Project R&R Action Alert

Primates Suffer in Cargo Transport

Airlines transport primates packed into small wooden crates to research facilities worldwide, including to the U.S. Some die in transport because of the deplorable conditions of being shipped as cargo. Others endure and survive only to reach a cruel fate in research.

A recent report from BUAV cited 11 airlines that continue to transport primates. They found that Air France ships to Covance Clinical Research Units in the USA; Air Canada ships primates from China to labs in Canada; and China Southern and Eastern airlines transport them to the U.S.

During flights, the primates endure delays, poor ventilation, noise and dangerous temperature fluctuations on their extremely long journeys. The anxiety and stress they suffer can lead to increased susceptibility to infection. Documents obtained by BUAV provide a disturbing insight into how these animals suffer.

The following reported incidences illustrate the pain and suffering endured by the primates:

‘On uncrating, he was found in moribund condition. Part of the wooden crate had been chewed away and no food was present in the crate. The primate died while IV fluids were being administered.’

‘One animal died during transport from Vietnam. The animal was removed in Paris at the airport; the cause of death was reportedly from ... [the build-up of gas in the intestinal tract]

‘One animal imported from Mauritius was dead on arrival.’

Conditions that resulted in the death or euthanasia of primates (during the quarantine period) imported into the USA during 2009 included pneumonia, enteritis, gastroenteritis, dehydration, weight loss, poor body condition and infection.

NEAVS is calling on supporters to contact airlines listed below to request that they cease involvement in primate transport and implement an immediate ban on the transportation of primates for research.

Suggested text

I am shocked to learn that your airline has, is or would be involved in the international transportation of primates to laboratories. It is inhumane and unacceptable that living animals are packed into small crates and shipped like cargo only to end up in laboratories where they will suffer or die in experiments.

I urge you to join the increasing number of airlines that have stopped their involvement in this money making cruelty and instead refuse to be a part of the trade in living animals for profit and research. Until you do, I will not be flying with your airline.

Sincerely,

Your name

__________________

Send to:
Air Canada
Air Canada Centre
Fax: +44 (0) 208 750 8495
Email: acexecutive.hautedirectionac@aircanada.ca and aircanada_customercare_en@mailca.custhelp.com

American Airlines
Gerard J. Arpey, Chairman
Fax: +44 (0)20 8745 1469
Email: Customer.Relations@aa.com
LiveAnimals.Cargo@aa.com
contactus@aacargo.com

Continental Airlines
Fax: +44 (0)1293 567122
Email: corpcomm@coair.com

Other Airlines:
Air China
Email: info@cacargo.co.uk

Air France
Email: customer-service.LHR@klmcargo.com

Caribbean Airlines
Email: cto.uk@caribbean-airlines.com

China Eastern Airlines
Email: saleslondon@chinaeastern.co.uk

China Southern Airlines
Email: csnib@csair.com and ecsupport@csair.com

Philippine Airlines
Email: corpcomms@pal.com.ph

Vietnam Airlines
Email: cargo@vietnamair.com.vn

American Airlines Stops Flying Primates for Research Labs /American Airlines refuse de transporter des primates destinés aux laboratoires de recherche

By Jennifer Mishler,

American Airlines reports that they will no longer fly primates being sent to research labs!

The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) has stated that the airline changed its policy as a result of talks with them regarding the flying of primates for research, an issue that is the focus of their Cargo Cruelty campaign. “”We welcome the action taken by American Airlines to clarify its policy on this important issue. The shipment of monkeys for research is a subject that raises strong public concern,” said Michelle Thew, Chief Executive of BUAV. The organization points out that in research labs, “primates are often housed on their own in small, barren metal cages for many years with no meaningful environmental enrichment. With little opportunity for mental stimulation and physical exercise, these animals frequently develop abnormal and self-destructive behaviours that may include pacing, rocking, swaying, bar biting, and self-mutilation.”

The updated policy on the American Airlines website states that “AA Cargo will not accept primates used for laboratory research, experimentation, and exploitation purposes.” The policy also includes the requirement that the primates “are being shipped from or to a zoo sanctuary, preserve or rehabilitation center.”

PETA has also applauded American Airlines’ decision to stop flying primates for research and adds that they have joined a list that includes “British Airways, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, Delta Air Lines, Air China, Monarch Air Group, Amerijet, IBC Airways, and several other airlines in refusing to transport primates to facilities where they will be tormented and killed in experiments.”

BUAV provides a list of airlines that do and do not fly primates for research purposes, if you’d like to use it when making your next flight choice!

