Wildlife Takes the Spotlight in Ethics Conference
By: Elizabeth Fritzler
April 16, 2010
Earth Week isn't just about the environment; it's also about animals. And when it
comes to animal ethics, humans must speak up.
In honor of Earth Week, DU's Institute for Human-Animal Connection at the Graduate
School of Social Work (GSSW) will host its second annual conference, "Animals Matter:
Perspectives in Conservation Social Work and Human-Animal Ethics."
The conference will feature four renowned speakers: DU scholars-in-residence Mark
Bekoff and Sarah Bexell; Jos Ngonyo, the director of the African Network for Animal Welfare; and Ray Powell
of the Jane Goodall Institute.
There also will be a recorded greeting from Jane Goodall, the famous primatologist
and ethologist and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, which supports animal and
environmental issues through numerous initiatives.
Among the major issues to be discussed is poaching, says Philip Tedeschi, the institute's
clinical director and associate clinical professor at the GSSW. Poachers illegally
hunt and trap animals, then sell the meat for big money.
"Human challenges like poverty and being displaced from your homeland can lead to
pressures on the environment and human-animal conflict such as deforestations, poaching
and snaring," Tedeschi says. "[This] not only devastates animals and the environment
but diminishes the quality of life for people."
The conference will highlight solutions, especially efforts to protect habitat and
wildlife. Other topics include ethical inclusion of animals in therapies.
During a vegetarian lunch, participants can talk with representatives from environmental
groups including a human-animal bond service and DU's chapter of Roots & Shoots, a
youth-led community service organization started by Goodall. The organization has
more than 10,000 members in 100 countries.
"The institute has a one-day event each year that highlights the connection between
humans and animals," Tedeschi says. "It is easy to become detached from our environment
in our daily lives, but our relationship with the natural world, especially animals,
reminds us that we are in this together."
The conference will be from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. April 20 in the Boettcher Foundation Community
Room at the School of Social Work. Registration is open to the public and costs $70;
students may purchase discounted tickets for $20. Tickets are available online or
at the door.
This story and others can be found at DU Today.
