Author: Rachel Maddow

The ArtEast cultural event is growing across the Metro East region of Illinois. This year, 25 studios and galleries in cities including Edwardsville, Alton, and Troy are participating. The expanded program offers open studios, live demonstrations, and community engagement activities. Visitors can meet artists, watch them at work, and explore a wide range of creative practices. Organizers say the expansion reflects growing interest in local arts and community participation. The event aims to make art more accessible and encourage connections between artists and the public. Participants include painters, sculptors, photographers, and mixed-media artists. Each studio showcases unique work, offering visitors…

A long-time campaigner called the destruction of a local wildlife corridor heartbreaking as builders cleared the land.Phil Shakespeare described the green strip as an oasis that offered calm beside an Asda store in Oldbury.He led residents in efforts to protect the site, but an appeal allowed plans for 60 homes to proceed in April.Developers have now flattened the area, and new aerial images show stark changes from last year.Local people raised concerns about wildlife loss, increased congestion and privacy issues.They also feared rising pollution from the nearby M5 motorway.Shakespeare said the felled trees once helped absorb harmful emissions from heavy…

U.S. authorities helped Peru seize about 10,000 shark fins destined for China, one of Latin America’s largest wildlife trafficking cases.Police arrested three men linked to a transnational network involved in illegal fishing and smuggling.Peru’s Organized Crime Investigation Division led the operation, targeting fins from threatened species including blue and thresher sharks. Cruel Trade Fuels Extinction Traffickers slice fins off live sharks, discarding them to die from blood loss, suffocation, or predation.Shark fins sell for up to $100 a bowl in Chinese cuisine, maintaining high profits for traffickers.The illegal wildlife trade generates up to $20 billion annually, rivaling drug and arms…

Johor introduces a two-pronged plan to tackle human-wildlife conflicts in high-risk areas.The state trains local communities with a new Community Wildlife Protection module developed by Perhilitan.The program equips residents to identify wildlife, follow safety measures, and report animal sightings correctly.Officials expect the module to boost preparedness and awareness, reducing risks from encounters with wild animals. Technology Enhances Wildlife Monitoring Perhilitan will deploy drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to track elephants, tigers, and other large species.Thermal imaging and aerial footage allow authorities to monitor wildlife quickly and safely, even at night.Drones expand coverage across wide areas, providing data for timely…

Montreat commissioners postponed a vote on a wildlife feeding ban during the Nov. 13 meeting.Town Manager Savannah Parrish said residents and commissioners voiced many concerns about the proposed ordinance.Parrish explained the ban aims to control bears, reduce encounters, and address public safety concerns.The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission recommended the ban, which would last at least one year before review.Commissioner Mason Blake said bear problems worsen every summer and require immediate attention.Residents reported at least four bear break-ins to homes this past summer.Commissioner Jane Alexander supports a one-year ban and suggests starting April 1 to allow preparation and public notification.Commissioner…

Activists described climate impacts in their home countries and demanded stronger youth representation in UN negotiations. Thousands of protesters marched to the gates of the COP30 UN climate conference in Belem, Brazil, staging a peaceful blockade. Brazilian youth groups, Indigenous communities, and climate activists joined the demonstration to call for urgent action. Rachelle Junsay from Climate Action Philippines said youth inherit the planet and feel frustrated by decisions made without their input. She criticized negotiators in air-conditioned rooms for excluding actual victims and affected communities. Protesters Return After Three-Year Pause Protesters demonstrated outside UN climate talks for the first time…

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit aiming to stop a December bear hunt. The agency cited its constitutional authority to manage wildlife as the basis for its request. Bear Warriors United filed the lawsuit in September and requested a temporary injunction to block the hunt, which could allow hunters to kill up to 172 bears in four regions. The commission submitted documents last week urging Judge Angela Dempsey to reject both the lawsuit and the injunction. The commission argued that the lawsuit attempts to interfere with its constitutional power to oversee wildlife…

Conservation organizations filed a lawsuit Monday against Alaska’s new bear-killing program aimed at boosting caribou numbers. The suit argues the plan violates the state constitution and lacks scientific support. The program, approved by the Alaska Board of Game in July, allows state employees to shoot brown and black bears from helicopters without tracking their population sustainability. The designated hunting zone spans an area roughly the size of Indiana and sets no kill limits. Legal Clash Over Bear Culls and Caribou Decline Trustees for Alaska filed the case on behalf of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance and the Center for Biological Diversity,…

Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in New Zealand warned it will euthanise five lions unless a buyer saves the park. Staff killed two lions last week due to severe, untreatable health conditions. Facility operator Janette Vallance said the decision was difficult, noting the cats were 18 to 21 years old. The sanctuary has struggled financially for decades and has been up for sale since August. Vallance described the remaining lions’ fate as a “glimmer of hope,” as potential buyers have expressed interest in caring for them. Hope Emerges Amid Uncertainty Vallance posted on Facebook that a “few individuals” want to purchase the…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to kill nearly 450,000 barred owls across Washington, Oregon, and California. Lawmakers in the Senate blocked a motion to stop the operation last week, allowing it to proceed. The agency finalized the plan in August 2024 to protect the threatened northern spotted owl, listed under both state and federal endangered species acts. Officials began managing spotted owl populations in the late 1970s after widespread habitat loss from logging reduced their numbers. The agency’s report linked a sharp population drop since 2008 to the spread of barred owls. These larger, more aggressive birds outcompete…