Tents, shelters for fighter jets and warehouses for military vehicles show increased Russian presence near one of NATO’s newest members.

Top officials from Britain and the European Union will gather in London on Monday. Here’s what to expect.

Field update from April 24 We collared a new female snow leopard a couple of days ago, but we weren’t able to match her to any of our known females from the cameras. She is most likely in the database; we just haven’t found her yet. It would be a bit surprising if the cameras didn’t detect her. Her ID is F19, and we suspect that she is pregnant. A quick update on our ibex trapping: we’re seeing lots of ibex activity at Buren’s well, where our cage trap is. This is a small well in a ravine where Buren usually waters his horses. Over the years, the ibex have learned there is often leftover water in the troughs. They go in and out of the specially-designed trap and seem completely habituated to it now. About 500 meters from our camp, there’s another water hole which has a solar-powered pump that brings up about 500 liters of water per day.  We have already set up the poles for the dropnet at that location and the ibex don’t mind them at all. Our dropnet was custom-made in Sweden with mesh small enough to prevent ibex hooves or horns from getting caught. Unfortunately, it rained a couple of days after we arrived. There haven’t been any ibex visits since. We’re hoping that there isn’t enough green grass yet and that the ibex will return before we pack up camp. It’s great to see that they have gotten used to the cage trap and do not show any fear of the poles for the net. It would be nice to test if they accept the net, too. Unfortunately, all it takes is one rain shower for the entire trapping season to fail. If that happens, we will have to adjust our plans. Field update from April 28 The same female snow leopard ended up getting caught again this morning and we got better photos of her. We can now confirm that she is the cat known as ‘Guierrero Cub 2’, born in 2020. This makes her a sister (or half-sister) to One-Eye (F14) and grandcub of Suhder (F1). She has definitely had cubs before, but I don’t think we have detected her with cubs on the cameras, which is a little strange.  Today, we tried to catch an ibex for the first time during this trip. It didn’t work. We hid in the wrong place, the ibex passed by close to us and saw us. An old female simply laid down and stared at us, waiting for us to leave before they went into the trap. Clever girl. Bird side note #1 – There has been a bit of pied wheatear drama surrounding our capture site. We caught F19 early in the morning on the 28th. But halfway into the capture, the sun rose, and a pair of pied wheatears began flying around us, seemingly upset that a snow leopard was in their territory. They circled us for at least half an hour, landing and making lots of noise until we left. We were joking that they probably were trying to tell us “That the thing in front of you is a snow leopard. They’re bloody lethal for Pete’s sake!” Poor birds arrived not long ago, established their breeding territory, and now there is a darn snow leopard in it. Field update from April 29 We collared another cat this morning. This one is F16, Oluula (which means Together in Mongolian). She is the daughter of F12 Wilian and grandcub of Anu. She and her siblings dispersed from F12 sometime this winter. Her aunt F11 used to reside just west of where we caught F16, but the cameras didn’t detect her this past autumn. We’d also like to be able to collar F11, too, if she is still around.  Our data shows that F16’s mother, F12, moved around a lot this winter but is now back in her territory. Perhaps she was just out on ‘vacation’ in the few months when she was without cubs. She will likely give birth to a new litter in a few weeks. It will be exciting to see if she uses the same cave den as she did for her last litter (F16 and her siblings).  Bird side note #2: We caught F16 in the early morning, and the same thing happened with the birds as last time. When the sun rose, the wheatear pair noticed the snow leopard and again flew around protesting loudly. Poor birds must have cursed their bad luck—the same three nitwits had brought another snow leopard to their territory.  When we left, we saw the tiny birds diving in towards the cat. I guess they saw an opportunity to scare it away. I feel kind of bad for the birds. If we catch a third cat in that snare, we may have to carry it away a bit. Otherwise, they’ll probably pack up and leave for a new territory that is not infested with snow leopards.  Note – pied wheaters are very small birds, like a sparrow, and can’t do any harm to a snow leopard.  Field update from May 1 We tried with the ibex again today but had no luck. In the afternoon, it started raining and thundering, so we gave up and hurried back to camp to save our trap monitoring system from any nearby lightning strikes. Now, there are small puddles of water everywhere in the mountains, so the ibex won’t come and drink for a couple of days. To be continued in June . . . NOTE: Why we collar cats Tracking snow leopards reveals crucial information about these elusive animals that we couldn’t learn any other way. The collars, typically programmed  to detach after 20 months, provide valuable information that directly shapes our conservation strategies to protect this endangered species. Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field, including new information about the cats on air.   Photos: SLCF-Mongolia  Acknowledgments: This long-term ecological study is in collaboration with Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation in Mongolia and Snow Leopard Trust, with special thanks to the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism, the Government of Mongolia, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences for their support. We would also like to acknowledge: Acton Family Giving, Bioparc Zoo de Doue la Fontaine, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park, John Ball Zoo, Kolmårdens Zoo, Korkeasaari Zoo, National Geographic Society, Nordens Ark, Parco Zoo Punta Verde, Play for Nature, Tierpark Berlin, The Big Cat Sanctuary/Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Tulsa Zoo, Whitley Fund for Nature, Zoo Basel, Zoo Dresden, Zoo New England and the many incredible partners who have supported programs like our Long-term Ecological Study and research in Mongolia since it began in 2008. We could not do this work without you. The post Two New Female Snow Leopards On Air appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

