Article by: JOSEPHINE MARCOTTY
Star Tribune - March 16, 2012 - 9:37 PM
Genetically engineered corn and soybeans make it easy for farmers to eradicate weeds, including the long-lived and unruly milkweed.
But they might be putting the monarch butterfly in peril.
The rapid spread of herbicide-resistant crops has coincided with -- and may explain -- the dramatic decline in monarch numbers that has troubled some naturalists over the past decade, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Minnesota and Iowa State University.
Between 1999 and 2010, the same period in which so-called GMO crops became the norm for farmers, the number of monarch eggs declined by an estimated 81 percent across the Midwest, the researchers say. That's because milkweed -- the host plant for the eggs and caterpillars produced by one of one of the most gaudy and widely recognized of all North American butterflies -- has nearly disappeared from farm fields, they found.
It is one of the clearest examples yet of unintended consequences from the widespread use of genetically modified seeds, said John Pleasants, a monarch researcher from Iowa State in Ames, Iowa.
"When we put something out there, we don't know always what the consequences are," he said.
Pleasants and Karen Oberhauser, of the University of Minnesota, published their findings online last week in the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity.
"It is quite an extraordinary paper," said Chip Taylor, an insect ecologist at the University of Kansas and the director of research at Monarch Watch, a conservation group. He noted that Oberhauser and Pleasants were able to tie the loss of habitat to a decline in numbers across the country.
But the evidence they present -- estimates of the number of milkweed plants across the Corn Belt and a decade's worth of butterfly egg counts by an army of volunteer citizens -- is indirect, say others.
"It does not resolve the debate," said Leslie Ries, a University of Maryland professor who studies monarchs.
Butterflies in decline
The orange and black butterflies migrate every year to the mountains of Mexico, where they collect in fluttering clouds in trees, an extraordinary event that has inspired festivals and tourism.
But for reasons that are not well understood, the number of butterflies that make it to Mexico -- half of which come from the Midwest -- has been on the decline. This year, according to a report released Thursday, the butterflies occupied seven acres of trees in their refuge west of Mexico City -- 28 percent less than last year and a fraction of the 45 acres they occupied in 1996, a peak year.
Experts said last year's drought probably had a serious effect on the insects. Others say damage to the wintering grounds from logging and development are also playing a part, and that the number that make it to Mexico does not necessarily reflect the health of the species.
But some scientists have for years wondered whether the use of genetically modified crops is affecting the spring and summer reproduction in this country.
Earlier studies suggested that monarch caterpillars would die if they ate milkweed dusted with pollen from another kind of engineered seed known as BT corn. It contains a gene that produces a toxin that kills corn-eating pests.
That theory was disproved, but it led scientists to take a hard look at milkweed plants in corn and soybean fields, said Pleasants. "Surprisingly, monarchs use those milkweeds more heavily than milkweed outside [farm fields]," he said. The butterflies lay nearly four times as many eggs on farm field plants as on those in pastures or on roadsides, the researchers said.
More important, they also found "that milkweed in the fields was disappearing," he said. That's because more farmers are using a new kind of genetically modified seed developed by Monsanto, Roundup-ready corn and soybeans, that contain a gene allowing the plants to withstand Roundup, or glyphosate. That allows farmers to spray their fields without harming the crop.
Monsanto, which did not respond to a request for comment, says on its website the seeds help farmers increase yield. Today, it's used by 94 percent of soybean farmers and 72 percent of corn farmers, according to federal data.
Assessing the effect on milkweed plants both in and out of farm fields, was difficult, researchers said -- never mind the challenge of counting butterfly eggs.
Pleasants said he used data on the change in milkweed density in Iowa, and extrapolated those numbers to landscape use data across the Midwest. That showed an estimated 58 percent decline in milkweed plants throughout the Corn Belt, primarily on agricultural lands.
Oberhauser supplied data she has been collecting for years through the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. Every week during the monarch breeding season, volunteers across the country go to the same patches of non-agricultural milkweed in their communities and count all the eggs they can find.