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/american-airlines-stops-flying-primates-for-research-labs.html#ixzz1SjyITiqh

American Airlines refuse de transporter des primates destinés aux laboratoires de recherche

Par Jennifer Mishler

La compagnie aérienne American Airlines annonce qu’elle n’acceptera plus de transporter des primates qui sont destinés aux laboratoires de recherche!

La British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection Union (BUAV) a déclaré que la compagnie aérienne a changé sa politique suite aux pourparlers avec l’organisation concernant le transport aérien des primates au profit de la recherche scientifique, lequel fait l’objet de sa campagne surnommée Cargo Cruelty. « Nous saluons l’initiative prise par American Airlines afin de clarifier sa politique en ce qui concerne cet enjeu important. Le transport par avion de singes destinés à la recherche est une question qui préoccupe le grand public, » dit Michelle Thew, Directice Générale de la BUAV. L’organisation souligne que dans les laboratoires de recherche, « les primates sont souvent logés pendant plusieurs années dans des cages de métal dénuées, exigües et sans le moindre confort. Avec si peu de possibilités de stimulation mentale ou d’exercice physique, ces animaux développent des comportements anormaux et autodestructeurs, comme piétiner à l’intérieur de leur cage, se recroqueviller en position fœtale et se balancer, mordre les barreaux de la cage et s’automutiler. »

Une mise à jour de la politique d’American Airlines sur son site web déclare que « AA Cargo n’acceptera plus de transporter des primates utilisés à des fins de recherche, d’expérimentation et d’exploitation. » La politique inclut également une clause précisant que tous les primates expédiés par la compagnie aérienne « doivent provenir de ou être envoyés vers un zoo sanctuaire, une réserve faunique ou un centre de réhabilitation. »

Le groupe PETA (People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals) a également applaudi la décision d’American Airlines et ajoute que la compagnie aérienne rejoint ainsi les rangs des nombreuses lignes aériennes qui refusent de transporter des primates vers des installations où ils seront tourmentés et tués au cours d’expériences scientifiques, dont entre autres, British Airways, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, Delta Air Lines, Air China, Monarch Air Group, Amerijet, IBC Airways, ainsi que plusieurs autres.

Si vous désirez faire un choix averti lors de votre prochaine déplacement en avion, la BUAV donne accès à une liste des compagnies aériennes qui ne transportent pas de primates destinés à la recherche!

Pour plus de renseignements: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/american-airlines-stops-flying-primates-for-research-labs.html#ixzz1SjyITiqh

Great Gifts for the Chimps/Des cadeaux pour les chimpanzés

Special Thank You to all who have donated gifts /Nos plus sincères remerciements à tous ceux et celles qui ont offert des cadeaux..


Matthieu MacPherron, Laurie Hail, Flavio Ciutola, and Catherine & Summer Beaudoin

Close up's, hands, feet, lips and much more / Gros plans, mains, pieds, lèvres et autres

Here are some amazing shots of the chimps close up; they are so precious we had to put some up for everyone to enjoy!

Voici quelques magnifiques photos en gros plan des chimpanzés. Ils sont si adorables qu’il nous fallait les partager avec vous!


Petra photo by / de : Kim

Toby Photo by / de : Julie Gauthier

Sue Ellen giving kisses and Pepper Photo by / de : Julie Gauthier

Toby Photo by / de : Kim

Binky By / De : Kim

Tom Photo by / de : Kim


Sue Ellen Photo by / de : Jessica

Regis Photo by / de : Dale

Regis Photo by / de : Kim


Binky Photo by / de : Kim


Pepper Photo by / de : Fauna


Jethro Photo by / de : Fauna

Donna Rae Photo by / de : Fauna

Pepper Photo by / de : Kim

Chance Photo by / de : Fauna

Billy Jo Photo by / de : Fauna

Annie Photo by / de : Alan Lee

Rachel Photo by / de : Kim

Binky Photo by / de : Kim

Theo Photo by / de : Fauna

Jethro's toes and Yoko Photo by / de : Fauna

Toby Photo by / de : Kim

Rachel Photo by / de : Julie Gauthier

Yoko Photo by / de : Michelle Legault

Feud over 'Project Nim' - Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-project-nim-20110710,0,316224.story

Director James Marsh and Herbert Terrace, who led the experiment in the 1970s to teach a chimpanzee sign language, differ over the documentary's representation of the scientist and the science.

