#National Heritage Areas Program

[reasonsforhope]

Camera-trapping data revealed in a new study show a steady recovery of tigers in Thailand’s Western Forest Complex over the past two decades.

The tiger recovery has been mirrored by a simultaneous increase in the numbers of the tigers’ prey animals, such as sambar deer and types of wild cattle.

The authors attribute the recovery of the tigers and their prey to long-term efforts to strengthen systematic ranger patrols to control poaching as well as efforts to restore key habitats and water sources.

Experts say the lessons learnt can be applied to support tiger recovery in other parts of Thailand and underscore the importance of the core WEFCOM population as a vital source of tigers repopulating adjacent landscapes.

The tiger population density in a series of protected areas in western Thailand has more than doubled over the past two decades, according to new survey data.

Thailand is the final stronghold of the Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti), the subspecies having been extirpated from neighboring Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam over the past decade due to poaching, habitat loss and indiscriminate snaring...

Fewer than 200 tigers are thought to remain in Thailand’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, only a handful of which are sufficiently undisturbed and well-protected to preserve breeding tigers. 

The most important of these protected areas for tigers is the Huai Kha Khaeng Thung Yai (HKK-TY) UNESCO World Heritage Site, which comprises three distinct reserves out of the 17 that make up Thailand’s Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM). Together, these three reserves — Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thungyai Naresuan West and Thungyai Naresuan East — account for more than a third of the entire WEFCOM landscape.

Now, a new study published in Global Ecology and Conservation documents a steady recovery of tigers within the HKK-TY reserves since camera trap surveys began in 2007. The most recent year of surveys, which concluded in November 2023, photographed 94 individual tigers, up from 75 individuals in the previous year, and from fewer than 40 in 2007.

Healthy tiger families  

The study findings reveal that the tiger population grew on average 4% per year in Hua Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest and longest-protected of the reserves, corresponding to an increase in tiger density from 1.3 tigers per 100 square kilometers, to 2.9 tigers/100 km2. 

“Tiger recoveries in Southeast Asia are few, and examples such as these highlight that recoveries can be supported outside of South Asia, where most of the good news [about tigers] appears to come from,” said Abishek Harihar, tiger program director for Panthera, the global wildcat conservation organization, who was not involved in the study.

Among the camera trap footage gathered in HKK-TY over the years were encouraging scenes of healthy tiger families, including one instance of a mother tiger and her three grownup cubs lapping water and lounging in a jacuzzi-sized watering hole. The tiger family stayed by the water source for five days during the height of the dry season.

The team of researchers from Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Kasetsart University, and India’s Center for Wildlife Studies deployed camera traps at more than 270 separate locations throughout the HKK-TY reserves, amassing 98,305 days’ worth of camera-trap data over the 19-year study period.

Using software that identifies individual tigers by their unique stripe patterns, they built a reference database of all known tigers frequenting the three reserves. A total of 291 individual tigers older than 1 year were recorded, as well as 67 cubs younger than 1 year [over the course of the study].

Ten of the tigers were photographed in more than one of the reserves, indicating their territories straddled the reserve boundaries. The authors conclude that each of the three reserves has a solid breeding tiger population and that, taken together, the HKK-TY landscape is a vital source of tigers that could potentially repopulate surrounding areas where they’ve been lost. This is supported by cases of known HKK-TY tigers dispersing into neighboring parts of WEFCOM and even across the border into Myanmar.

Conservation efforts pay off

Anak Pattanavibool, study co-author and Thailand country director at the Wildlife Conservation Society, told Mongabay that population models that take into account the full extent of suitable habitat available to tigers within the reserves and the likelihood that some tigers inevitably go undetected by camera surveys indicate there could be up to 140 tigers within the HKK-YT landscape.

Anak told Mongabay the tiger recovery is a clear indication that conservation efforts are starting to pay off. In particular, long-term action to strengthen systematic ranger patrols to control poaching as well as efforts to boost the tigers’ prey populations seem to be working, he said.

“Conservation success takes time. At the beginning we didn’t have much confidence that it would be possible [to recover tiger numbers], but we’ve been patient,” Anak said. For him, the turning point came in 2012, when authorities arrested and — with the aid of tiger stripe recognition software — prosecuted several tiger-poaching gangs operating in Huai Kha Khaeng. “These cases sent a strong message to poaching gangs and they stopped coming to these forests,” he said."

...ranger teams have detected no tiger poaching in the HKK-TY part of WEFCOM since 2013.

-via Mongabay News, July 17, 2024

[kcinpa]

As mentioned in my other Project 2025 post, I've been looking for a shortish summary of the environmental impacts. This article covers the parts related to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). NOAA encompasses the National Weather Service (NWS). The American public gets weather forecasts and severe weather warnings for free - I mean, we pay taxes to support NWS work and they give us the results for free. Your weather app, your local TV weather forecast is all based on NWS data.

Well, Project 2025 doesn't want it to be free anymore. No they want you to pay commercial companies for the privilege of knowing about approaching tornadoes.

The gist of the linked article is that Project 2025's goals around NOAA are:

Protect the profits of the fossil fuel industry by eliminating the ability of NOAA to research and report on the climate crisis and by restricting the permitting of wind farms.