That showed two things: Butterflies were not flocking to breed on plants outside agricultural fields; those numbers remained the same. And overall production, measured in eggs, declined 81 percent between 1999 and 2010.
Taylor said the new study should help make the case that increasing monarch habitat along roads in pastures, gardens and on conservation lands must become a national priority because the milkweed will never come back to farm fields, he said.
"The scale of the loss of habitat is so big that unless we compensate for it in some way, the population will decline to the point where it will disappear," he said.
Josephine Marcotty • 612-673-7394
© 2011 Star Tribune
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
No "Luck" for the horses on HBO
LOS ANGELES - The horseracing series "Luck" was canceled by HBO after a third thoroughbred died during production of the drama starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, the channel said Wednesday.
"Luck," about the seedier side of racing, will air the final two episodes of its first season now in progress, HBO said. But the series won't return for the second season that began production last month, it said.
"While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won't in the future," the channel said. "Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision."
The move was made with David Milch, the show's creator, and Michael Mann, his fellow executive producer on the drama that brought film actor Hoffman to series TV. It was a high-profile project for the premium channel that stakes its reputation on such fare.
HBO said it was "immensely proud" of the series and those involved in it, and the producers said in a joint statement that they "loved this series, loved the cast, crew and writers."
Retired jockey Gary Stevens, who co-stars on "Luck" and was in the racehorse movie "Seabiscuit," tweeted his support to the HBO series: "So bummed. Peace out to all my family in (hash)luck."
The American Humane Association, which oversees animal welfare on Hollywood productions, said that in light of the three deaths "this is arguably the best decision HBO could have made."
The group said it will work with HBO to ensure that horses used on "Luck" are "retired properly."
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which had been sharply critical of the production, welcomed the cancellation and offered advice to HBO and the producers if they decide to resume it.
"PETA will be calling on them, as we have done from the start, to use stock racing footage instead of endangering horses for entertainment purposes," the group said in a statement.
On Tuesday, a horse was injured and euthanized at Santa Anita Park racetrack, and HBO agreed to suspend filming with the animals after the American Humane Association issued an immediate demand "that all production involving horses shut down" pending an investigation.
The animal was being led to a stable by a groom when it reared and fell back, suffering a head injury, according to HBO. The horse was euthanized at the track in suburban Arcadia.
During season-one filming in 2010 and 2011, two horses were hurt during racing scenes and euthanized. HBO defended its treatment of the animals, saying it's worked with the humane association and racing industry experts to implement safety protocols that exceed film and TV industry standards.
The humane association had called for a production halt at Santa Anita after the second horse's death. Racing resumed after new protocols were put in place and proved effective, Karen Rosa, the AHA unit's senior vice president, said in February.
On Tuesday, Dr. Gary Beck, a California Horse Racing Board veterinarian, said he had just examined the horse as part of routine health and safety procedures before it was to race later in the day. The horse passed the inspection, the AHA said.
When the horse was injured, an attending veterinarian determined that euthanasia was appropriate, he said.
Dr. Rick Arthur, medical director of the state racing board, said such injuries occur in stable areas every year and are more common than thought. A necropsy will be conducted, he said, which is routine with all fatalities at racing board enclosures.
The necropsy and toxicology testing will be done despite the show's cancellation, the board said.
The first two horse deaths drew criticism from PETA, which said that safety guidelines used in filming failed to prevent the deaths "so clearly they were inadequate."
Kathy Guillermo, a PETA vice president, said at the time the group didn't consider the matter closed.
"Racing itself is dangerous enough. This is a fictional representation of something and horses are still dying, and that to me is outrageous," she said.
On Tuesday, Guillermo said PETA sent complaints about "Luck" to Arcadia police and an animal humane society in nearby Pasadena.
___
Associated Press Sports Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report.___
"Luck," about the seedier side of racing, will air the final two episodes of its first season now in progress, HBO said. But the series won't return for the second season that began production last month, it said.
"While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won't in the future," the channel said. "Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision."
