year-old former Las Vegas city planner and longtime political activist has been sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for stabbing a Nigerian-born boxer to death in 2005. Court officials say Michael Chambliss was sentenced Monday by Clark County District Court Judge David Barker after pleading guilty in June to voluntary manslaughter with a deadly weapon.
Oregon bear tranquilized by biologist, drowns in creekSeptember 21st, 2009 Tranquilized Oregon bear drowns in creekMEDFORD, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says a bear drowned in a creek after it was tranquilized.
The black bears of Shenandoah suggest these steps to make your stay enjoyableSeptember 14th, 2009 How to enjoy bears without becoming their preyFRONT ROYAL, Va. — The black bears of Shenandoah National Park are a magnificent sight, from a distance.
European human rights envoy urges Russia to prosecute killers of NGO in ChechnyaSeptember 10th, 2009 European envoy asks Russia about NGO killingMOSCOW — The Council of Europe's commissioner on human rights says Russia must prosecute the killers of a human rights activist in Chechnya this year, if it is to break a cycle of violence in the region. Thomas Hammarberg said Thursday that bringing the killers of Natalya Estemirova to justice will help dissipate the atmosphere of impunity that pervades Russia's violent southern fringe.
Grants Pass, Ore., man grabs shotgun, kills bear that climbed in through windowJuly 29th, 2009 OR man grabs shotgun, kills bear in houseGRANTS PASS, Ore. — Everett Skinner and his family have started keeping their windows closed at night after a bear broke into their southwest Oregon home and he fatally shot it.
Russian rights group says leading activist kidnapped from her home in ChechnyaJuly 15th, 2009 Russian group says activist abducted in ChechnyaMOSCOW — A prominent Russian human rights group says its leading activist in Chechnya has been kidnapped. Memorial chairman Oleg Orlov says that four men forced Natalya Estemirova into a car in the Chechen capital, Grozny, early Wednesday.
Reports: Russian rights activist found dead after being kidnapped in ChechnyaJuly 15th, 2009 Reports: Russian activist found dead in ChechnyaMOSCOW — Russian news agencies are reporting that a prominent rights activist has been found dead, hours after being kidnapped in Chechnya. ITAR-Tass and Interfax quote unidentified police officials as saying that Natalya Estemirova's body was found in Ingushetia, a region that borders Chechnya to the west.
Namibian seal hunt set to go on despite objections, more than 90,000 to be clubbedJuly 6th, 2009 Namibian seal hunt to go on, 90,000 to be clubbedJOHANNESBURG — Namibia's annual commercial seal hunt will go on despite objections by animal welfare groups, a government official said Monday. Frans Tsheehama of the Namibian fisheries and marine resources ministry said that the season started on July 1 and will run until Nov.
Big box of chocolate is just right for bear that breaks into Southern California homeJune 29th, 2009 Bear skips veggies for chocolate in Calif. homeSAN ANTONIO HEIGHTS, Calif.
Watergate burglar and former CIA operative Bernard Barker dies in Florida at age 92June 6th, 2009 Cuban-born Watergate burglar dies in Florida at 92MIAMI — Bernard Leon Barker, one of the five Watergate burglars whose break-in led to America's biggest political scandal, died Friday in suburban Miami. He was 92. The Cuban-born former CIA operative who also participated in the Bay of Pigs invasion died at his home after being taken to the Veteran's Administration Medical Center the night before, said his stepdaughter, Kelly Andrad.
Judge frees Zimbabwean rights activist, 14 others, reversing previous day's decisionMay 6th, 2009 Judge frees Zimbabwean rights activistHARARE, Zimbabwe — A judge has ordered Zimbabwean rights activist Jestina Mukoko and 14 others freed on bail, reversing her decision of a day earlier that sparked outrage among rights activists and politicians in this country and abroad. Harare Magistrate Catherine Chimanda gave no reason for her retreat, issued at a hastily called court hearing Wednesday.
With Pedro the bear's death, Bern's near 500-year-old "Bear Pit" comes to an endMay 1st, 2009 Bern shuts its "Bear Pit" as last bear Pedro diesGENEVA — Bern's Bear Pit, for centuries a tourist attraction and a symbol of the city, has lost its last resident to euthanasia and will be closed for good. Pedro, a 28-year-old brown bear, was put to death Thursday, ending a tradition that had spanned nearly 500 years.
Philippines threatens to deport foreign activists who protest after a PETA demonstrationApril 30th, 2009 Philippines threatens to deport foreign protestersMANILA, Philippines — The Philippine immigration chief warned foreign activists on Thursday that they can be deported for taking part in protests after a demonstration by bikini-clad members of the animal rights group PETA. Protesters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals went to the Manila Zoo on Tuesday and posed for photographers while wearing heart-shaped signs that read "Have a Heart, Boycott the Zoo" over their bathing suits.
Pregnant woman OK after being hit by slow-moving car while fleeing bear in ColoradoApril 24th, 2009 Mom-to-be hit by car while fleeing bear is OKDENVER — A pregnant woman who was fleeing a bear when she was struck by a slow-moving car said she would honor the euthanized animal by giving her baby the middle name "Bear."
Ashley Swendsen, 26, said she thought the bear followed her more out of curiosity than malice because it kept a distance of about 10 feet Thursday morning on a hiking trail in northwestern Colorado Springs. As she ran, she thought, "If it was going to hurt me, it already would have."
Swendsen managed to scramble up an embankment and was crossing the street when she was hit by a slow-moving car.
Ashley Judd, TV host Jeff Corwin call on Congress to help wildlife survive global warmingApril 23rd, 2009 Ashley Judd urges Congress to fight global warmingWASHINGTON — Actress Ashley Judd and TV personality Jeff Corwin are urging Congress to spend $7 billion a year to help safeguard America's wildlife from the impact of global warming. Judd is a longtime environmental activist.
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August 31st, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I just got back from a weekend trip to Cherokee and Tennessee. On our way back home to Georgia we decided to stop in the town of Cherokee to give this bear exhibit and petting zoo a look. Well, I wished I would have never given my money to support such inhumane treatment of animals, and not just your regular everyday animals either. I was shocked and horrified at the confinement of such beautiful creatures. I am an animal lover and I couldn’t imagine doing something like this for a living! The exhibit was soooo tiny. They had at least 4 or 5 bears in one concrete holding cell. When I was giving them treats some of the other bears would fight the ohter for a small piece of food. The bears were sadly pacing back in forth, some of them wouldn’t even look up because they were constantly pacing in the small quarters. The bears were licking the concrete slabs for water! They kept on making a sad moaning sound when they were pacing. The bears weren’t the only ones pacing, ALL the animals were pacing in their small confinements. They had two adult tigers in what looked like a 10×20 cage with chain link fencing over the top. The tigers were pacing back and forth back and forth. The tiger kept trying to paw at the roof to get out. None of the animals were attentive like many animals we see at the zoo or in the wild…all they wanted to do was escape. Then there was the monkeys…and like the other animals they were pacing too…one of the male monkeys was constantly acting out, and one of the workers came out and said that the monkey doesn’t like men, and he acts out because of it, causing the male monkey to beat up the female monkey because he can’t get to the people. The female monkey was missing fingers, and she was hiding in the back of the cage behind another object. I looked into her eyes and felt her pain. It made my heart weep. I would have and still would do anything I can to put an end to this mistreatment. I would like to know of, if there are any, animal activist groups in the Cherokee area. I think that would be a good place to start. If anyone knows of a place I can relay my information on this issue please email me at wonderwoman_711_x@yahoo.com. Thanks!