Protect the profit of commercial weather services by eliminating features that Americans get now from the National Weather Service and making Americans reliant on for-profit forecasts.

Protect the profit of commercial fishermen by eliminating offices that oversee protected areas and weakening rules around causing harm to the environment and endangered animals.

Sounds fabulous. Add to that Trump's plans to repeal all of Joe Biden's massive climate programs (seriously, Biden passed the largest climate change law in history, through a 50-50 Senate btw) and Trump's promise to open up more federal lands (including ANWR) to oil and gas drilling, and even freaking coal mining.

Yeah if you care about the climate crisis, or like knowing the weather forecast, vote Democrat.

[olowan-waphiya]

Tribal Leaders Sign Historic Co-Stewardship Agreement with National Forest Service in the Black Hills

“This landmark co-stewardship effort will feature storytelling in various formats at the Pactola/He Sapa Visitor Center, educating the larger public and helping current and future generations of Native People connect with their own creation stories and cultural identities.

On June 6, leaders of the Cheyenne River, Standing Rock, Oglala, Rosebud, and Crow Creek Sioux Tribes gathered in the He Sapa — the Black Hills — to sign an historic Memorandum of Understanding at the newly renamed Pactola/He Sapa Visitor Center with U.S. Forest Service officials. Together, they’re beginning a process of sharing Indigenous cultural heritage with visitors from all over the world. Leaders said that they want to see young, Native children visit the Black Hills and experience the importance of the landscape with a deep understanding of their own heritage.

Previously known as the Pactola Visitor Center, the seasonal facility welcomes more than 40,000 visitors annually from Memorial Day through Labor Day — and approximately another three million people pass through the area each year.

This effort has been several years in the making, though the process hit a snag during the Trump years. When tribal leaders initially proposed the concept to the U.S. Forest Service in 2018, the idea was heard but not taken seriously. Persistence pays, however, and the efforts of many relatives and allies eventually led the Forest Service to agree.

We hope this is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s critical that Lakota — and all Indigenous — stories and history be shared from an authentic perspective with those who visit our homelands. To that end, please stay tuned this summer. I can’t tell you too much about it yet, but we’ll soon be launching an ambitious program that can help ensure Native stories are told — and Native tribes are funded — on occupied Indigenous homelands across Turtle Island. “

Via the Lakota People’s Law Project

[justinspoliticalcorner]

John Knefel at MMFA:

The Heritage Foundation — lead organizer of Project 2025, a sprawling effort to provide policy and staffing for a second Trump administration — recently promoted an apprenticeship program that opens up workers to increased exploitation. Heritage also criticized President Joe Biden for ensuring that most federal infrastructure contracting projects are covered by collective bargaining agreements.

In an article headlined, “Harris, Walz Policy Records Undermine Pro-Worker Rhetoric,” Heritage argues for a return to Trump-era apprenticeship policies that left new workers vulnerable by creating a two-tier workforce, and it disparages unions as detrimental to the working class. The result is standard-fare for the conservative think tank, which regularly attacks unions and promotes anti-worker policies like so-called right-to-work laws, which starve unions of funds by denying them the ability to collect fees from all the workers they represent.  As head of Project 2025, Heritage has waged an all-out campaign against unions and the entire working class. The effort’s policybook — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise — calls for the dismantling of New Deal-era wins for organized labor by carving out state-level exceptions to the National Labor Relations Act. It would also eviscerate overtime regulations and open the door to increased child labor exploitation.

The new article furthers Heritage’s broadside against organized labor, even while masquerading as being pro-worker. Heritage criticizes what it characterizes as “the Biden-Harris Administration’s multi-front assault against apprenticeship programs,” specifically the administration’s cancellation of “new Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs,” or IRAPS, “that were training people in high-demand areas like nursing and technology, which now face significant workforce shortages.” In fact, IRAPs were a Trump-era policy that created a new class of apprenticeship programs that were controlled and overseen by employers — rather than the Department of Labor — and loosened standards meant to protect workers. As the progressive think tank The Roosevelt Institute wrote in response to the Trump-era rule, IRAPs are “likely to lead to a proliferation of programs that are lower-quality,” and could allow employers to exploit “loopholes in minimum wage laws.”

[...] This new salvo from Heritage is just the latest example of right-wing media pretending to endorse a pro-worker agenda, only to advance policies that benefit employers at the expense of labor.

The Heritage Foundation= enemies of workers’ rights.

[noctivagantpodcast]

I Live On Stolen Land

Consider donating to one of these wonderful charities dedicated to preserving the cultures, livelihoods, rights, and dignity of Indigenous peoples.

First Nations Development Institute. Information taken from their 'Our Programs' page: Grantmaker dedicated to addressing financial inequality and its many, many negative impacts. In additional to financial aid, FNDI provides job training and participates in policy-making and advocacy, often focusing on environmental concerns, food insecurity, and tribal sovereignty. Some examples of current projects include "Fortifying Our Forests" AKA restoring and protecting sacred land in partnership with the Forest Service, Native Language Immersion Initiative AKA ensuring the survival of Native languages, and Native Farm To School AKA connecting Native youth with traditional means of growing and harvesting food.

