Beer Can Hill

By EMMANUEL TUMANJONG (AP) –  February 10th, 2010

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — A conservation group is caring for more than 1,000 African gray parrots with help from an Ohio zoo after the birds were rescued from smugglers who had stuffed them into crates bound for the Middle East.

At least 120 of the birds have died since they were saved last month. The remaining parrots have been transferred to a wildlife conservation center in the West African nation, said Ofir Drori, director of a conservation group called the Last Great Ape Organization.

“The birds have been tied down for too long. They are very tired, many are sick,” he said Tuesday.

The parrots are kept as pets, but they also are believed to possess special powers in countries such as India, China, Nigeria and Cameroon, where the birds are used by witch doctors for rituals.

Cameroonian officials found the parrots stuffed into poorly ventilated wooden crates at the airport. Drori said the crates were being ferried to a Kuwait-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight.

The birds will be released into their natural habitat in a few months after veterinarians complete treating them, Drori said.

The Columbus Zoo in the U.S. state of Ohio said it will provide a grant of $6,000 to help feed the parrots and provide emergency care.

It was the third time in two years that authorities have stopped a shipment of parrots from being taken onto an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Ethiopian Airlines could not be immediately reached for comment.

In 2007, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora put a ban on the trade and export of the African gray parrots in five countries including Cameroon.

Two days before the authorities saved the 1,120 parrots, the Last Great Ape Organization, with the help of U.S. investigators and the Cameroon government, tracked down an Internet trader in the southwest regional capital of Buea who had struck a deal to deliver 23 African gray parrots to the United States. The trader is now awaiting trial.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Sources reported last week that one of Lonesome George’s girlfriends has laid eggs. It has not been confirmed whether or not they are fertile.

Merlin wants everyone to know that he’s been in Fresno this whole time!

_{Beer Can Hill is participating in Blogathon 2009 by updating twice an hour, for 24 hours, today. Proceeds are going to RAINN.}

Article.

_{Beer Can Hill is participating in Blogathon 2009 by updating twice an hour, for 24 hours, today. Proceeds are going to RAINN.}

Article.

_{Beer Can Hill is participating in Blogathon 2009 by updating twice an hour, for 24 hours, today. Proceeds are going to RAINN.}

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="292" caption="Edward Eugene Harper."][/caption]

Federal agents have apprehended accused child molester Edward Eugene Harper, who was on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="292" caption="Cult leader Tony Alamo."][/caption]

A jury in Arkansas convicted evangelist Tony Alamo on Friday of 10 federal counts of taking minors across state lines for sex.

_{Beer Can Hill is participating in Blogathon 2009 by updating twice an hour, for 24 hours, today. Proceeds are going to RAINN.}

In honor of the 40th anniversary of The Stonewall Inn riot (that sparked Gay Pride marches across the nation), Toys In Babeland is  offering 40% off four of their most popular products. It includes three free condoms.  The offer is good while supplies last.  Be sure to enter PRIDE09 in the coupon code box to get your free condoms with purchase!*

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="239" caption="Giada Bella Cinotti Gomez / May 29th 2009 / 7 pounds 5 ounces 19 inches"][/caption]

Jinxi found this one.

If I sent Jennie to the store with a backpack she’d probably shoplift and cuss everyone out. Rusty wouldn’t even make it to the store because she’d have to stop and ask every rock and flower, “HIWHATDOING?!”

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="Sorry y'all, she's spoken for!"][/caption]

My friend Angela kicks ass at everything she does. And she rescued two dogs from the pound and has helped them recover from their past owners!

I love both of her dogs, but I have a soft spot for German Shepherds. I had two when I was a kid and also a GS/wolf hybrid. If I settle down someday I’d like to adopt one. But I’ve got to make sure that I can find one that can live with Merlin.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="Roger telling me WHAT UP last Sunday morning."][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="344" caption="Me & Angela at the C.A.L.M. zoo in Bakersfield. I wanted this dinosaur for my yard!"][/caption]

Welcome to Beer Can Hill’s new home!

Our landlord is Cassandra at CounterCulture.org .

Today I learned that my buddy Thom Godfrey of Nothing Sacred Tattoo chose my Frankenstein tattoo to be on his new shop’s business card.

Thom also did my ‘One Life, One Chance’ tattoo last April at the Bakersfield Bring It Together tattoo convention. It received a touch-up at the Central Valley Tattoo Expo in Bakersfield in October.

Some of Thom’s artwork is for sale through Black Market Art Company.

PBS is re-airing Nature’s ‘Parrots In The Land Of Oz’ episode tonight.  The website has video clips, desktop wallpaper downloads, and conservation information.

The article can be found at this link after today.