Winter 2022

Volume
71
Number
4
Winter 2022 Quarterly Cover
About the Cover

According to the CDC, tens of thousands of long-tailed macaques were imported into the United States last year—most bound for pharmaceutical or biotech research labs. Inotiv, the nation’s largest commercial primate dealer, relies principally on a Hong Kong–based supplier that maintains captive-breeding facilities in Cambodia. In November, several representatives of this supplier were charged with multiple felonies in connection with an alleged smuggling ring involving wild-caught macaques “laundered” as captive-bred animals. According to the journal Science, Inotiv is one of two US companies that received monkeys referenced in the federal indictment. Click here for more on this story and AWI’s response. 

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Table of Contents

Animals in Laboratories

AWI Urges US Government to Suspend Purchases from Monkey Suppliers After Smuggling Indictment
In a letter delivered November 30, AWI urged the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense (DoD) to “re-evaluate their reliance on, and support for, providers of animals for...
Animals in Laboratories
Exploring Macaques’ Preference for Physical vs. Touch Screen Cognitive Enrichment
Enrichment that encourages natural exploratory behaviors is important to the welfare of nonhuman primates in research. The purpose of this project, which was funded by an AWI Refinement Grant, was to enhance cognitive enrichment for...
Animals in Laboratories
The Bleeding of Horseshoe Crabs Is Draining the Species
A lawsuit filed earlier this year against pharmaceutical giant Charles River Laboratories alleges that the company is contributing to a significant decline in horseshoe crabs (listed as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List) and red...
Animals in Laboratories

Farmed Animals

Animals on Farms Among Ian’s Victims
Hurricane Ian caused massive destruction in Florida and killed over 120 people—making it the state’s deadliest storm in nearly a century. The storm also claimed the lives of unknown hundreds of farm animals. A preliminary...
Farmed Animals
AWI Urges Swift Adoption of Animal Welfare Standards for USDA Organic Label
When the US Department of Agriculture published proposed regulations that would establish welfare standards for animals raised under the National Organic Program (see AWI Quarterly, fall 2022), AWI quickly mobilized a coalition to garner support...
Farmed Animals
Birds Killed Cruelly Amid Avian Flu Resurgence
After a decrease in avian flu outbreaks in July, the virus surged back in August and into the fall. As we reported in the previous issue, flocks exposed to the virus are “depopulated”—killed en masse...
Farmed Animals
Dairy Industry Misses Chance to Improve Animal Care Standards
According to the US Department of Agriculture, in 2021 the average number of US dairy cows involved in milk production at any given time was 9.45 million. The vast majority of them live within “CAFOs”...
Farmed Animals
Hawaii Strengthens Protections for Animals in Transport
After receiving oral and written testimony from AWI, the Hawaii Board of Agriculture voted to approve regulations to protect cattle, sheep, and goats transported via sea vessel between the state’s islands. In May, AWI—joined by...
Farmed Animals

Marine Life

IWC68: Budget Woes and Bad Faith Gestures Nearly Derail Whale Protection
Since the International Whaling Commission (IWC) last met in person in 2018, two significant milestones have passed: the 75th anniversary of the IWC’s founding treaty—the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW)—in December 2021...
Marine Life
MSC Suspends Lobster Fishery Certification over Right Whale Threat
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has suspended its “blue fish tick” eco-certification of the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery following challenges from AWI and allies. The millions of lines tied to the pots and traps...
Marine Life

Terrestrial Wildlife

Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflicts on Vail Pass in Colorado
East Vail Pass on Interstate 70, between Copper Mountain Resort and the top of Vail Pass, is an important movement corridor for wildlife in Colorado. Most recently, the Summit County Safe Passages Connectivity Plan for...
Terrestrial Wildlife
AWI Honors Wildlife Law Enforcement Champions in Panama
Since 1994, at each meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties, AWI has honored individuals, organizations, and agencies that have demonstrated excellence in combatting wildlife crime with the Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement...
Terrestrial Wildlife
Bozeman Launches Bear Conflict-Reduction Pilot Program
Over the past year, AWI partnered with the Sierra Club and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition to encourage the City of Bozeman, Montana, to take steps to address increasing incidents of human-bear conflicts. A wide variety...
Terrestrial Wildlife
Nations Strengthen Wildlife Trade Protections at CITES CoP19
Significant progress for wildlife was achieved at the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP19) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which met in...
Terrestrial Wildlife
Study Reveals Grizzly Bear Toes Amputated by Traps
In a study published in August in the journal Wildlife Society, Dr. Clayton Lamb of the University of British Columbia and colleagues reported that 4 of 59 grizzly bears captured and collared in southeast British...
Terrestrial Wildlife

Government Affairs

A Salute to Animal Champions Exiting Congress
Every two years, Congress loses members who retire from politics, run for another office, or lose their reelection bid. Unfortunately, the end of the 117th Congress brings with it the loss of several long-time allies...
Government Affairs
Congress Passes the Big Cat Public Safety Act
We are pleased to report that, after years of hard work and determination, AWI and allies have succeeded in securing House and Senate passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act (BCPSA)! As we go...
Government Affairs
Legislators Urge Rule Revisions for Right Whales
Vessel collisions are one of the main threats facing critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, of which only an estimated 340 remain. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) led a letter from...
Government Affairs
PAST Act Passes House
On November 14, by a resounding 304-111 vote, the US House of Representatives passed the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act. The legislation would end the barbaric practices associated with soring—the act of intentionally injuring...
Government Affairs

AWI Special Event

AWI Awards Schweitzer Medal to Jennifer Lonsdale
During the 68th meeting of the International Whaling Commission, AWI awarded the Schweitzer Medal to Jennifer Lonsdale in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the advancement of animal welfare. IWC chair Andrej Bibič presented the...
AWI Special Event

AWI News

A Message from the President
Twenty years ago (midway through my career at AWI) I was appointed AWI president following the untimely death of our founding president (and my mentor), Christine Stevens. One year later, I met Susan Millward. At...
AWI News
Changing of the Guard: Susan Millward Named New Head of AWI
Executive director Susan Millward has been appointed the organization’s new chief executive upon the retirement of Cathy Liss at the end of 2022. Animals have been a big part of Susan’s life since her childhood...
AWI News

Reviews

A Warbler’s Journey
A Warbler’s Journey, written by Pennsylvania naturalist Scott Weidensaul and illustrated by Nancy Lane, is a beautiful and informative book. Through the travels of the yellow warbler, readers learn about the migratory path and the...
Reviews
An Immense World
An elephant, a mouse, a robin, an owl, a bat, a rattlesnake, a spider, a mosquito, a bumblebee, and a human enter a school gym. An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms...
Reviews
In a Land of Awe
Dr. Chad Hanson’s In a Land of Awe: Finding Reverence in the Search for Wild Horses offers a sweeping vista of the wild horses that the author has come to know and cherish, particularly through...
Reviews

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