The move was made with David Milch, the show's creator, and Michael Mann, his fellow executive producer on the drama that brought film actor Hoffman to series TV. It was a high-profile project for the premium channel that stakes its reputation on such fare.
HBO said it was "immensely proud" of the series and those involved in it, and the producers said in a joint statement that they "loved this series, loved the cast, crew and writers."
Retired jockey Gary Stevens, who co-stars on "Luck" and was in the racehorse movie "Seabiscuit," tweeted his support to the HBO series: "So bummed. Peace out to all my family in (hash)luck."
The American Humane Association, which oversees animal welfare on Hollywood productions, said that in light of the three deaths "this is arguably the best decision HBO could have made."
The group said it will work with HBO to ensure that horses used on "Luck" are "retired properly."
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which had been sharply critical of the production, welcomed the cancellation and offered advice to HBO and the producers if they decide to resume it.
"PETA will be calling on them, as we have done from the start, to use stock racing footage instead of endangering horses for entertainment purposes," the group said in a statement.
On Tuesday, a horse was injured and euthanized at Santa Anita Park racetrack, and HBO agreed to suspend filming with the animals after the American Humane Association issued an immediate demand "that all production involving horses shut down" pending an investigation.
The animal was being led to a stable by a groom when it reared and fell back, suffering a head injury, according to HBO. The horse was euthanized at the track in suburban Arcadia.
During season-one filming in 2010 and 2011, two horses were hurt during racing scenes and euthanized. HBO defended its treatment of the animals, saying it's worked with the humane association and racing industry experts to implement safety protocols that exceed film and TV industry standards.
The humane association had called for a production halt at Santa Anita after the second horse's death. Racing resumed after new protocols were put in place and proved effective, Karen Rosa, the AHA unit's senior vice president, said in February.
On Tuesday, Dr. Gary Beck, a California Horse Racing Board veterinarian, said he had just examined the horse as part of routine health and safety procedures before it was to race later in the day. The horse passed the inspection, the AHA said.
When the horse was injured, an attending veterinarian determined that euthanasia was appropriate, he said.
Dr. Rick Arthur, medical director of the state racing board, said such injuries occur in stable areas every year and are more common than thought. A necropsy will be conducted, he said, which is routine with all fatalities at racing board enclosures.
The necropsy and toxicology testing will be done despite the show's cancellation, the board said.
The first two horse deaths drew criticism from PETA, which said that safety guidelines used in filming failed to prevent the deaths "so clearly they were inadequate."
Kathy Guillermo, a PETA vice president, said at the time the group didn't consider the matter closed.
"Racing itself is dangerous enough. This is a fictional representation of something and horses are still dying, and that to me is outrageous," she said.
On Tuesday, Guillermo said PETA sent complaints about "Luck" to Arcadia police and an animal humane society in nearby Pasadena.
___
Associated Press Sports Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report.___
Monday, March 12, 2012
Cats purr to your heart's content
A new study suggests cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack.
Article by: WILLIAM HAGEMAN
Chicago Tribune
March 12, 2012 - 11:04 AM
We know that pets are beneficial to our health -- they can lower a person's blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and provide opportunities for exercise and socialization.
In some cases, the source of the benefits is obvious. You walk a dog for 2 miles; you'll be in better shape. But some of the reported benefits are baffling.
A 10-year study at the University of Minnesota Stroke Center found that cat owners were 40 percent less likely to have heart attacks than non-cat owners.
Could a cat's purr be the reason?
"Cats will purr when they're content, but also they'll purr when they're about to be euthanized. It's thought they purr to communicate with their kittens," says author and animal behavior consultant Steve Dale. "It's thought to be a calming mechanism.
"If that's the case ... maybe they calm themselves or other cats, but maybe there's a fallout and there's another mammal species, us, that's impacted."
In another study, conducted at Kean University in New Jersey, subjects watched a "Lassie" movie. Their levels of cortisol -- a chemical associated with stress -- were checked before and after the film, and showed a decline after the movie.