Native American Rights Fund A registered non-profit that provides legal representation in matters of Native interest, be that a single individual or an entire tribe. Since their inception, they have won cases that made critical contributions to the advancement of Native rights in the United States. Their efforts have helped uphold tribal sovereignty, compelled museums, universities, and other institutions to return the remains of Native ancestors, and protected the voting rights of pretty much everyone.

Redhawk Native American Arts Council This organization's primary focus is on the preservation of Native American arts through educational programs. We can also thank them for granting scholarships to Native students seeking higher education, and for running a youth program which aims to help Urban Indigenous youth connect with their heritage through the arts.

Seventh Generation Fund A "fiscal sponsor" for smaller community groups that are run by and for Native tribes/individuals, with the focus of preserving heritage and defending tribal sovereignty, as well as continued survival post-genocide. One example of their work is the Flicker Fund, a disaster fund dedicated to supporting Indigenous communities during times of crisis, be that a pandemic, extreme weather, or a severe drought. Another is the Traditions Bearers Fellowship, which provides financial support to tribal community members who carry on pre-colonization traditions.

Quiluete Move To Higher Ground Stephanie Meyer committed a serious of egregious acts of cultural appropriation and exploitation, and made a very large fortune off a very real tribe. This very real tribe now finds themselves living in a tsunami zone and unable to afford a move to a safer area. As of 2022, the move of the Tribal School, the most important phase, is complete, but there's much more work to be done.

Indigenous Women Rising Abortion Fund A fund to provide Native individuals and family access to abortion care, menstrual hygiene supplies, and midwifery. Here are two separate articles verifying their status as the ONLY indigenous specific (and Indigenous led) abortion fund. For more information on how the destruction of Roe V Wade has negatively impacted Indigenous women, look here and here.

South Dakota Historical Society Foundation So, this isn't a Native led or Native specific organization, but, they work closely with Indigenous communities in South Dakota to preserve their heritage alongside the state's history. I recently had a lovely conversation with one of their representatives about the Ghost Shirt their society is sheltering until such a time as the tribe it rightfully belongs to can house it safely. Article about the shirt's repatriation with some cool info on the shirt's history is here.

[polyamorouspunk]

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, I asked my friend and fellow activist for some resources related to MMIW. They were kind enough to send me some links to organizations focused on the subject in our area of NC, which I’ll be linking here as well:

https://www.instagram.com/ndncollective?igsh=MWM5ZHh2YnBoZ3NxNQ==

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Red Nation (@therednationmovement)

Our local scene stays in touch largely through Instagram, where our group chat and a lot of our DMs are hosted, which is why a lot of these links are Instagram.

Here are some national-level resources on the topic as well for those who are interested in looking either outside of Instagram or North Carolina:

You can also follow my friend and fellow activist Darian on Instagram:

[odinsblog]

Donald Trump took the stage in Greensboro, N.C. last Saturday calling for rounding up millions of Latinos across America and putting them in mass detention camps as part of “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” Unfortunately, this kind of rhetoric has become so common among the MAGA Republican playlist that it’s tempting to see it as a joke. But that wasn’t just somebody’s racist grandfather running off at the mouth or a standup comedian with bad taste playing to the crowd. My parents and grandparents would have called it a dog whistle, but my generation should know it’s a bullhorn. But whatever you call it, it was calculated, drafted, tested and approved as part of the far-right Project 2025 plan to turn back the clock on civil rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights and democracy itself. It was the white Christian nationalist agenda on full public display in all its un-American glory and we can’t afford to take it lightly.

Now, if you haven’t heard about Project 2025, don’t feel bad. Most people haven’t. Founded in 2022 by the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation, it’s an organization led by Trump insiders preparing for one nation under Trump if the twice impeached and four times indicted former president wins the November election and to call them dangerous is an understatement.

What do you think about overhauling federal law enforcement so that the Department of Justice and the FBI, designed to be independent and insulated from political influence, were controlled directly by a newly elected and emboldened President Trump so he could protect his minions from investigation, arrest and prosecution no matter how many laws they broke? Project 2025 loves the idea.

Want to bypass the Senate confirmation process and stop notifying Congress when we sell weapons to foreign governments? Project 2025 does. What about terminating every diversity, equity and inclusion program in the federal government? Project 2025 says right on. What do you think about invoking martial law, using the military as local law enforcement and locking up Trump opponents? Project 2025 calls that progress.

But how do they plan on doing all this? After all, the federal government is more than just one person in the Oval Office. Trump already learned that lesson when federal employees and even some of his own appointees refused to break the law just because he said so.

But Project 2025 has a solution to that roadblock. They call it Schedule F and it’s a plan to fire as many as 50,000 federal employees and replace them with dyed-in-the-wool MAGA fanatics who swear their loyalty not to America or the Constitution but to Donald J. Trump. They’re not even trying to keep it a secret. But why would they?

You see, Project 2025 isn’t confused about who they are. They’re the MAGA Manifesto committed to the unapologetic vision of right-wing nationalism and they don’t care who knows it. Let’s be honest, these guys are attacking President Biden for pushing “racial equity in every area of our national life, including in employment.” Is that supposed to be a bad thing? Are we supposed to think our president should not be fighting for equality and justice?

That’s what Project 2025 says. But that shouldn’t surprise us. After all, they don’t think folks who look like me are real Americans. Neither does Trump.

But they’re not clowns. They’re highly trained, well-funded political operatives dedicated to winning in November and remaking America in their white nationalist image. They’ve spent the past two years putting together a plan to do just that setting the highest stakes imaginable for this election.

(continue reading)

[maggoochie]

Queen Sphene thoughts: DT spoilers below the cut

Queen Sphene is one of the most on-the-nose portrayals of western colonization/imperialism. Considering that Tural is heavily inspired by Latin America, an area that has historically been subjugated by European colonization, it makes sense that the writers incorporated that history into the MSQ.

NOTE: I am aware that Sphene as we see her is the Alexandrian self-preservation program! I am simply analyzing the character’s role in the story, and I’m not interested in passing moral judgments. If you understand this, please continue reading:

Like other colonizers, Sphene portrays herself to you as a kind-hearted ruler who cares about her people. Also like colonizers, this kind-hearted portrayal is an intentional facade to mask her sinister ulterior motives.

We see this first during the invasion of Tulliyolal. The viewer is first introduced to Sphene looking dismayed over the atrocities committed by the Alexandrian soldiers. This portrayal primes the viewer to see Sphene as someone who warrants sympathy, and to see Zoraal Ja as the main perpetrator of these atrocities. We also see her being propped up as the kind-hearted leader when you talk to everyone in Heritage Found. We as the viewer are primed to think that Queen Sphene is the good counterpart to the Zoraal Ja’s evil, when in reality Sphene is the only reason why Zoraal Ja had the power necessary to conquer nations and siphon aether.

We see this play out in real life where rulers of imperial nations like America portray themselves as “leaders of freedom and democracy” but exploit oppressed people for their land’s natural resources. If you replace electrope/aether with any other finite energy resource like fossil fuel/lithium/cobalt, you’ll know what I mean. Where Zoraal Ja represents the puppet leader who everyone can throw their blame onto for the atrocities occurring in the region, Sphene represents the puppeteer imperialist who not only enables the corrupt leader’s violence, but also directly benefits from the violence through easier access to natural resources.

This allegory is made more clear because we know that Alexandria’s reliance on electrope/aether as an energy source is incredibly unsustainable and brought their original shard to ruin, just like we know that America’s dependency on fossil fuels is incredibly unsustainable and feeds directly to climate catastrophe. Likewise, rather than exploring different sustainable energy options, both Alexandria and America exploit other nations as a means of self-preservation and will resort to violent coups to do so.

The last thing that really solidified this comparison is when Wuk Lamat was pleading with Sphene to stop the conquest and said something along the lines of “don’t you feel anything for the destruction of my people.” Sphene, despite looking distraught over the situation, still put her own people over the Tural’s well-being aka the classic colonizer mindset.

Anyway, these are my initial thoughts I would love to hear ppls thoughts!!

[lonestarflight]

"U.S.S. Lake Champlain Navy frogmen place the floatation collar around the Gemini Titan 2 spacecraft. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched the spacecraft from Cape Kennedy, Jan. 19, 1965 at 9:03 and it was recovered by the recovery forces aboard the U.S.S. Lake Champlain some 2100 miles downrange at 10:45 a.m. Flight time was 19:03 minutes. Actual landing was 16 miles short of the programmed landing area. Quoted from the original caption released by NASA with this photograph. Lake Champlain (CVS-39) is in the background. One of her SH-3 helicopters is hovering over the spacecraft."

Date: January 19, 1965

Naval History and Heritage Command: NH 97442

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this press release from the Department of the Interior:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is awarding more than $6.4 million to federally recognized Native American and Alaska Native Tribes to benefit fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. This year’s funding will support 35 Tribes for conservation projects across 15 states, benefiting a wide range of wildlife and habitat, including species of cultural or traditional importance to Indigenous communities. 

Examples of projects approved this year include:

Sitka Tribe of Alaska (Artificial Intelligence for Subsistence Salmon Monitoring and Management) - $200,000 to install artificial intelligence enabled video that will produce automated real-time counts of Redoubt Lake sockeye salmon, reducing real-time monitoring costs.

Navajo Nation (within Arizona, New Mexico and Utah)(Estimating Abundance, Preserving Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Resolving Human-Bear Conflict of Black Bears on the Navajo Nation) - $100,000 to assess black bear population on Navajo Nation lands, preserve Traditional Ecological Knowledge in effective habitat management and minimize human-bear conflicts. 

Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California (Tribal Wildlife and Postfire Restoration for Habitat Connectivity, Pollinator Species and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Plants around Feather Falls) - $197,300 to restore and manage ancestral lands which were devasted by the 2020 North Complex fire, including hiring staff, expanding the Tribal youth program and developing a restoration plan that incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge to prioritize culturally significant and endangered species such as the California spotted owl, bald eagle, Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and California red-legged frog.

Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians (within Minnesota) (Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians White-tailed Deer and Golden-winged Warbler Critical Habitat Restoration Project: Setting Back Forest Succession to Promote Early Successional Wildlife Species) - $199,872 to create 350 acres of early successional forest habitat, supporting deer population recovery and increasing habitat for golden-winged warblers during breeding season.

Omaha Tribe of Nebraska (Tallgrass Prairie Resource Management) - $199,965 to hire staff to restore, maintain, and enhance habitat for ecologically and culturally significant wildlife species within the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska reservation, including invasive species removal and buffalo management.

Seneca Nation of Indians (within New York) (Seneca Nation Wood Turtle Survey) - $42,713 to tag wood turtles, a culturally important species, with GPS transmitters to track and map home areas and nesting grounds. 

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (within North Carolina)(Leveraging DNA Sampling to Understand and Manage Resources) - $200,000 to continue cutting-edge non-invasive resource management techniques and use environmental DNA (eDNA) and a variety of non-invasive methods (camera, trapping, acoustics, etc.) to evaluate and manage bear populations, sicklefin redhorse, native brook trout, bats, otters, fish, aquatic communities, birds, and amphibians.

Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe (within Washington) (ESA Species Critical Coastal Habitat and Traditional Fisheries Restoration and Monitoring) - $198,928 to continue improving the conservation status of the western snowy plover and streaked horned lark and implement essential fish habitat assessments, eDNA and visual monitoring and restoration actions to support climate resilience and adaptive capacity of these species on Tribal lands.

[blackhistorystoryteller]

Title: "Exploring African Hunting Culture: Traditions, Challenges, and Conservation

Introduction:

African hunting culture is a rich and diverse tapestry that weaves through the continent's history, ecology, and societies. Rooted in centuries-old traditions, it encompasses a wide range of practices, from subsistence hunting for survival to trophy hunting as a sport. This article delves into the multifaceted world of African hunting culture, highlighting its cultural significance, the challenges it faces, and the ongoing efforts for conservation.

A Rich Tapestry of Traditions:

Africa is home to a vast array of ethnic groups, each with its own unique hunting traditions. These practices are deeply intertwined with local customs, beliefs, and spirituality. For many indigenous communities, hunting is not just a means of acquiring food but a vital cultural expression. The use of traditional hunting tools and techniques, like spears, bows, and traps, continues to be an essential part of their heritage.

Subsistence Hunting:

Subsistence hunting is a common practice across the African continent. In rural areas, where access to commercial sources of food may be limited, hunting provides a vital source of protein and sustenance. Communities rely on their knowledge of the land and wildlife to harvest game responsibly, ensuring the sustainability of their resources. This balance between nature and necessity underscores the importance of respecting wildlife for survival.

Trophy Hunting:

Trophy hunting, a more controversial aspect of African hunting culture, involves the pursuit and killing of animals for sport and the collection of trophies, such as horns or skins. While it can generate revenue for local communities and conservation efforts, it has also faced criticism for ethical and conservation reasons. Many African countries have implemented strict regulations to manage and monitor trophy hunting to mitigate negative impacts on wildlife populations.

Conservation Challenges:

African wildlife has faced significant challenges due to habitat loss, poaching, and the illegal wildlife trade. The intricate relationship between hunting culture and conservation is evident in the struggle to protect endangered species while acknowledging the cultural importance of hunting. Conservation organizations work tirelessly to strike a balance by implementing measures to protect threatened species and their habitats.

Modern Influences:

In the modern era, African hunting culture has been influenced by global forces. Tourism, including wildlife safaris, has become a booming industry, providing alternatives to traditional hunting practices and contributing to conservation efforts. Additionally, changing perceptions of hunting, both locally and globally, have prompted a reevaluation of hunting practices and their impact on ecosystems.

Conservation Efforts:

Across the continent, initiatives to conserve African wildlife are gaining momentum. National parks, reserves, and private conservancies play a crucial role in safeguarding habitats and species. Anti-poaching efforts, community-based conservation programs, and responsible hunting practices have emerged as essential strategies to ensure the sustainability of African ecosystems.

African hunting culture is a multifaceted and evolving aspect of the continent's heritage. While it carries deep cultural significance and provides for many communities, it also faces challenges related to conservation and ethical considerations. Striking a balance between cultural preservation, sustainability, and responsible hunting practices is an ongoing process, guided by a commitment to protect Africa's remarkable biodiversity for generations to come.

Hunting practices among African tribes vary widely depending on the specific region, culture, and available resources. Traditional hunting methods are often passed down through generations and are adapted to the local environment and the animals being pursued. Here are some common hunting techniques employed by various African tribes:

1. **Spear Hunting:** Spear hunting is one of the oldest and most widespread hunting methods in Africa. Tribes such as the Maasai in East Africa are known for their skill in using spears to hunt animals like lions and giraffes. This method requires getting close to the prey and using a well-aimed throw or thrust to kill it.

2. **Bow and Arrow:** The use of bows and arrows is prevalent among many African tribes. The San people, for example, are known for their exceptional tracking skills and proficiency in hunting with poisoned arrows. This method allows hunters to maintain some distance from their prey.

