DHL Express, the world's leading international express service provider, has partnered with Tusk, a charity dedicated to accelerating the impact of Africa-driven conservation, to transport17 critically endangered Mountain Bongo Antelopes from the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF) in Florida to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. Bred in Florida, the Bongos are on the verge of extinction with fewer than 100 left in the wild due to poaching, forest degradation and habitat fragmentation.
"); document.write("As a partner of Tusk, DHL used its expert and specialist logistics services to provide point-to-point air transfer for the Bongos. Meeting the requirement that the full herd be transported together; DHL provided a dedicated aircraft which carried the Antelopes 7146 nautical miles directly from Palm Beach International Airport (Florida) to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya.
"); document.write("The Bongos were transported in custom-built crates, alongside 6 tonnes of pelleted feed and 3 specialist animal care staff including a veterinarian and 2 Bongo specialists from the US. The Mountain Bongos were released into a 20-acre sanctuary, which has been set aside for their long-term management and recovery by the Kenya Forest Service. The sanctuary plays a critical role in the national recovery plan and is key to the ongoing success of the project.
Dr. Elsey's Prioritizes Feline Health: Discontinues Scented Cat Litter
Dr. Elsey's, a veterinarian-founded company committed to feline health and wellness, has announced the immediate discontinuation of its Ultra Scented cat litter line. This decision marks a significant step in the company's ongoing mission to provide products that align with the natural needs of cats, ensuring their health, comfort, and well-being.
"); document.write("For years, Dr. Elsey's has been at the forefront of feline wellness as an industry leader, offering scientifically backed, veterinarian-formulated solutions that support a cat's natural instincts. While the company previously produced scented litter in order to accommodate consumer demand, recent scientific research and the latest veterinary insights have mandated the immediate need to eliminate artificial fragrances from its product lineup.
"); document.write("\"Cats rely on their sense of smell to navigate their world, and artificial fragrances can significantly disrupt their instincts, causing stress and discomfort,\" said Dr. Bruce Elsey, founder of Dr. Elsey's. \"We've always been committed to doing what's best for cats, and breakthrough scientific studies now show us that scented litters introduce unnecessary risks. We're acting on that knowledge and making this important change, and we are hoping and advocating that other manufacturers do what is right and follow our example.\"
Healthy Forests Require Combined Deer and Invasive Shrub Control
If left unchecked, both overabundant white-tailed deer populations and invasive shrubs like Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) can devastate deciduous native tree regeneration. Yet, a management strategy focused only on deer, or only on invasive shrubs, results in little or no forest health improvement, according to research from Ohio, spanning more than 10 years.
"); document.write("\"Control of only invasive shrubs will reduce native cover and not improve tree regeneration,\" says David Gorchov, Ph.D., and Miami University (Ohio) biology professor. \"Managing only deer will increase woody plants but reduce native cover. Management of both stressors is needed to promote tree regeneration and plant community restoration.\"
"); document.write("These conclusions summarize research, recently published online in Invasive Plant Science and Management (IPSM), volume 17, issue 1, by Cambridge University Press, a Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) research journal. For this study, Gorchov and his coauthors, M.S. student Marco Donoso and undergraduate honors student Hanna Leonard, investigated deer pressure and Amur honeysuckle effects for 11 years in a split-plot experiment in the Miami University Natural Areas in southwest Ohio, where both were at high density.