This animal connection, Dale explained, "alters our neurochemistry. Not just the physiology, the blood pressure change, which is significant, but also the neurochemistry. The scientists are discovering there really is a difference here."
© 2011 Star Tribune
Article by: WILLIAM HAGEMAN
Chicago Tribune
March 12, 2012 - 11:04 AM
We know that pets are beneficial to our health -- they can lower a person's blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and provide opportunities for exercise and socialization.
In some cases, the source of the benefits is obvious. You walk a dog for 2 miles; you'll be in better shape. But some of the reported benefits are baffling.
A 10-year study at the University of Minnesota Stroke Center found that cat owners were 40 percent less likely to have heart attacks than non-cat owners.
Could a cat's purr be the reason?
"Cats will purr when they're content, but also they'll purr when they're about to be euthanized. It's thought they purr to communicate with their kittens," says author and animal behavior consultant Steve Dale. "It's thought to be a calming mechanism.
"If that's the case ... maybe they calm themselves or other cats, but maybe there's a fallout and there's another mammal species, us, that's impacted."
In another study, conducted at Kean University in New Jersey, subjects watched a "Lassie" movie. Their levels of cortisol -- a chemical associated with stress -- were checked before and after the film, and showed a decline after the movie.
This animal connection, Dale explained, "alters our neurochemistry. Not just the physiology, the blood pressure change, which is significant, but also the neurochemistry. The scientists are discovering there really is a difference here."
© 2011 Star Tribune
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Farmer fined $12.5K for decimating pelican nests
Article by: JOSEPHINE MARCOTTY
Star Tribune
February 28, 2012 - 6:09 AM
A southern Minnesota farmer has been fined $12,500 and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service in a wildlife program for a rampage last spring in which he destroyed thousands of white pelican eggs and chicks.
Craig Staloch, 59, of Minnesota Lake, was also placed on two years' probation. The fine, which was near the maximum, will go into a wetland conservation fund.
A remorseful Staloch said at a sentencing hearing on Monday that the act was "the stupidest, stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. And I've defaced my family name.'' In pleading guilty to the federal misdemeanor last spring, Staloch said he flew into a rage because the birds had damaged his corn crop.
Federal Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Keyes noted Monday that Staloch, who is also employed as a postal worker in Easton, Minn., "has a stellar record" in his community. But a federal wildlife agent said the incident was one of the largest "illegal bird takes'' in the nation. It was almost certainly the most serious violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act ever to have occurred in Minnesota, said Pat Lund, resident agent in charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Minnesota.
"You caused an enormous amount of damage," the judge said.
Within the space of a few hours last May, Staloch smashed thousands of American White pelican chicks and eggs -- all of the offspring in one of the state's largest colonies -- even though a state wildlife officer had told him the previous day that they were protected by federal law.
Staloch pleaded guilty to the federal misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of $15,000 and six months in jail. Staloch said he had been frustrated because the giant birds, which nested along the shore of Minnesota Lake, had cost him $20,000 in damage and expenses on about seven acres he rented to grow corn. He apparently did not know that the Department of Natural Resource wildlife official would return the next day to do a survey of the colony.
Staloch and his attorney declined to comment after Monday's hearing.
More complaints
Linda Wires, an expert on water birds at the University of Minnesota who was among those who discovered the destroyed colony, said the penalty was unusually stiff for such cases. But it's important, she said, because the number of complaints about birds has increased dramatically in recent years as the species, once nearly extinct, has recovered. The same is true of other fish-eating birds, cormorants in particular, she said.
"Now that the number has really escalated, there is a backward trend in attitudes about fish-eating birds," she said.
Minnesota is the summer home to about 20,000 pairs of the striking pelicans, with their orange beaks and black-tipped wings, far more than any other state. The 3,000 birds on Minnesota Lake make up one of 16 colonies in Minnesota, places where the birds return to nest year after year.
Until the mid-1990s, the birds had nested on an island in the lake. But as their population grew and the island shrank because of rising water, the birds have moved to the shore.