3. **Traps and Snares:** Various tribes set up traps and snares to catch small to medium-sized game. These can be constructed from natural materials like branches, vines, and ropes. When an animal triggers the trap, it captures the prey.

4. **Pitfalls:** Some tribes dig pits and cover them with branches and leaves to create pitfalls for animals. Once an animal falls into the pit, it becomes trapped and can be killed by the hunters.

5. **Hunting Dogs:** In some regions, like the central African rainforests, tribes use hunting dogs to track and corner prey. The hunters then finish the job using spears or other weapons.

6. **Blow Darts:** Certain tribes, like the Pygmies in Central Africa, use blow darts with poison-tipped tips to silently kill small game and birds.

7. **Net Hunting:** Nets are used by several tribes to encircle and capture birds, small mammals, and even fish in rivers and lakes. The nets can be set up in a variety of ways to suit the hunting environment.

8. **Hunting with Falcons and Other Birds of Prey:** In some North African and Middle Eastern regions, including parts of Morocco, hunting with trained falcons and other birds of prey is a long-standing tradition, though not exclusive to Africa.

9. **Cultural and Spiritual Practices:** For many African tribes, hunting is not just about acquiring food but is deeply intertwined with cultural and spiritual beliefs. Rituals and ceremonies often accompany hunting expeditions to seek blessings or guidance from ancestors or spirits.

It's important to note that as African societies have modernized, some traditional hunting practices have given way to more contemporary methods and conservation efforts. Many African countries have implemented wildlife protection laws and sustainable hunting practices to ensure the survival of their native fauna and the preservation of their cultural heritage.

[reasonsforhope]

In southern Africa, leopards have long been harvested for their beautiful spotted furs. These coveted furs are often used in ceremonial regalia by cultural and religious groups in the area, making it difficult to address the dwindling wild cat population in the area.

Bridging the gap between animal conservation and cultural heritage, Panthera — a global wild cat conservation organization — has partnered with area communities and world-class designers to instead distribute synthetic furs for ceremonial garb.

This approach is ground-breaking and shows potential to be replicated in other areas of the world. In fact, new data shows that these initiatives have tripled the leopard population in the region. 

Pictured: Two wild leopards are spotted in southern Africa. Photo courtesy of Panthera.

It started in 2013 when Panthera began its Furs For Life program when it was discovered that members of the Shembe Church were using as many as 15,000 leopard furs during religious gatherings. 

Working with the Shembe community, Panthera created high-quality (and affordable!) synthetic leopard fur capes — amambatha — known as Heritage Furs. Since then, more than 18,500 capes have been distributed. 

In 2019, Panthera extended these efforts with the Saving Spots initiative. The program was created in conjunction with the Barotse Royal Establishment of the Lozi people with the mission to preserve rich cultural traditions and declining wild cat populations.

Every year, hundreds of Lozi community members wear lipatelo, elaborate full-length skirts made of leopard and other animal furs, as well as mishukwe, lion-mane trimmed berets, as they gather for the Kuomboka Festival...

Pictured: Paddlers on the Nalikwanda Royal Barge wearing Heritage Furs.

Since implementing the Saving Spots program, the Barotse Royal Establishment has switched to over 1,350 synthetic fur lipatelo and 600 synthetic fur mishukwe. At a recent Lozi gathering, nearly 70% of participants wore garments of synthetic furs. 

The idea was to maintain the sacred relationship the Lozi people have with these animals. By using a high-accuracy design, these synthetic furs have become trusted regalia to pass through future generations — all without causing harm to the animals they revere.

“It is important to conserve nature. If you don’t take care of nature, then you are headed for doom,” Lubinda Nyaywa, the chairperson of the Mwandi Council District said. “It’s a learning process for our young generations, teaching them that they must preserve, one, their culture, and, two, their natural resources.”

With the support of both the Lozi and Shembe leaders, affordable synthetic furs are gaining increased acceptance and popularity as alternatives to authentic furs. Some groups have even banned the use of authentic wild cat skins at future gatherings.

This, in turn, majorly contributes to the protection and stabilization of wild cat populations in the region.

As mentioned, new data suggests that Saving Spots has helped triple leopard densities in the southern region of Kafue National Park. 

-via Good Good Good, May 4, 2023

[omegaphilosophia]

Types of Conservatism

Conservatism, like liberalism, encompasses a broad range of ideologies and perspectives. These types vary significantly across regions and historical contexts but generally emphasize tradition, social order, and skepticism toward rapid change. Here are some primary types of conservatism:

1. Traditional Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Traditional conservatism values established customs, institutions, and social hierarchies. It stresses the importance of cultural continuity, the wisdom of past generations, and a gradual approach to social change.

Historical Figures: Edmund Burke, Michael Oakeshott.

Key Elements: Respect for tradition, social stability, authority, and moral order.

2. Social Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Social conservatism emphasizes the preservation of traditional family structures, religious values, and moral standards. It often involves resistance to cultural changes seen as undermining societal cohesion or moral integrity.

Key Elements: Pro-family policies, emphasis on moral education, opposition to liberal social policies, and preservation of traditional gender roles.