By Allan M. Jalon, Special to the Los Angeles Times

July 10, 2011

Reporting from New York ——

An 18th century novel doesn't seem like an obvious inspiration for a documentary about a chimpanzee in a modern scientific experiment, but that's part of what influenced James Marsh when he made "Project Nim." Like Henry Fielding's sprawling epic, "Tom Jones," Marsh says, his film about a charismatic primate who learns to use sign language "holds up a mirror" to the world around his protagonist.

That mirror is not always flattering to the well-heeled bohemians, student idealists and researchers who came into Nim Chimpsky's orbit starting in the 1970s. But it lingers longest on Herbert Terrace, the Columbia University behavioral psychologist who conceived the experiment in a challenge to linguist Noam Chomsky's contention that grammatical speech is uniquely human.

Now, Terrace is unhappy with what he says Marsh's filmic looking glass has reflected back: a remote, publicity-seeking scientist who exploited a helpless animal without sufficient regard for his long-term well being. In Terrace's view, the film omits the real story of unbiased scientific work that deserves respect for delivering important results.

"I'm upset because the film creates the impression the project was a failure because it didn't turn out the way I'd hoped it would when I started," Terrace declared recently in his office at Columbia, where he still runs the Primate Cognition Laboratory. "The only line between success and failure for scientists is really whether they honestly report their results, and I did that."

But that's not all Terrace is displeased about. "The film also suggests I was not affectionately involved with Nim. And that's not true." Marsh, he added, has "made a technically good film, but he's misrepresented me, and he misrepresented the science."

Marsh, who directed the 2008 Oscar-winning documentary "Man on Wire," about high-wire artist Philippe Petit, said he "couldn't have made the film" without Terrace and denies editing the movie to cast the professor in a poor light. "Project Nim," he said, merely captures what his on-camera interviewees — "witnesses," he calls them — think about the complicated, controversial project with the benefit of hindsight.

The rift between Terrace and Marsh is spilling out into the open as the film arrives in theaters this month after premiering in January at the Sundance Film Festival — a premiere that Marsh admits he worked to keep Terrace from attending because others in the film didn't want him there.

Just as Marsh's documentary didn't turn out as Terrace might have anticipated, neither did the original project with Nim Chimpsky.

Terrace was a Harvard-trained protégé of behaviorist B.F. Skinner, who believed one could teach animals to do almost anything, and the Skinner-Chomsky rivalry framed the Nim project. Marsh's film, however, barely touches on the scientific context and instead uses archival footage, interviews and dramatic re-creations (including a man in a chimp suit) to envelop viewers in Nim's perspective.

The story begins in 1973, when the head of a primate center in Oklahoma shoots a female chimpanzee with a tranquilizer gun and sweeps her infant from her. That baby — Nim — is flown to New York and into the arms of a human mother picked by Terrace. This new mom is studying psychoanalysis, her husband is a poet, and she dwells on Nim's Oedipal tendencies as he wreaks chaos in her brownstone.

Because chimps' anatomy hinders them from vocalizing words, Terrace and his students teach Nim sign language. In the film, the frontier between species seems to narrow as Nim's learned signs flash across the screen — the chimp claps his hands to sign "play," touches his mouth to indicate "eat." Seeing a cat in a handler's lap, he points to himself, and gestures three signs: "Nim," "hug," "cat."

After several years, and a series of teachers who develop strong attachments to Nim (and sometimes to each other), Terrace runs into funding problems and ends the project. Nim is sent back to the Oklahoma center, and Terrace sets about studying the data collected during the experiment.

Other researchers who were growing confident about chimp-human connections believed that the Nim experiment would topple Chomsky's claim once and for all. But Terrace stunned the primate research world with a 1979 paper declaring that Chomsky was right: Though it may have looked like Nim was making human-like sentences, in fact, Terrace concluded, he was communicating in ways less developed than people do.

That paper, cowritten with Laura-Ann Petitto, a key Nim teacher, has stood the test of time and has been reinforced by recent genetic research on chimpanzees, according to Jon Cohen, a longtime reporter for Science magazine and author of a recent well-received book on chimp-human relations, "Almost Chimpanzee: Searching for What Makes Us Human, in Rainforests, Labs, Sanctuaries, and Zoos."

Cohen said recent genetic mapping of chimpanzees shows the gaps between them and humans and leaves Terrace looking like "the one truth-teller" emerging from an era.

"When you really start to look at Terrace and what he did, I think he sharpened the dividing line between us and every other species," Cohen said. "I have not had a single moment that made me question Terrace's conclusion. He took on the leading people in the field, and he said they were wrong."

But the film doesn't focus much on how Terrace's research was received. Instead, it follows what happened to Nim after he returns to Oklahoma, then is sold to a New York University medical research lab, then winds up at a Texas sanctuary.

Looking back, Terrace agrees he could have been more mindful of Nim's needs. "I didn't use a broad, commonsensical awareness of what would happen to him as he grew stronger," he says, sitting in his book-lined office at Columbia, which is decorated with a large art piece depicting chimps going wild in an elegant library.

Terrace said his strongest objection to Marsh's film is that it skips his efforts to save Nim from NYU's medical lab. "I called the [New York] Post. I got the media involved. I talked to the people at NYU. I was running the show. In the film, it was as if I was a minor figure on the sidelines."

He's also unhappy that the film reveals that he slept with Petitto, his researcher, making it seem like a mere fling. "I fell in love with her," he said, adding that later he dedicated his book, "Nim," to her and said that her work on the project led to her career as "a distinguished scientist."

Marsh is resolutely unapologetic about that or any of his choices in telling the story. "It is a compression of 26 years of a sentient creature's life into an hour and a half, and that is done essentially by me as the author of the film," he says. "There is no agenda."

calendar@latimes.com

Gloria Grow on CJAD Radio

Gloria Grow the founder of the Fauna Foundation was on CJAD radio on July 6th...click on the following link to hear the full interview

The Fauna Gardens Open House Days / Les Jardins de Fauna Journées Portes Ouvertes

Fauna Gardens Open House days. We have selected three dates which will, hopefully, coincide with the best bloom times for each season and we offer tours at different times of each day. Please read the attached invitation and contact us with your preferred date and time. The first tour day is coming soon, Saturday May 14th!

The Fauna Gardens
(3802 Chemin Bellerive, Carignan, qc.)
2011 open house fundraisers
~~~~~~~~
The Fauna gardens will be open to visitors on:
· Saturday, May 14 (tour departs at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm):
– spring bulb extravaganza & woodland roam

· Saturday, July 24 (tour departs at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm and 5:00 PM):
– high summer tour & the sundown magical hour
· Saturday, September 17 (tour departs at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm):

– Late Bloomers and Long players: the last hurrah
~~~~~~~~
Entrance fee: $40. Per person
(tax deductible receipt)
Includes: 3- hour guided tour & complimentary refreshments
(All proceeds go to the fauna chimpanzee lifetime care fund)
Please reserve by phone: 450-658-1844 or email at gloria.fauna@videotron.ca

C'est avec grand plaisir que nous invitons tous nos supporters à venir visiter les jardins de la Fondation Fauna à l'occasion des Journées Portes Ouvertes 2011. Trois dates sont prévues, lesquelles coïncideront, nous osons l'espérer, avec les moments forts de chaque saison. Nous offrons également des visites à divers moments de chacune de ces journées. La première journée approche à grand pas, soit le samedi 14 mai prochain.
Réservez votre place dès maintenant. N'hésitez pas à communique avec nous pour plus de détails.

Les jardins du sanctuaire
(3802 chemin Bellerive, Carignan, Qc.)
Journées portes ouvertes 2011
~~~~~~~~
Les jardins seront ouverts aux visiteurs Les jours suivants:
· Samedi le 14 Ma1 (départs à 10h00 et à 14h00) :
– beautés éphémères et promenade en forêt

· Samedi le 24 juillet (départs à 10h00, 14h00 et 17h00) :
– grande virée estivale & tournée à la brunante

· Samedi le 17 Septembre (Départs à 10h00 et à 14h00):
-- Beautés tardives: un dernier tour de piste
~~~~~~~~
Entrée: $40. Par personne
(Reçu pour don de charité)
comprend la visite guidée de 3 heures & des rafraîchissements
(Toutes Les sommes recueillies seront versées au fond pour les soins de longue durée des chimpanzés de la fondation)

Prière de réserver au: 450-658-1844 ou par courriel: gloria.fauna@videotron.ca

Enrichment days at the Chimp House / Journées d’enrichissement à la maison des chimpanzés

On cleaning days and during the week we have fun making room and area enrichment for the Chimps. Isabelle, one of Fauna's chimpanzee caretakers, is the best bed maker and everyone just loves her beds !

Les jours de ménage et à l’occasion au courant de la semaine, nous nous amusons à faire de l’enrichissement pour les chambres et les autres aires de vie. C’est Isabelle, l’une de nos préposées aux animaux, qui fait les meilleurs lits et tous les chimpanzés en raffolent!

Here is what some enrichment looks like..
Voici quelques exemples d’enrichissement :

A party for Pepper& Sue Ellen /Des pièces aménagées pour Pepper et Sue Ellen

This is the outdoor area just to the left of the entrance to the chimphouse, whick we call the mezzanine. It is directly above the observation area.