The project’s origins trace back to a capacity-building workshop held for community rangers in January 2023. As they discussed challenges in their daily work, B. Ganbold, a ranger from a community in the western Khovd province, proposed a simple yet powerful idea: create mobile ‘knowledge’ boxes filled with informative conservation materials that could travel between households. These “nomadic trunks” now serve as portable libraries, filled with carefully curated collections of books, games and educational guides suitable for all ages. But they’re more than just educational resources—they’re catalysts for community connection. In Mongolia’s remote landscapes, where neighbouring households are often many kilometers apart, community rangers serve as vital links between families. As they patrol their territories to gather crucial information about wildlife sightings and potential conservation concerns, they now haul these nomadic trunks to each household they visit. The practice weaves seamlessly into Mongolia’s cherished tradition of hospitality. As families welcome rangers with the customary salt milk tea, these visits become opportunities for meaningful exchange about local wildlife and conservation efforts. The contents of the trunks and the new visitor spark conversations, inspire learning and strengthen the bonds between rangers and their communities. The project has already placed trunks with two communities and seen promising early results. We’re working together with 33 communities across Mongolia, with each typically composed of 15 households. The Nomadic Trunk Project exemplifies how Mongolia’s traditional pastoral cultural heritage can enhance modern conservation efforts. Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field. Photo credits: SLCF-Mongolia Acknowledgments: We would like to thank IKI (Small grants) The International Climate Initiative by the German government for funding.  The post The Traveling Trunk: Mongolia’s Mobile Conservation Project appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

The villagers sprang into action. They immediately informed the wildlife department of the situation expressing deep concern about the welfare of the snow leopard cub. They realized that trying to scare the feral dogs away could cause the cub to run down the Stupa and fall prey to the pack. The community stood guard at a respectful distance of 50 meters around the stranded snow leopard cub to protect it while waiting for the wildlife rescue team. Their commitment to wildlife preservation shone through as they patiently awaited professional assistance instead of attempting to intervene themselves. Within just hours, the wildlife rescue team arrived to find the frightened cub safe thanks to the community’s vigilant protection. This powerful example showcases how communities and government agencies can work together to safeguard endangered species in conservation emergencies. To ensure its safety, the rescue team sedated the cub, carefully removed it from the top of the Stupa and kept it under observation in a trap-cage away from the village until nightfall. The cub was then returned to where it was first spotted and released from the cage. The team achieved the ultimate conservation victory at 8:30 pm when they witnessed mother and cub reuniting, the young snow leopard trailing behind its mother into the darkness.  Feral dogs trapped this ibex in the river for hours before the ibex managed to escape. While this story had a happy ending, that’s not always the case. Growing populations of feral dogs in snow leopard habitat are a rapidly emerging threat to snow leopards, livestock, and people. It’s believed that some herders lose more livestock to feral dogs today than snow leopards and wolves. These dogs can also carry severe diseases like rabies, which pose risks to both humans and snow leopards. Our partner communities in Spiti Valley are working to humanely address this conservation and human health hazard by sterilizing and vaccinating as many dogs as possible. This enormous undertaking requires extensive collaboration between local administrations and communities, as well as considerable funding. The good news is that together we can fund compassionate solutions to fix this problem. From now until June 11, we’re raising $15,000 to fund ongoing community efforts to spay, neuter and vaccinate feral dogs to protect snow leopards. Will you help?  Click here to make a gift today.  Photo credits: Tsewang Rigzin, Rhetick Sengupta, NCF-India This story from Khardong Village was initially reported to us by Karma Sonam, Director of Conservation for Ladakh. The post Compassionate Conservation: How one community saved a snow leopard cub from feral dogs appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

