CITES 2010 - Doha, Qatar

For the 15th time the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora which governs international wildlife trade will meet March 13-25.

Along with other members of the Species Survival Network, representatives from Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the U.S. will be attending the meeting.

Delegates of government officials from wildlife, fisheries, and forestry departments of 175 countries will participate in this convention.

According to a press release, this time bobcats could be in serious trouble.

For more information, see hsus.org online.

Creatures such as sea otters are also facing a threat from destructive drilling, according to theanimalrescuesite.com.

To sign a petition urging Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar to protect them from offshore oil and gas drilling, access http://www.theliteracysite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces;jsessionid=A4EB527DE4D0136DBCFB76126C0FC4A5.ctg-a?siteId=6&campaign=BristolBay.

"The long-term value of the renewable fisheries that operate in Bristol Bay far outweighs the short-term value of nonrenewable fossil fuel extraction in the area," states a press release from the site. "The four national wildlife refuges that can be found near Bristol Bay, including world-renowned Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, and the fish and wildlife populations they protect could be negatively impacted in the regular course of offshore oil and gas development, even if developers manage to avoid a catastrophic spill."

Thepetitionsite.com calls on activists to sign an online petition to prevent the deaths of thousands of sea turtles. Even though all six species of sea turtles found in U.S. Waters were listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act more than 30 years, no sea turtle species has recovered, according to research.

"Untargeted or discarded catch, also known as bycatch, is an enormous problem throughout the world," literature states. "The National Marine Fisheries Service recognized this problem in 2007 and issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking."

Sea turtles have been swimming in the world's oceans for more than 100 million years.

To sign the petition, look up http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/667429786.

In November the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida welcomed a baby bonobo, the first born at the facility in more than five years.

Bonobos are endangered great apes native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to writer Heather Lovejoy.