A new relationship with animals, nature and each other.

Posts by Michael Mountain

  • Introducing the Whale Sanctuary Project

    This blog is taking a break for the next few months so that I can devote my energies to the Whale Sanctuary Project. Here's why.

  • Is the Sloth Sanctuary a Zoo?

    The Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica was the first of its kind for these wonderfully engaging animals, and it was a model for others that followed. But questions have arisen. And…

  • Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary

    Tafi Atome looks like a typical forest in Ghana. The monkeys have been revered in this village for two centuries. But being “sacred” is no guarantee of survival.

  • The Great Irony of Animal “Rights”

    The great irony of the animal rights movement is there is still only one species that has any rights at all: humans. But the Nonhuman Rights Project is setting out to change that.

  • Why Mass Extinction Is Part of Human Nature

    Why would a supposedly “intelligent” species behave in a way that’s bringing about a mass extinction – one that will likely take us down along with so many other animals?

    Is the Stock Market a Global Ponzi Scheme?
    Sacred Activism in the Service of Animals
    Of Humans and Persons

    The Glow Effect

    The young beagle mix had been left in a drop box at the Florence, Alabama, pound. A few days later, along with other unwanted dogs, he’d been pushed into the gas chamber. And now, after emerging alive, he’s being hailed as a miracle.

    Get Out Your Biggest Umbrella!

    For anyone who still has their ostrich head buried in the snow, here’s yet another study saying that the climate is changing and even more wacky weather is on the way.

    Fish with Their Own Observation Tower

    German fish lover T.C.Helmut adds an observation tower to his koi pond. The fish can enter and leave the tower at will. By the looks of this, they prefer the view! (But you can see a couple of them scooting in and out at the bottom.

    The Cuckoo Thief!

    This cuckoo had just stolen a reed warbler’s egg out of her nest when she came face-to-face with Czech photographer and film maker Oldrich Mikulica.

    My Vacation with Elephants

    Emma Barratt, 23, had just graduated with a geography degree, and she wanted a vacation. But not just any vacation. So she decided to spend two weeks caring for rescued elephants in Thailand.

    Why It’s ‘Manly’ to Shoot Birds

    John Kerry made a last ditch stand to gain more votes in his presidential campaign by donning camo gear and heading out to shoot small animals. This, his campaign managers, believed, would make him seem like more of a leader.

    Cause of Bat Sickness Confirmed

    Scientists say they now know for sure what’s responsible for the death of millions of bats in North America. A fungus discovered in 2007 is responsible for white-nose syndrome, a devastating infectious disease that causes bats to wake up early from hibernation, fly around and then starve, freeze or die of dehydration.

    Dog Saves Mayor Struck by Lightning

    Ian Thomas was doing the rounds of his farm, feeding his chickens, goats and donkey when he was thrown to the ground. Stunned and in great pain, he grabbed onto Monty, his large black schnauzer, and the dog helped him struggle back to the house.

    Days in the Life of a Country Vet

    For many of us on this website, when we think of cows and pigs, we think of the horrors of factory farming. But for a rural community in Michigan, there are still family farms doing things the traditional way. And Dr. Jan Pol is their veterinarian.

    Obese Pets May Outnumber Obese Humans

    One out of every three pets in the U.K. – that’s more than 12 million – are being fed treats that are leading to obesity. That’s the takeaway from a new study by the nation’s largest veterinary charity, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).

    Where Are the Churches?

    Church inaction over animal welfare compounds animal cruelty, said Professor Andrew Linzey, a theologian at Oxford University and director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics.