The head of the company that owns the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus acknowledged in federal court Tuesday that all his elephant handlers strike the animals with metal-tipped prods, but he said it’s necessary to keep the huge animals under control and doesn’t harm them.

US Congress moves swiftly on legislation to stop “pet” primate trade
Legislators determined to prevent another Travis the chimp tragedy

Today a federal judge began hearing a lawsuit alleging the abuse of circus elephants by Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus and its parent company, Feld Entertainment. Several animal advocacy groups are seeking an end to practices they say violate the federal Endangered Species Act.

ScienceDaily (Jan. 21, 2009) — An African elephant never forgets – especially when it comes to the loss of its kin, according to researchers at the University of Washington. Their findings, published online in the journal, Molecular Ecology, reveal that the negative effects of poaching persist for decades after the killing has ended.

Good news Mr. Davich, it looks like not only are animal rights activists not blaming airplanes for the birds that are killed mid-air, but…

I could not help but chuckle to myself a little bit when I came across this short post by Post-Tribune writer Jerry Davichon, in regards to yesterday’s plane crash in the Hudson river, claiming he was waiting for animal-rights activists to complain about the birds being sucked into the engine’s of the plane.