Free Republic

Thailand saves pangolins bound for China restaurants Nov. 10, 2007 BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai Customs officers said Saturday they have rescued more than 100 pangolins and arrested three men attempting to smuggle the endangered animals to China, where they were destined for the cooking pot. Customs officers Friday intercepted three pick-up trucks of pangolins, or scaly anteaters, which were to be smuggled across Laos to southwest China. The pangolins, worth an estimated one million baht (29,400 dollars), were trapped in the Indonesian jungle and smuggled via Malaysia and southern Thailand. "We investigated and found out that those pangolins are from...

On Thursday, January 26, 2006, the Athens Township Board will meet to address the dilemma posed by the Wildcat Sanctuary of Isanti County, Minnesota. Executive Director Tammy Quist launched the facility some five years ago to further the mission of providing a permanent, nonprofit home for abused, neglected, or discarded exotic wildcats. The sanctuary, which covers a 10-acre expanse, currently supports a population of 20 cats, ranging in size from the serval to the Bengal tiger that is at the crux of the zoning dispute. Ms. Quist returned to her home state of Minnesota, determined to found an organization that...

"Law enforcement officials are still considering whether to file charges against a North Brunswick man who fired shots at a bear he said tried to attack his family."The New Jersey town prohibits firing a firearm within 500 feet of a residence. Of course, if a bear is within 500 feet of your home and calls to the authorities have not previously addressed the problem of a big, hungry, black bear, then taking a shot at him is probably a good idea. After firing off a shot, the bear-chasing, gun-toting resident called the local police and officials from the state Division...