People who live near or on the lake said in letters sent to the judge on Staloch's behalf that the birds have become a nuisance.
"The island became a guano dump," said one former resident. Another said all the farmers around the lake have lost crops to pelicans and geese, and suggested that if the state would compensate them "there would not be such negative feelings" toward wildlife agencies that enforce protection laws.
Josephine Marcotty • 612-673-7394
© 2011 Star Tribune
Star Tribune
February 28, 2012 - 6:09 AM
A southern Minnesota farmer has been fined $12,500 and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service in a wildlife program for a rampage last spring in which he destroyed thousands of white pelican eggs and chicks.
Craig Staloch, 59, of Minnesota Lake, was also placed on two years' probation. The fine, which was near the maximum, will go into a wetland conservation fund.A remorseful Staloch said at a sentencing hearing on Monday that the act was "the stupidest, stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. And I've defaced my family name.'' In pleading guilty to the federal misdemeanor last spring, Staloch said he flew into a rage because the birds had damaged his corn crop.
Federal Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Keyes noted Monday that Staloch, who is also employed as a postal worker in Easton, Minn., "has a stellar record" in his community. But a federal wildlife agent said the incident was one of the largest "illegal bird takes'' in the nation. It was almost certainly the most serious violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act ever to have occurred in Minnesota, said Pat Lund, resident agent in charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Minnesota.
"You caused an enormous amount of damage," the judge said.
Within the space of a few hours last May, Staloch smashed thousands of American White pelican chicks and eggs -- all of the offspring in one of the state's largest colonies -- even though a state wildlife officer had told him the previous day that they were protected by federal law.
Staloch pleaded guilty to the federal misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of $15,000 and six months in jail. Staloch said he had been frustrated because the giant birds, which nested along the shore of Minnesota Lake, had cost him $20,000 in damage and expenses on about seven acres he rented to grow corn. He apparently did not know that the Department of Natural Resource wildlife official would return the next day to do a survey of the colony.
Staloch and his attorney declined to comment after Monday's hearing.
More complaints
Linda Wires, an expert on water birds at the University of Minnesota who was among those who discovered the destroyed colony, said the penalty was unusually stiff for such cases. But it's important, she said, because the number of complaints about birds has increased dramatically in recent years as the species, once nearly extinct, has recovered. The same is true of other fish-eating birds, cormorants in particular, she said.
"Now that the number has really escalated, there is a backward trend in attitudes about fish-eating birds," she said.
Minnesota is the summer home to about 20,000 pairs of the striking pelicans, with their orange beaks and black-tipped wings, far more than any other state. The 3,000 birds on Minnesota Lake make up one of 16 colonies in Minnesota, places where the birds return to nest year after year.
Until the mid-1990s, the birds had nested on an island in the lake. But as their population grew and the island shrank because of rising water, the birds have moved to the shore.
People who live near or on the lake said in letters sent to the judge on Staloch's behalf that the birds have become a nuisance.
"The island became a guano dump," said one former resident. Another said all the farmers around the lake have lost crops to pelicans and geese, and suggested that if the state would compensate them "there would not be such negative feelings" toward wildlife agencies that enforce protection laws.
Josephine Marcotty • 612-673-7394
© 2011 Star Tribune
Monday, February 27, 2012
Free Cat Claw Clipping Clinics
Need a manicure for your feline friend? Visit one of Feline Rescue's free cat claw clipping clinics, hosted by Chuck and Don's Pet Food Outlets.
In addition to a trim for your cat, you'll learn why cats scratch, get tips on doing the clipping yourself, and get information on the best scratching surfaces for your cat.
Saturdays, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm at the following Chuck and Don's:
March 10 - Shakopee - 1270 Vierling Drive E (by Cub)
March 10 - Roseville - 1661 County Road C West (by Byerly's)
March 17 - Calhoun Village - 3246 West Lake, Minneapolis
March 17 - NE Minneapolis - 335 Central SE
March 24 - Highland Crossing, 2114 Highland Parkway, St. Paul
In addition to a trim for your cat, you'll learn why cats scratch, get tips on doing the clipping yourself, and get information on the best scratching surfaces for your cat.
