Vegetarian Star

Barack Obama has incited the criticism of activists after his proposal to lift a 24 year ban on commercial whaling in Japan, Norway and Iceland. The administration argues that doing so will save more whales and countries will not attempt to use loopholes to hunt them and instead be required to follow strict reporting procedures of their whaling activity to governments.

The proposal would allow the countries to continue hunting whales in reduced numbers and also wants them to participate in a whale DNA registry.

Environmental groups aren’t buying it, and have already pressured Obama to withdraw his support before the Whaling Commission votes on June 20.

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From now until July 4th, Bob Barker has agreed to match all donations in PETA’s drive to raise $250,000 by that date, which will go towards an even bigger challenge of eventually raising $2 million.

PETA writes on the donation site:

“We know our online donors are some of the most generous and rapid responders to these challenges, and we decided to start with this group of loyal supporters first in our attempt to raise the full challenge amount.”

Standard gift suggestions are given as $25, $50 and $100, but there is an optional box for those who wish to give other amounts.

The vegetarian former Price is Right host gave money to help renovate a building for the organization’s Los Angeles headquarters and said it was the most, “effective and most productive of all animal rights or animal welfare groups in the world.”

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Salma Hayek got a little nervous when a snake decided it wanted 15 minutes of fame and crawled onto the set during an interview. Watch as the hilarity ensues.

According to EcoViews, Salma should appreciate the slithering creature, as snakes are a part of a healthy ecosystem, since their presence as top of the food chain carnivores means other species numbers are being kept in check.

There are ways to recognize a poisonous snake from a friendly food chain checker looking for Hollywood attention, and a nice diagram that illustrates these differences can be found here. A summary of those differences, such as a triangular versus round head, according to a page from Colorado State University:

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Sharkwater

Sharkwater, a documentary about the practice of finning, recently premiered in Hong Kong. The film follows the journeys of director Rob Stewart, as he fights poachers and reaches out to others in the activist community like Captain Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd Conservation. The DVD release of the film is also available in the U.S.

During finning, a shark’s fins are cut off while it is still alive, and the shark is thrown back into the ocean to die. Hawaii has recently become the first state in the U.S. to ban this “delicacy” which is often made in the form of soup.

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Betty White has worked with the Morris Animal Foundation for years, and the organization has established the Betty White Wildlife Rapid Response Fund, which gives wildlife researchers money to aid in times of disasters, such as that of the Gulf Coast oil spill.

Dr. Randall Wells of the Chicago Zoological Society’s Dolphin Research and Conservation Institute, based at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, will examine the effects of the oil spill on about 160 bottlenose dolphins living on the Sarasota Bay off the Gulf of Mexico.

There is already data on this community of dolphins, and the Betty White Wildlife Rapid Response Fund will now aid researchers to gather data after the spill.

“There is a long history of research on this population of dolphins,” says Patricia Olson, DVM, PhD, president/CEO of MAF. “This project has a great chance of documenting the effects of severe and chronic oil pollution in this species and many more animals affected by pollution found in the ocean.”

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Jenna Jameson has recorded a PSA for PETA for their McCruelty “I’m Hatin’ It” campaign against McDonald’s for the fast food giant’s refusal to switch to a less painful method of slaughtering its chickens, Controlled Atmosphere Killing.

In addition to Jameson’s PSA below, there is an interview session where she encourages people to make small differences in their lives by at least reducing the amounts of animal based products they consume.

“You don’t have to become a vegetarian if it’s too much for you. Just small steps. Cut out the (chicken) nuggets. Cut out leather products.”

“Most people out there have compassion for animals. And you don’t really have to watch the things that make you cry or hurt you, but for me that’s what changed me. I needed to watch those things,” she says regarding footage of animals in factory farms and slaughter houses, which made her boycott McDonald’s.

Watch the PSA below.

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Bob Harper. Credit: LA Times

Bob Harper has a new sidekick who’d make a great addition to his fitness DVDs or help cheer on the contestants on his team on The Biggest Loser.

The dog is a  rescue animal from Animal Advocates Alliance, according to the LA Times.

At first Harper was reluctant to take in “Karl,” given his busy schedule, but after one encounter with the black and white pup, there was no turning back. Harper used the opportunity to voice his support for animal shelters and warn against going to a mill.

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Angus Alan Douglas Douglas-Hamilton

Scotland’s 15th Duke, Angus Alan Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, has died after a long battle with dementia, at the age of 71.

According to the Daily Express, The Duke of Hamilton was an animal rights activist who divided much of his time between campaigns and racing cars.

He once boycotted Edinburg’s Jenner stores because they refused to stop selling foie gras and enlisted the help of an ex-SAS officer to rescue bull terrier puppies from a dog fighting gang.

He even encountered a little bit of resistance from law enforcement, as he was questioned for his involvement with the liberation of a dog that was condemned to die under the Dangerous Dogs Act, a piece of legislation created as a response to attacks on people by dogs deemed aggressive or dangerous.

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