Wild cougar cubs have been seen in the western part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for the first time in over a century.

Last week state biologists confirmed that the spotted cubs — thought to be between seven and nine weeks old — were living on private property in Ontonagon County, a press release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said.

“It’s pretty exciting, considering this could be the first known cougar reproduction in modern times in the western Great Lakes states,” said wildlife biologist Brian Roell, a DNR large carnivore specialist and leader of the cub verification team, in the press release. “It really shows that we have a unique place in Michigan where someone has a chance to see a wolf, a moose and a cougar in the wild. It’s something that should be celebrated, that we have the habitat to support an elusive animal like this.”

A local resident took photos of the cubs on March 6, which Roell and the team used to verify the cubs’ presence in the area.

Originally native to Michigan, cougars were hunted to extinction in the state around the early 1900s. The last wild cougar who was legally taken was near Newberry in 1906, DNR said on its website.

“There have been many confirmed cougar sightings since 2008, including two illegal harvests in the Upper Peninsula,” the website said. “This situation is not unique to Michigan, but has been occurring in many other mid-western and eastern states, as young males disperse from core range in the western United States.”

Although cougars have been spotted in Michigan in the recent past, it was the first verified sighting of cougar cubs since their populations were decimated, Roell said.

The photographs were of the cubs without their mother, and they have not been seen again since March 6. Extremely dependent on their mothers, cougar cubs often remain with them throughout their first two years.

“Those young cougars are very vulnerable right now,” Roell said. “We don’t know where they are or if they’re even alive. Mother Nature can be very cruel.”

While cougars are Michigan natives, most of those there now seem to be transient, dispersing across the border from Western states.

Roell said there have been 132 reports of adult cougars verified by the DNR, but DNA testing had only confirmed male cougars to date.

Because they are listed as endangered in Michigan, it is illegal to harass or hunt cougars, including attempting to locate their den, Roell said.

Cougar sightings in Michigan can be logged through the Eyes in the Field reporting system, operated by the DNR.

Cougar cubs photographed by a Michigan resident who asked to remain anonymous. Michigan Department of Natural Resources

The post Wild Cougar Cubs Spotted in Western Michigan for the First Time in Over 100 Years appeared first on EcoWatch.

https://www.ecowatch.com/wild-cougar-cubs-michigan.html

Last Updated on March 18, 2025

By now you’ve probably seen the cruelty-free label on some of your products. But what exactly does it mean? And how does it correlate to sustainability?

Many beauty items are labeled cruelty-free, such as cosmetics and skincare. But many other items can carry the label, such as shoes, clothing, accessories and cleaning supplies.

The cruelty-free label essentially means no animals were harmed in the making of said product, or ingredient. This is important for a multitude of reasons, one being the inhumane treatment of lab animals. Most animals in laboratories are not legally protected and are subjected to horrifically painful experiments, often without pain killers.

Additionally, animals used for lab testing contribute to pollution and biodiversity loss. Animals, the most common being monkeys, are often taken from their natural habitats and bred in captivity for lab usage. Alongside this, millions of animal bodies and bedding are disposed of each year, creating biological hazardous waste.

Unfortunately, up to 126.9 million non-human vertebrate animals on a global scale are bred, used, and disposed for animal testing. This leads to a slew of ethical and environmental concerns.

This is why it’s vital to look for brands that don’t test on animals whenever possible. There are several ways we can do this, like choosing to go vegan or plant-based, advocating for animal rights, and checking for cruelty-free certified products.

Here’s what you need to know about animal testing and why opting for brands that avoid this matters.

is cruelty-free same as vegan?

No, cruelty-free is not the same as vegan. Cruelty-free means the product was developed without any tests on animals, whereas vegan means the product does not include any animal-derived ingredients.

Ideally, a product will be both vegan and cruelty-free. However, just because it is vegan does not automatically make it cruelty-free, and vice versa.

So, for example, a plant-based lipstick derived from vegan ingredients can still be considered “not cruelty-free” if it was tested on animals. 

RELATED: The Best Vegan Shoes: 8 Brands Making Cruelty-Free Footwear

what is the legal definition of cruelty-free?

There is no legal definition of cruelty-free. The term can be used by any brand – so keep that in mind while shopping around for products. However, to ensure legitimacy, it’s best to look for certifications, like Leaping Bunny Certification. This ensures third party testing was involved.

