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?

    World Animal Day and a Cathedral Cat

    Carmina was a stray, struggling to care for her newborn kittens in a deserted parking lot in Washington, D.C. But on Sunday, October 3, 2010, she began her new life as the official Cathedral cat of the National Cathedral.

    Animals at Ground Zero

    They were among the great heroes of 9/11 – the dogs and their people who searched the wreckage, risking their own lives to save the lives of others. Many of them, human and canine became sick in the months and years that followed, from breathing in toxic dust and fumes that poisoned the air at Ground Zero. Today, most of the dogs have passed on. But they will not be forgotten.

    Artist’s 15 Minutes of Shame

    This past month the media reported that Ms. Amber Hansen’s art project, The Story of Chickens: A Revolution, was in violation of Lawrence, Kansas ordinances that protect animals from being harmed or killed within city limits.

    Healing Arts We Can Learn from Animals

    Modern treatments for acute illnesses, he told me, boil down to a handful of “pillars of medicine.” But the interesting twist was that these pillars have also evolved in other species. His enthusiasm for his new theory was infectious, and I caught the bug.

    For Eden, Together

    An old crabapple stands rooted – She is tense intention, enduring – At the cusp of fall turn-to-winter, – Yellow green leaves fall first – One by one then – In waves of resignation
    They all drop, – But the fruit remains – Red glory against the sky – Witness to her heart.

    Dogs With a Nose for Poop

    Scientists trying to determine why killer whales are dying off are getting help from dogs; specifically, their keen sense of smell. In Washington State’s Puget Sound, scientists are examining the feces of killer whales to determine if factors such as pollution, boat traffic, and eating habits are to blame for the mammals’ declining population.

    Hooray for Ricky Gervais and Ireland!

    Brilliant, Ricky Gervais! I’ve been a devoted fan since the original version of The Office. But even if you don’t love his humo(u)r, you’ve got to respect Gervais’s partnership with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

    The Beagle Freedom Project

    The animal test subject of choice for many testing laboratories is the beagle. Beagles are bred to be friendly, docile, and trusting of humans, so they’re easier for technicians to handle as they force toxins into their blood streams on a routine basis, whether by injection, inhalation, or force feeding. Beagles usually don’t fight back.

    GroundZeroAnimals-sidenav

    Animals at Ground Zero A special tribute Heroes in all shapes, sizes, and breeds The dogs and their people who risked their lives to save others…

    The E-mails

    Within minutes of the first strike, the Internet was buzzing with e-mail reports, requests for help, and responses. It was still the early days of e-mail. There was no Facebook, no Twitter. Some of the old online services like AOL were still central gathering places for people. But e-mail was coming into its heyday.