3. Fiscal Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Fiscal conservatism prioritizes limited government spending, low taxes, and free-market capitalism. Fiscal conservatives advocate for reducing the national debt, minimizing public welfare programs, and maintaining a balanced budget.

Key Elements: Limited government intervention in the economy, support for a free-market system, privatization, and reduction in government spending.

4. Libertarian Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Libertarian conservatism combines a conservative approach to social issues with a strong emphasis on individual freedom and minimal government interference in personal and economic affairs.

Historical Figures: Barry Goldwater, Ron Paul.

Key Elements: Individual freedom, limited government, economic libertarianism, and personal responsibility.

5. Neoconservatism

Core Beliefs: Neoconservatism originally emerged from liberal roots, focusing on an assertive foreign policy to promote democracy and defend national interests. It combines conservative domestic values with an interventionist foreign policy.

Historical Figures: Irving Kristol, Paul Wolfowitz.

Key Elements: Promotion of democracy abroad, support for military strength, a strong national defense, and foreign policy interventionism.

6. Paleoconservatism

Core Beliefs: Paleoconservatism emphasizes nativism, cultural preservation, and limited international involvement. It is skeptical of globalization and often advocates for a return to traditional values, strong borders, and limited immigration.

Historical Figures: Patrick Buchanan, Russell Kirk.

Key Elements: Nationalism, cultural preservation, isolationism, and opposition to globalism.

7. Religious Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Religious conservatism focuses on integrating religious principles, often rooted in Christianity, into public policy and society. This type of conservatism seeks to uphold religiously based moral standards in areas such as marriage, education, and bioethics.

Key Elements: Influence of religious values on politics, pro-life policies, advocacy for prayer in schools, and opposition to secularism.

8. Cultural Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Cultural conservatism emphasizes the preservation of a shared national or cultural identity. It supports policies and values that maintain cultural heritage and resist influences that could dilute or change traditional norms and practices.

Key Elements: Cultural nationalism, preservation of heritage and customs, and resistance to multiculturalism.

9. National Conservatism

Core Beliefs: National conservatism focuses on the importance of national sovereignty, patriotism, and a strong, centralized state to protect national interests. It often advocates for immigration control and protectionist economic policies.

Key Elements: National sovereignty, patriotism, economic protectionism, and restrictions on immigration.

10. One-Nation Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Originating in Britain, one-nation conservatism advocates for a balance between free markets and social welfare policies, aiming to unite different social classes under a shared national identity. It emphasizes social cohesion, support for public institutions, and moderate reforms to reduce inequality.

Historical Figures: Benjamin Disraeli.

Key Elements: Social welfare, unity across classes, economic moderation, and gradual reform to prevent class divisions.

11. Green Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Green conservatism emphasizes environmental conservation and stewardship within a conservative framework. It advocates for protecting natural resources through personal responsibility, market solutions, and sometimes government regulations that align with conservative values.

Key Elements: Environmental conservation, sustainable development, market-based ecological solutions, and conservation ethics.

12. Populist Conservatism

Core Beliefs: Populist conservatism appeals to ordinary citizens, often positioning itself against elite or establishment institutions. It is skeptical of big government, promotes nationalism, and typically advocates for policies that reflect the interests of "the common people."

Key Elements: Anti-elitism, populist rhetoric, economic protectionism, and skepticism toward establishment institutions.

Each form of conservatism addresses different aspects of society, from fiscal and economic policies to cultural preservation, environmental issues, and religious values. While united by a preference for tradition, stability, and a cautious approach to change, these conservative strands reflect a diverse array of beliefs on the role of government, culture, and social structure.

[graysongoal]

If you're looking for ways to support folks affected by fires in the Los Angeles area, I have a list of good organizations as well as master lists of GoFundMes and other fundraisers in the latest edition of my newsletter.

I'll put some links below as well. Please note that I am not connected to these organizations or those collecting & collating GoFundMe fundraisers. Please see the individual lists for how to add your information if needed.

Donate to individuals:

Donate to help Black families who have been displaced

Donate to help Latino families who have been displaced

Donate to the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns’ Bayanihan Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Program

Help disabled people displaced directly

Here’s a larger list of people impacted as well

Donate to organizations:

Disability Disaster Access & Resources works to help disabled and older folks prepare for and recover from disasters — you can find more information on how to donate to these efforts through the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers

Altadena Girls Fire Recovery is focused on helping young girls regain their sense of self and normalcy in the face of the Eaton fire

Pasadena Community Foundation has set up an Eaton Canyon Fire Relief & Recovery Fund

Pasadena Humane Society needs help caring for pets and wildlife harmed by the fires, including fostering and trying to save animals who were left behind in homes at risk

Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue has been taking in guinea pigs who have lost their homes or who have sustained injuries from the fires

Altadena Heritage focuses on keeping the unincorporated community safe from gentrification and mansionization — something that’s more at risk when rebuilding starts than it ever has been

California Community Foundation has a Wildfire Recovery Fund focused on the Los Angeles area

This Tiltify campaign is donating to the Los Angeles Fire Department (whose budget was majorly cut recently affecting the response they can give), the California Fire Foundation, the World Central Kitchen, Baby2Baby, and the Community Organization Relief Effort (CORE)

Note: receiving GoFundMe and other fundraising moneys can potentially impact how much FEMA will support folks. If you need to fundraise, here’s more on that.

