BEYOND CLIMATE POLITICS – SAVE RUDOLPH!

3 Cherished Holiday Animals Who Need Help Now

Jessica Ramos, December 21, 2015 (Care2)

“…[Three beloved holiday animals need our help now because] they are more than just characters in a song…[G]lobal reindeer populations are declining, even in the North Pole…The six main driving forces behind their decline [are…1. Inbreeding…2. Poaching…3. Natural predators…4. Lack of herders and breeders…5. Climate change…6. Tourism industry changes…

“The turtle dove is an icon in Western holiday traditions…[But global populations of turtle doves (and puffins) have plummeted so fast that they ‘now face the same extinction threat as the African elephant and lion.’…Over 16 short years, European turtle doves have declined over 30 percent…While illegal hunting is thought to play a role in their decline, researchers are also exploring changes in land-use patterns and climate shifts as possible explanations…[‘Calling birds’] — the fourth gift in the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ — are interpreted by many Americans as songbirds…Songbirds are known for being ‘the canary in the coal mine,’ and it’s getting harder to hear their songs…” click here for more

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