Protect Cloud's Herd: Tell the BLM how you feel about wild horse removal

The end of the year brings many opportunities for you to help wild horses and burros. Write to the BLM about their plans concerning the Pryor Mountain wild horse herd, made famous by filmmaker Ginger Kathrens and the beautiful stallion Cloud.
Last year 7000 wild horses were removed from public lands, with plans to remove 4000 more in the next year. If I'm doing the math right (which might be doubtful) that's nearly half the wild horse population still roaming public lands. It is my belief that wild horses should A) remain wild and B) any necessary roundups should be put off until not only holding but TRAINING and REHOMING facilities can be built to cope with the influx of untrained and often unmanagable wild horses into a world already full of unwanted animals. There are more wild horses in holding facilities across the country than there are roaming the wild.
Another animal which has been let down by laws put into place to protect them is the wild burro of Big Bend State Park, Texas. Park employees have been shooting the animals, a practice apparently sanctioned by the Sierra Club (Sierra Club, por que?) in order to make room for the introduction of Big-Horn Sheep, a species which would increase big game hunting revenues.
If you would like to make your thoughts on any of these subjects heard, go to the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign website and click the links to email officials.

Stop Illegal Whaling

Finally, Care2 has come through where Defenders and other organizations have failed me.
I have been in a tizzy since hearing on the news at least a week ago about Japan planning to add Humpback Whales to its list of 'scientifically' harvested species. In this day and age I see no reason why whales must be slaughtered in order to study them...indeed, whales in particular are more easily studied when ALIVE, so that migration patterns and communication can be studied. Japan's harvesting for 'scientific study' is nothing more than commercial whaling in disguise.

From Defenders of Wildlife: "Whaling is one of the biggest threats to whales. By the middle of the 20th century, whaling had left many populations severely depleted. The International Whaling Commission introduced a moratorium which continues to this day. However, there are still some exceptions to this moratorium. This allows countries like Norway, Iceland and Japan and the aboriginal communities of Siberia, Alaska and northern Canada to continue their annual whale hunts. "
Since the international ban on whaling in 1986 more than 30,000 whales have been slaughtered. Japan has already overstepped its bounds in the hunting of commercial fishes, we cannot allow them to continue to expand their control over our marine mammals as well. Whales are an apex and keystone species of the marine ecosystem, and the health of our oceans depends upon, and is reflected in the health of our whales. Please do your part to help them now, but signing this petition today!
Stop Japan's Illegal Whaling!