WASHINGTON—A lawsuit filed today in the federal District Court in Maryland charges the National Institutes of Health with violating federal law when it decided not to send to sanctuary 44 federally owned chimpanzees held at the Alamogordo Primate Facility in New Mexico. “Every day that goes by is...
As my beloved seedlings languished untouched on the display table, I improved my sales pitch: “Would you like a late-flowering thoroughwort to help migrating butterflies refuel? What about an aster that’s the only pollen source for some bee species?” But unlike the animals who would devour these...
NEW YORK—The Humane Society of the United States’ annual To the Rescue! gala will take place on Nov. 14, 2020 (pre-show at 7:30 p.m. EST, gala at 8:00 p.m. EST). “Saturday Night Live” Emmy nominated cast member Cecily Strong will host the virtual event, which will feature a special performance by...
As my neighbors and I stood 10 feet apart and swapped tips for scavenging kitchen staples this spring, the wilder residents of our community shared no such concerns. Squirrels twirled maple seed clusters like bouquets to reach every tidbit. Bumblebees made a mockery of social distancing in their...
Somewhere between childhood and middle age, people’s natural affinity for wildlife often melts away, overtaken by exaggerated fears of of marauding armies of deer, insects and raccoons intent on invading our gardens and homes. Scorn for rabbits, the sensitive stars of many a bedtime story, is...
On summer evenings, my husband and I head to the darkest spot of our property to look for the light—in the form of fireflies rising from meadow grasses and twinkling their way into the trees. As the tulip poplars behind this spectacular display settle in for slumber, white yucca flowers open their...
In a few short months, the sweet scent of thawing soil will have me searching under trees, by streams and in gardens for new life peeking into the frosty air. During winter’s dark days, it’s hard to imagine anyone more excited about spring’s brave first blooms. But just below ground, creatures on a...
Nestled on 236 mountainous acres, the HSUS-supported Project Chimps sanctuary is a true haven for chimpanzees retired from medical research. If you’re curious about what it takes to keep these intelligent, sensitive creatures healthy and intellectually stimulated, why not plan a visit? Though...
Other than the pattering of rain on the leaf-strewn ground and an occasional mourning dove call, it’s quiet in this part of Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Then you hear it: low grunting and hooting that rises through the pine trees into a ruckus of screeches and howls. Owls? Coyotes? No, it’s...
Within the first few minutes of Jane, a new documentary from National Geographic, the viewer is treated to wide shots of a gorgeous lush landscape, extreme close-ups of frilly insects going about their business—and a shot of young Jane Goodall, sitting in a boat, making her way into Gombe, Tanzania...
Sitting on her porch in the desert one afternoon while recovering from surgery, Christine Hass closed her eyes. The operation to fix her detached retina had been difficult, and she sought respite from the lingering pain. “Suddenly I could hear all the birds singing. It was March—the migrants were...
The National Institutes of Health announced an official plan for the retirement of all government-owned or government-supported chimpanzees from research laboratories to sanctuary. In response, Kathleen Conlee, vice president of animal research issues for the Humane Society of the United States said...
Walk into a roadside restaurant after a long day on the highway, and you can practically taste your meal before sitting down. The familiar smells of fresh-baked pie and salty fries need little introduction en route to your belly. That sensory experience is similar for wildlife coming upon lush...