New Research: USDA Fails to Pursue Prosecutions of Slaughter Plants, Despite Repeat Violations Niki Thu, 05/22/2025 - 07:56 Photo by Farm Watch May 22, 2025 Washington, DC—Repeat violators of the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) continue to escape meaningful enforcement by the US Department of Agriculture, resulting in continued animal cruelty and suffering, according to a new report released today by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI).The report, titled “Humane Slaughter Update: Federal and State Oversight of the Welfare of Livestock at Slaughter,” builds on previous AWI reports by analyzing federal and state slaughter plant inspection records from between 2019 and 2022, during which time an estimated 38.5 billion birds and 660 million livestock (cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats) were killed for food in the United States alone.The records offer a rare and important window into the myriad problems associated with US slaughter operations, including using excessive force to herd animals; mistreating disabled animals; failing to properly stun animals on the first (or even second, third, or fourth) attempt; and (consequently) shackling, hoisting, or cutting animals while they remain conscious.Despite this egregious abuse, the USDA has declined to initiate any criminal prosecutions for inhumane slaughter against any of the more than 800 licensed federal plants since at least 2007 and remains unwilling to report incidents to local law enforcement officials for potential prosecution under state anticruelty laws. No state has pursued criminal prosecution of an individual or company for engaging in inhumane slaughter during this period, either, according to AWI’s analysis.AWI worked diligently for passage of the original HMSA in 1958 and for a 1978 amendment that provided for enforcement, and has filed multiple petitions and lawsuits over the years to try to compel the USDA to properly enforce the law. Unfortunately, the USDA’s longstanding position is to encourage voluntary industry adoption of many of the best practices related to humane handling, which has proven to be ineffective. Shamefully, the USDA also interprets the law to exclude birds, despite the fact that these animals constitute the vast majority of animals killed for food in this country.“By keeping slaughter operations hidden, the meat and poultry industries can shield consumers from the horrific conditions endured by billions of farmed animals each year,” said Zack Strong, the report’s co-author and director and senior attorney for AWI’s Farmed Animal Program. “Our analysis shows a pattern of blatant disregard for animal well-being at slaughter and a lack of follow-through from the one federal department empowered to change it.”In one example, over the course of about a year and a half, federal inspectors documented 122 instances of dead “bob veal” calves (typically less than three weeks old) found in transport trucks arriving from California to the Ida Meats slaughter plant in Idaho. Inspection reports indicated that approximately 4,000 calves suffered and died during these incidents; yet, the records offer no evidence that the USDA initiated an investigation, attempted to contact the trucking company or calf supplier, or notified local law enforcement.In another example, over the course of about two years, USDA personnel in the Swift Pork Company slaughter plant in Iowa documented nearly 250 occasions of excessive use of electrical prods, paddles, pokers, and other animal handling implements. Inspection records indicate that the abuse was occurring both on-farm and at the slaughter plant, with tens of thousands of animals affected. While the USDA did report the situation to the Iowa state veterinarian, there is no evidence that the department or the veterinarian notified local law enforcement about the potential criminal mistreatment.Although the USDA has declined to pursue criminal prosecution, it has taken stronger administrative actions against slaughter plants. From 2019 through 2022, nine federal plants were suspended or threatened with suspension three or more times within one year: Abattoir Associates in Spring Mills, PA; Alaska Interior Meats in North Pole, AK; Bay Area Ranchers’ Cooperative in Petaluma, CA; Nelson’s Meat Processing in Milton, WV, Northwest Premium Meats in Nampa, ID; Powell Meat Company in Clinton, MO; Pudliner Packing in Johnstown, PA, The Pork Company in Warsaw, NC; and Working H Meats in Friendsville, MD.In theory, the economic consequences of a plant being suspended should serve as a deterrent to future offenses. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, since plants—particularly large ones—are typically shut down for only a short period of time, often less than one day.Other key findings in AWI’s report:Federal humane slaughter enforcement has remained relatively stable, while state enforcement continues to rise, but the level varies dramatically by state. For instance, 10 of the 29 states operating meat inspection programs issued no plant suspensions for humane slaughter violations from 2019 through 2022, while two states (Ohio and Wisconsin) issued more than a dozen suspensions. Alabama has not provided state enforcement records to AWI over the past decade.“Custom-exempt” plants, which kill and process animals for personal noncommercial use, are essentially excused from regular federal and state inspection. In fact, years may go by without a custom plant’s slaughter operations being observed for compliance with humane handling and slaughter requirements. In one example from 2020, an inspector at the custom Sanchez Slaughterhouse in Hawai’i documented a large hog being shot five time before the animal was rendered unconscious for slaughter. After each unsuccessful attempt, the worker prolonged the animal’s pain by leaving the stunning area to retrieve another cartridge from a nearby vehicle. The worker commented to the inspector: “It’s custom, guy. No need to worry about it.” The plant was issued a notice of suspension by the USDA, but the incident reveals a lack of worker knowledge about humane handling requirements.Similarly, federal and state inspection personnel continue to demonstrate unfamiliarity with the federal humane slaughter directive, as evidenced by their failure to consistently take appropriate enforcement actions (e.g., merely engaging in nonregulatory discussions with plants over federal humane slaughter violations).Among AWI’s recommendations:The USDA should revise the federal humane slaughter regulations, such as by requiring that all animal stunning devices be routinely tested, workers be formally trained in humane handling and slaughter, and functional backup stunning devices be available.To hold repeat offenders properly accountable, the USDA should establish a policy of escalating penalties, including longer suspension periods.The USDA and state departments of agriculture should cooperate with state and local law enforcement agencies in pursuing criminal animal cruelty charges for incidents of willful animal abuse. Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

