Veggie Nuggets

Dog Cull in China

A country in south-west China has ordered all 50,546 dogs to be killed to fight an outbreak of rabies which has so far killed 3 people. Some of the dogs were clubbed to death in the streets while their owners were watching. Other owners took matters into their own hands and poisoned their pets. Only police and military dogs were spared. China has a poor record as far as animal protection is concerned. The country doesn't have laws to prevent cruelty to animals. br>

Ducks and Geese

Dangerous times for ducks and geese in Chicago. A couple of days before the city's ban on foie gras, upscale restaurants were offering the stuff "en masse" to their customers. Special menus were put together with names such as "Foie Gras, Farewell to our Good Friend". The "friend" featured in course after course, seared, chilled, in sauces and salads.

Better news for goose Hector. He had become moody and aggressive after his partner Gertrude had died. His anxious owners placed a lonely hearts ad in a village newspaper describing Hector as a handsome 10-year old goose who "likes country walks and mutual grazing. No candlelit dinners". A man who regularly takes in birds from the RSPCA saw the ad and sent 2 females to keep Hector company. Within a day of them arriving, Hector was back to his old self.

No more Crikey

September. The man dubbed as "The Real Crocodile Dundee", Steve Irwin was killed during a diving expedition off the Australian coast. Irwin, with his trademark khaki shorts and his chirpy manner, died after being struck in the chest by a stingray's barb. Paramedics from Cairns rushed to the scene but were unable to save him. He was a national hero in Australia, best-known for his television show The Crocodile Hunter and his work with native Australian wildlife. The incident happened when Irwin came over the top of the stingray. The razor-sharp barb, which is coated in toxic venom, went up and pierced his heart. According to experts, stingray attacks on humans are rare and the animal only attacks when it feels threatened. It isn't the venom that is lethal but the wound caused by the barb which can measure up to 20 cm long.

Steve Irwin was famous for handling dangerous creatures such as spiders, crocodiles and snakes. A couple of years ago, he sparked outrage across Australia after holding his one-month old son a metre away from a 4-metre crocodile during a show.

Iceland breaks Whaling Ban

October. Iceland's decision to breaking an international ban and resume commercial whale hunting sparked international outrage. Iceland's position was called inexplicable and inexcusable. After a hiatus of 20 years, the killing was resumed and amongst the first victims was an endangered fin whale. The 20-year old global moratorium had so far only been broken by Norway. Japan, which has been killing whales more than any other country for "scientific research" has welcomed Iceland's move. Japan has never made any secrets of its desire to return to commercial whaling.

Disney bans Junk Food

Healthy eating campaigners claimed a major victory after it was announced that Disney decided to stop selling junk foods. The food at its theme parks must now meet strict guidelines relating to calories, fat and sugar content. Meals are now being served with low-fat milk, juice or water instead of soft drinks. French fries are being replaced by apple sauce or carrots. Independent analysis revealed that food served at Disney World, Orlando, contained more fat, salt and calories than some of McDonalds' fare. In future, the company will not only lend its name to healthy food items, it has also decided not to renew its multi-million deal with McDonalds'. The move was praised by campaigners as breakthrough in the battle against childhood obesity. Disney's TV channels will continue to take adverts for junk food in the US.

Fur flies in Bearskins Dispute

A dispute over the number of bears that are killed to make hats for the Queen’s Guards has broken out between the Ministry of Defence and animal rights campaigners. The MoD claims it only uses pelts from animals that have died from natural causes but PETA claims it’s implausible that fur isn’t being used from animals that have been hunted. Furthermore, the charity claims it’s wrong for real fur to be used when fur farming is banned in Britain. The entire skin of a Canadian black bear is needed to make one hat. The caps are worn by the Army’s five regiments of Foot Guards.

Travelling Penguins

Penguins that got stranded on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, hitched a ride back home to Antarctica with Brazil’s Air Force and Navy. The animals were flown to Brazil’s southernmost region and then taken by ship to their habitat. The penguins wash up on Brazilian beaches each winter after floating on Antarctic ice floes which melt. Meanwhile in Johannesburg, South Africa fibreglass igloos were built for a colony of African penguins to replace nesting grounds wrecked by commercial damage. The igloos on Dyer Island near Cape Town are seen as the last change to save the colony.