If you live in the area, you can learn more about how to get involved to help through the Mutual Aid LA Network or LA Fire Mutual Aid Resources (which also has info on where there are free meals, shelter, wifi, and charging for those in need).

If you are disabled and impacted by wildfires and need help — or know someone who is in this position — you/they can call or text the Disability and Disaster Hotline at 800-626-4959 or email them at hotline@disasterstrategies.org. You can also seek help from the Independent Living Centers in your area, whose contact information you can find here.

If you want to help the incarcerated firefighters, you can do so by donating to the Anti-Recidivism Coalition and putting “firefighter fund” in the notes section.

You can also help LAFD firefighters by donating to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

S.V. Dáte at HuffPost:

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump, who as president withheld hurricane aid to Puerto Rico and threatened to withhold wildfire assistance to California, on Monday falsely accused President Joe Biden of failing to help Hurricane Helene’s flood victims in western North Carolina and Georgia, having “left Americans to drown” in the South. “He’s been calling the president, he hasn’t been able to get him,” Trump said of Georgia’s governor, fellow Republican Brian Kemp, in his remarks to reporters in Valdosta, a city in the southern part of the state. It was a lie — refuted by Kemp himself earlier that day. “The president just called me yesterday afternoon. I missed him and I called him right back,” Kemp told reporters. “And he just said, ‘Hey, what do you need?’”

That falsehood was the latest in a string of lies Trump has issued about the response by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, to the Category 4 storm that came ashore late Thursday. Just before flying to Valdosta, the coup-attempting former president posted on social media about western North Carolina: “I’ll be there shortly, but don’t like the reports that I’m getting about the Federal Government, and the Democrat Governor of the State, going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas. MAGA!” He then posted an even more inflammatory claim, again with zero evidence of malfeasance: “They have left Americans to drown in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and elsewhere in the South.”

And at the Valdosta Regional Airport, asked by a reporter if he had contacted Biden about the response, Trump, wearing his red campaign MAGA hat, answered, “No, I haven’t reached out to him. I think he’s sleeping right now, actually.” In fact, Biden had just minutes earlier detailed to reporters at the White House his administration’s actions to date and planned next steps. He also explained that he intends to visit the worst-hit areas in North Carolina, but not until later in the week so as not to get in the way of operations on the ground with his large traveling entourage and security detail. “This can be disruptive,” he said. He later announced that he would, in fact, visit North Carolina on Wednesday.

[...] Trump’s accusations that Biden is intentionally withholding assistance from areas where residents are largely critical of him, however, do mirror his precise behavior as president when he withheld $20 billion in congressionally approved aid to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017 and threatened to withhold federal assistance to California to deal with wildfires. The question of federal assistance in the event of natural disasters may become moot should Trump win back the White House. Under the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 — which Trump initially praised for detailing “exactly what our movement will do” if he returned to office but in recent months has disavowed as Democrats publicized its contents — federal programs helping individuals and businesses would be slashed. The massive proposal also would scrap the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as turn over forecasting, and presumably control, over a fleet of weather satellites paid for with many billions of tax dollars to private companies.

Colossal liar Donald Trump baselessly accused Joe Biden and Kamala Harris of “withholding" aid victims to Hurricane Helene victims… except that Biden and Harris are helping out victims of Helene with ample aid.

Trump, during his “Presidency”, has repeatedly withheld aid for political purposes.

If he gets back in again, this time with Project 2025’s assistance, Trump will likely withhold disaster relief funding to areas that don’t vote for him.

Want fair disaster relief, regardless of politics? Vote Harris/Walz!

[homeofhousechickens]

person who asked about cackle hatchery, thanks a lot for the information, ill try to look for better places, tho it might be a bit hard looking for local breed chicks cause most ive seen around my area have balding hens from to many roosters or lice

If you absolutely need a hatchery I suggest looking at the ones The Livestock Conservancy supports and backs (Meyer hatchery for example). They are also a way to find a breeder to order eggs or chicks from as they keep an updated list of heritage breed breeders. If your looking at Cackle because they are local to you, pm me because that means WE are locals and I can point you breeders I know personally.

Honestly (this isn't directed at you specifically) but I don't understand why everyone refuses to just buy hatching eggs. Not only are birds you hatch on your own more likely to be friendly but they are healthier to and the only people who can legally ship eggs are people who are a part of the national poultry improvement program. Yeah hatching eggs are more of a risk since you won't have guaranteed hatch rates then some might be roosters but I feel like the benefits are better then the stress on shipped day old chicks who also could be roosters if they aren't a sex link. I really wish people would stop for a second and think why they want to go the easiest route when that route could be full of heart break and unethical animal treatment. Okay rant over I'm chill again 😎 if you get hatchery birds just know what your doing I suppose and it's not like your evil or anything but I feel like everyone just needs to put in a bit more effort when it comes to animals and stuff k love you bye.