The Project Life Cycle: Partnering with Local and Indigenous Peoples

New Poll: Consumers Overwhelmingly Support Meaningful Standards for “Humanely Raised” Food Label Niki Fri, 05/30/2025 - 12:56 Photo by Bob Nichols May 30, 2025 Washington, DC—Eighty-eight percent of American consumers believe that claims such as “humanely raised” or “sustainably farmed” on meat and poultry products should be based on meaningful, measurable standards, according to a newly released survey.The online survey of more than 2,000 US adults was conducted this month by The Harris Poll on behalf of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). Since 2010, AWI has commissioned five polls evaluating consumer attitudes about the claims used on meat and poultry packaging; in every survey, at least 80% of respondents agreed that food producers should not be allowed to use the claim “humanely raised” on their meat or poultry product labels unless the producers exceed minimum industry animal care standards.Surveys conducted by other organizations similarly have found that American consumers are increasingly aware of, and concerned about, how animals raised for food are treated.“Consumers overwhelmingly agree that the meat and poultry industry should no longer be allowed to set its own definition of ‘humanely raised’ and charge a premium for products that have not been independently verified as higher welfare,” said Zack Strong, director of AWI’s Farmed Animal Program. “Our survey results consistently show that the public demands stronger government regulation of animal-raising claims.”For more than a decade, AWI has been the leading national nonprofit organization that routinely monitors the use of animal welfare claims such as “humanely raised” on meat and poultry packages, documenting in multiple reports how the US Department of Agriculture is failing consumers by continuing to allow deceptive marketing practices.AWI’s most recent analysis, “Deceptive Consumer Labels,” found that 85% of the label claims reviewed by the USDA from 2019 to 2021 lacked meaningful substantiation, with inadequate or no evidence provided to support use of the claim. Other highlights of the May survey:More than 4 in 5 Americans (84%) agree that the government should not allow the use of claims like “humanely raised” on food labels unless producers are independently inspected and verified. A similar proportion (81%) believe that holistic animal-raising claims such as “humanely raised” should not be defined by a single factor (e.g., “vegetarian fed”), as currently permitted by the USDA.Seven in ten Americans (70%) agree that claims such as “humanely raised” or “sustainably farmed” found on meat and poultry product packages help them decide what products to purchase.To help consumers locate products from farms where animals are raised to higher-welfare standards, AWI provides a comprehensive guide to animal-raising claims commonly found on meat, egg, and dairy products. There is also an abundance of cruelty-free, plant-based options available to people and their companion animals.Survey Method:This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of AWI from May 8-12, 2025, among 2,087 adults ages 18+. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.