Voici l’aire extérieure, à gauche de l’entrée de la maison des chimpanzés, que nous appelons la mezzanine. Elle se situe juste au-dessus de l’aire d’observation

Party rooms for Petra & Yoko
Des pièces aménagées pour une fête pour Petra et Yoko.




Curtains and a bed for Pepper in the sky walk overlooking the chimp house entrance, this is one of Pepper's favorite places to just hang out and sleep. I often come in to see Pepper all bundled up with blankets over her head completely asleep...

Des rideaux et un lit pour Pepper dans la passerelle qui surplombe l’entrée de la maison des chimpanzés. C’est l’endroit préféré de Pepper pour passer le temps ou dormir. Je l’y trouve souvent endormie, toute emmaillotée dans ses couvertures.

Tent day for everyone in the back play areas
Journée sous la tente dans les aires de jeux au fond de la maison des chimpanzés.

Princess beds / Des lits dignes d’une princesse.

Photos by /de : Isabelle Alarie

Mayas' Birthday /L’anniversaire de Maya

It is Maya’s 34th birthday today. Lately, she has been spending time with Petra and and Toby, but she misses Binky a little. I see them gesturing to one another often and grooming through the bars. Binky and Maya have become quite good friends and she does miss him if they are separated for a long period. In the past couple of weeks, there has been a lot of gardening going on around the chimp house and Maya loves to lie in the skywalk or sit in the top windows of the chimp house and observe all the action!! She also likes to get mad at anyone who dares drive under her skywalk...Maya loves to clean the windows with soapy water, a little dish mop and occasionally a squeegee, so if you would like to send presents for Maya....cleaning items would be a big hit...or possibly Adopt Maya on her birthday as part of our Adopt a chimp program. http://www.adopt-a-chimp.com/

Maya fête ses 34 ans aujourd’hui. Ces derniers temps, on la retrouve souvent en compagnie de Petra et Toby, mais elle semble s’ennuyer de Binky un petit peu. On les voit se faire signe ou se faire la toilette à travers les barreaux. Binky et Maya se sont vraiment liés d’amitié et il semble lui manquer lorsqu’ils sont séparés pendant un bout de temps. Ces jours-ci Maya se plaît à observer de son poste dans la passerelle le va-et-vient incessant des jardiniers autour de la maison des chimpanzés et elle se fâche dès que quelqu’un s’avise de passer en-dessous de sa passerelle. Maya adore laver les fenêtres à l’eau savonneuse avec son petit manchon à vaisselle ou avec un squeegee, alors si l’envie vous prend de lui offrir un petit quelque chose, elle en sera ravie… Vous pourriez aussi l’adopter dans le cadre de notre programme d’adoption : http://www.adopt-a-chimp.com/

Special Visitors / Des visiteurs particuliers

In the past couple of months we have had the pleasure of Jo-Anne McArthur and Karol Orzechowski’s visit to Fauna. Karol’s mission on this visit was to film Pepper for the up-coming short film "A day in the life of Pepper". Jo-Anne came to meet up with him and volunteered to take some amazing pictures for us. This past week, Jo-Anne was back to take more pictures for the December issue of Canadian Geographic Wildlife magazine, due out in November.

Here are some of Jo-Anne’s amazing pictures and a link to her web site We Animals. Enjoy..
http://www.weanimals.org/

Au cours des derniers mois, c’est avec plaisir que nous avons reçu la visite de Jo-Anne McArthur and Karol Orzechowski. La visite de Karol avait pour but de filmer Pepper en vue du court-métrage Une journée dans la vie de Pepper qui devrait paraître bientôt. Quant à Jo-Anne, elle est venue rejoindre Karol et a offert de prendre des photos. La semaine dernière, elle revenait prendre d’autres photos, cette fois pour le numéro de Décembre de la revue Canadian Geographic Wildlife, prévue pour novembre prochain.

Voici quelques-unes des magnifiques photos de Jo-Anne et le lien de son site web We Animals. À découvrir.

http://www.weanimals.org/

Rachel

Binky

Gloria serving hot lemon water and honey

A morning trolley with fresh produce

One of Binky's favourite "look at how cute I am" tricks , putting his whole face in the serving port hole. You can see the port hole in the picture above right behind the trolley of fresh produce

Agnes our turkey, Albert our pink pot bellied pig , Willie, Frank and Stubby and Elvis & Yani our roosters

Theo our Olive Baboon