Saturdays, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm at the following Chuck and Don's:
March 10 - Shakopee - 1270 Vierling Drive E (by Cub)
March 10 - Roseville - 1661 County Road C West (by Byerly's)
March 17 - Calhoun Village - 3246 West Lake, Minneapolis
March 17 - NE Minneapolis - 335 Central SE
March 24 - Highland Crossing, 2114 Highland Parkway, St. Paul
Friday, January 20, 2012
Help needed for animals rescued from hoarders in Warroad
WARROAD, Minn. - Twenty eight dogs and two cats are being housed at the Pennington County Humane Society after they were rescued from the home of alleged dog hoarders in Warroad.
Police Chief Wade Steinbring confirmed to the Warroad Pioneer that the animals had been kept indoors for nearly 3 years, and that the basement of the home occupied by a male owner and his female companion was filled with an estimated two to three feet of feces.
There was also feces on the walls, stairs, countertops, and just about every surface in the home, according to Steinbring.
The animals were rescued from the home on January 10 by humane volunteers, who took them to the Pennington County Humane Society for care and evaulation.
Neighbors were reportedly not aware of the situation because there was no odor, little noise, and they never saw any of the animals outside.
The Warroad City Council met last week to declare the home a public nuisance and health hazard, and ordered board-up operations to begin.
http://www.kare11.com/news/article/957407/391/Dogs-rescued-from-home-of-alleged-Warroad-hoarders
Please send donations to:
Pennington County Humane Society
15598 U.S. Hwy 59 NE
P.O. Box 64
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
pawstrf@pawstrf.org
Police Chief Wade Steinbring confirmed to the Warroad Pioneer that the animals had been kept indoors for nearly 3 years, and that the basement of the home occupied by a male owner and his female companion was filled with an estimated two to three feet of feces.There was also feces on the walls, stairs, countertops, and just about every surface in the home, according to Steinbring.
The animals were rescued from the home on January 10 by humane volunteers, who took them to the Pennington County Humane Society for care and evaulation. Neighbors were reportedly not aware of the situation because there was no odor, little noise, and they never saw any of the animals outside.
The Warroad City Council met last week to declare the home a public nuisance and health hazard, and ordered board-up operations to begin. http://www.kare11.com/news/article/957407/391/Dogs-rescued-from-home-of-alleged-Warroad-hoarders
Please send donations to:Pennington County Humane Society
15598 U.S. Hwy 59 NE
P.O. Box 64
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
pawstrf@pawstrf.org
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Bill Banning Undercover Video Is Back
NOTE FROM MINNESOTA HUMANE SOCIETY:Two critical bills from last year’s legislative session, S.F. 1118/HF 1369, are expected to come up for a hearing very soon at the legislature. These bills criminalize anyone blowing the whistle (taking video) on animal cruelty, food and worker safety, labor abuses, and environmental crimes at puppy/kitten mills or factory farms in Minnesota. These bills even make the possession and distribution of this information (images) a crime, including possession and distribution by the news media.
It is because of such undercover investigation that breeder Kathy Bauck was charged and convicted of animal cruelty and, acts of cruelty occurring at Sparboe Farms in Litchfield, MN were revealed to the public. These bills would shield commercial breeders and agri- business from public scrutiny. Please call your State Representative and Senator to express your opposition to these bills (Find out who represents you). Click on the following links for contact information for your Representative and Senator:
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/housemembers.asp
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_list.php?sort=d&ls=#header
We must speak for the animals. Thank you for caring.
The Minnesota Humane Society is an education, advocacy and rescue organization dedicated to protecting the lives and interests of Minnesota's animals. Please help us continue our important work. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all donations are tax deductible.
475 North Cleveland Avenue Suite 100B | St. Paul, MN 55104 US
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