Animals

The Healing Power Of A Horse

Sean Hurley — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:49:20 +0000

Animals have long played a part in human therapy and healing; from dogs trained to assist the disabled, to all manner of animals making visits to hospitals and nursing homes. For one Vermont woman, it’s a horse that’s helped her heal; not from physical ailments, but from the emotional and spiritual scars of abuse. Sean Hurley brings us her story.

Forget Dogs...How About Therapy Llamas?

Taylor Quimby — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:46:48 +0000

There are many ways to ease the pangs of loneliness, illness, and old age –among them, spending time with a friendly animal companion. More than ten thousand animals are currently registered as care workers in the United States - only fourteen of them however, are llamas. I recently spoke with llama trainer Niki Kuklenski of J.N.K. Llamas about how this unusual animal is playing a role in human therapy.

Check out a video from Colors Magazine that shows Niki's llamas in action.

African Elephants Declining Rapidly

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

EarthTalk®
E - The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: How are populations of African elephants faring these days? What conservation efforts are underway and are they working?-- Libby Broullette, Salem, MA

Baby Black Bears Nursed Back To Health

Sara Plourde and Jenny Attiyeh — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

It's cuddly work, but someone has to do it.

The Kilhams are those someones. Last spring, black bear specialist Benjamin Kilham, his wife Debbie, and his sister Phoebe, who together operate a bear rehabilitation sanctuary near Lyme, New Hampshire, took on the care of twenty orphaned black bear cubs - much higher than their usual number of charges.

The 'De-Extinction' Movement

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

EarthTalk®
E - The Environmental Magazine

National Wildlife Week, March 18-24

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 05:00:00 +0000

EarthTalk®
E - The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: What is the purpose of National Wildlife Week, which I understand will take place in March 2013? -- Melissa P., Burlington, NJ

Keeping Pets Healthy

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:01:03 +0000

EarthTalk®
E - The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: What are some tips for keeping my dogs and cats healthy?-- Kim Newfield, via e-mail

Believe it or not, our pets may be exposed to more harsh chemicals through the course of their day than we are. Researchers at the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that pet dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people.

High Tech Ways To Track Pets

Virginia Prescott — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:42:39 +0000

Today when dogs do a disappearing act, infrared cameras, tracking devices, and social media help owners keep tabs on wandering pets. These security technologies are a growing part of the 56-billion dollars spent annually on America’s pets.

Gorilla Tourism's Downside

Virginia Prescott — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:06:34 +0000

More than three decades ago, the Mountain Gorilla project started a tourism project to save the threatened gorilla population from poaching. The project hired poachers as park rangers and demonstrated that live gorillas were much more valuable as tourist attractions than dead ones. Since then, gorilla tourism has added hundreds of millions of foreign tourist dollars to state coffers in Central Africa, and the great ape populations have seen a modest rebound.

The Discovery of Singing Mice

Taylor Quimby — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:01:10 +0000

Recent studies out of Duke University have discovered that everyone’s favorite lab rat, the humble mouse, has a penchant for singing – and more importantly, singing in tune...in a way. Producer Taylor Quimby is Word of Mouth’s always willing investigator of strange science, and he has the story.
Check out Cinderella's singing mice. They are true heroes:

The Endangered Species Act -- Success or Failure?

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 04:00:00 +0000

EarthTalk®
E - The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Do environmentalists think the Endangered Species Act has been a success or failure with regard to protecting biodiversity in the U.S.?-- Ron McKnight, Trenton, NJ

Word of Mouth 7.21.2012

Virginia Prescott — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 03:00:00 +0000

Part 1: A Horse of Exactly the Same Color and Jumping for Gold...Someday
Produced with Zach Nugent

ZOOsk

Virginia Prescott — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:13:19 +0000

Zoos use online dating methods to profile and pair species together.

Wind Turbines and Bird Conflicts

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 04:00:00 +0000

EarthTalk®
E - The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: One of the objections to wind power has been that the turbines can kill birds. Has there been some progress in developing bird-friendly wind power? -- Marcie Mahoney, Boston, MA

An inherent danger?

Virginia Prescott — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:25:04 +0000

A court ruling in Maryland raises questions about whether pitbulls should be illegal to own.