[Animal smuggling has grown to a £6bn-a-year criminal industry, and is exceeded only by the drugs and arms trades. Its illicit profits are a major source of funding for terrorist and militia groups, including al-Qa'ida, and the snaring and slaughtering of animals is driving dozens of species to the brink of extinction]

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-1636bn-trade-in-animal-smuggling-2233608.html

Animal smuggling has grown to a £6bn-a-year criminal industry, and is exceeded only by the drugs and arms trades. Its illicit profits are a major source of funding for terrorist and militia groups, including al-Qa'ida, and the snaring and slaughtering of animals is driving dozens of species to the brink of extinction

I never heard of a Rhinocerous Viper. I googled it and saw how beautiful they are! I'd post the pic but I don't want to freak anybody out.   

Uh huh, you know I had to google it too! Ewwwwwww, NO!!!

I never heard of them but boy they are so CUTE!!!

[Animal smuggling has grown to a £6bn-a-year criminal industry, and is exceeded only by the drugs and arms trades. Its illicit profits are a major source of funding for terrorist and militia groups, including al-Qa'ida, and the snaring and slaughtering of animals is driving dozens of species to the brink of extinction]

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-1636bn-trade-in-animal-smuggling-2233608.html

Animal smuggling has grown to a £6bn-a-year criminal industry, and is exceeded only by the drugs and arms trades. Its illicit profits are a major source of funding for terrorist and militia groups, including al-Qa'ida, and the snaring and slaughtering of animals is driving dozens of species to the brink of extinction

MR T


 

another visit from Mr T.
By Main cam. He stayed for 15 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guFU6ufruTU#

One is baaaaack!!!

Key your eye out for a 3rd!!!

Are there THREE PeFas in Rochester?  ???

Oh no Annette, as margaret said, I just wanted Mark to keep an eye out for Archer while the watchers are away in Buffalo.

Two falcons at Mercury's base right now.

Thanks Mark, most of the watchers went to Buffalo today!! Key your eye out for a 3rd!!!

We should take what politicians say publicly with a grain of salt. There's always a hidden agenda.

The mere fact that there needs to be a law to make the shooting of research bears illegal says to us that there are people out there who are ready and willing to shoot them, and these are the people who will oppose such a law. They will use whatever influence they have (read: money) to convince the politicians to not pass the bill. Of course the politicians will never publicly say that they will shoot down the bill because they need the money to get reelected and further their political ambitions. Instead, they will come up with some excuse like their concern for poor hunters who accidentally shoot research bears, or the rights of gun owners, blah, blah, blah.

You said a mouthful....so true, so true! So sad!

Mr T at nest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAgog7TplgU#

I like this one Ei!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvyVENrDWxw# MR Peeps and his pigs! They can't be that TAME!!

!! Inspecting The Ledge
February 24, 2011 - Toronto - Uptown Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:

Lyn Reports:

Update Yonge and Eglinton Peregrines 20110224
Returning from shopping on Yonge street, I glanced skyward looking for our pair of Peregrine falcons.
I was in luck. Two of them flew up to the nest building and one landed on that same railing, as before, on the NE corner of the building.  No binoculars again. I hastened to the corner assured myself that it was really a peregrine and dashed home for the binoculars.
On returning to the YE corner I found the peregrine still perched in the same spot. I had a bit of bother getting colour but did finally see the buffy chest (and full crop) and so determined this to be the female. I watched her for a while and also looked around for the male. I did not see him for a few minutes.
As I was walking along Eglinton towards Duplex Av I saw him come from somewhere around the black building over the TTC bus garage. He flew straight onto the nest ledge! I continued walking and stopping to watch for his exit and was rewarded after roughly three minutes. He flew off the nest ledge, straight over Eglinton and my head and landed on the Rio-Can building. I had to move then.
I walked all the way over to the Ambulance ramp near the bus garage and stood there. After roughly fifteen minutes the female flew over to the Rio-Can building and landed one floor above him.
For a long time neither of them did anything. Then the female preened a bit and then just sat. The male just sat the whole time I was out there. He also had a full crop. I also saw the remains of a recent meal where I was standing. A small white feather, spinal column with two ribs attached! Nothing else. I think it may have been blown off the roof of the black building.
The female took flight and flew towards me then curved behind (south side of) the nest building, up Yonge street, across Eglinton ave and landed back on the Rio-Can building about five floors up from the male, who just sat!!!!
After an hour and twenty minutes of observation I left.
Half an hour later I had to go to the bank and when I checked on the peregrines they were in their same spots. The male was just sitting and the female was busy preening.

Kris, do you know how to put this on Facebook? It deserves a MASSIVE distribution!!! And my FB skills are poor... Anyone??

Bobbie, it's on fb already...the Lily site!