In order to get Leaping Bunny certified, brands must:

• Adhere to a fixed cut-off date, an unalterable date after which neither the brand nor any of its suppliers and/or manufacturers may conduct, commission or be party to animal tests.

• Set up a Supplier Monitoring System to ensure all their suppliers and manufacturers comply with Leaping Bunny criteria.

• Be open to independent audits to ensure their Supplier Monitoring System adheres to the Leaping Bunny Standard.

• Renew their commitment to the Leaping Bunny Program annually.

is cruelty-free a good thing?

Yes, cruelty-free is a good thing, because it prevents unnecessary suffering and promotes more ethical testing of products.

In terms of its environmental impact, animal testing is resource-intensive, requiring substantial amounts of water, food, and shelter for the animals. The facilities housing lab animals consume energy up to ten times more than offices on a square meter basis.

There’s also the issue of chemical waste. A wide range of chemicals are used throughout animal testing for sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization. Toxic substances like irritants, neurotoxins and carcinogens are frequently used for extended periods of time in large amounts. These toxins can contaminate soil and water if not disposed of correctly.

When animal bodies are eventually discarded after use, they are often incinerated on-site, which contributes to air pollution. Incineration is extremely harmful to human health, causing chronic illness and developmental delays in nearby populations. Between 11 to 44 percent of U.S. laboratory workers experience allergic reactions to laboratory animals. Between 4 to 22 percent suffer from occupational asthma.

By supporting cruelty-free brands, you are ensuring no animal was harmed for the sake of your product. You’re also helping more ethical, humane, and sustainable alternatives become the norm.

what are cruelty-free products?

Cruelty-free products are any product that isn’t tested on animals in each and every phase of the production.

I’ve compiled a list of brands that don’t test on animals. I’ve gone ahead and highlighted some key features of each brand, but it isn’t an exhaustive list. Be sure to check out their websites for more information.

1. pacifica

• Natural skincare, haircare + cosmetics
• Bio sourced ingredients
• Vegan and cruelty-free
• Partner with the ACLU and the Gentle Barn

2. plaine products

• Natural, plant-based haircare and skincare
• Rosemary mint vanilla, citrus lavender, and unscented options
• Refillable + comes plastic-free aluminum bottles
• Vegan, cruelty-free, women owned, carbon neutral
• 100% plastic-free shipping

3. ecoroots

• All-natural skincare and haircare products
• Various scents available
• Vegan + cruelty-free
• Silicone Free, Phthalate-free & Paraben Free
• Plastic-free shipping

4. brixy

• Natural shampoo, conditioner + body wash bars
• 3 scents available: citrus, mint eucalyptus and coconut vanilla
• Vegan + cruelty-free
• Free from palm oil, sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, synthetic scents + colorants

5. ethique

• Natural body + haircare products
• Various scents + types available
• Vegan + cruelty-free
• Plastic free + home compostable packaging

6. good time

• Natural hair + body bars
• No parabens, sulphates, or preservatives
• Vegan + cruelty-free
• Carbon neutral shipping
• 50% of profits to clean water initiatives

7. patch

• Compostable bamboo bandages
• Come packaged in recycled cardboard
• Organic content
• Vegan + cruelty-free

8. megafood

• Sustainable vitamins and supplements
• USDA Certified Organic
• Committed to regenerative agriculture
• Fair employment practices
• Lobbying to ban glyphosate
• Vegan, gluten-free + cruelty-free

9. blueland

• Sustainable cleaning + personal care products
• Refillable + compostable refill packets
• Hypoallergenic
• Leaping bunny certified
• B corp

10. nae shoes

• Women, men + unisex footwear
• Vegan + cruelty-free
• Made from sustainable materials like Pinatex, apple skin, cork, organic cotton, etc.
• Pre-loved program allows you to send back your shoes to be recycled or resold

So, which of these sustainable brands free of animal testing would you like to try? Let me know in the comments!

The post What Does Cruelty-Free Mean? +10 Ethical Brands appeared first on Going Zero Waste.

What Does Cruelty-Free Mean? +10 Ethical Brands

A lawsuit filed by a Peruvian farmer against major German energy company RWE began on Monday.

The claim, which argues that global heating fueled by the firm’s greenhouse gas emissions poses a risk to the farmer’s home, could set a new precedent for climate litigation, reported The Associated Press.

“We have waited 10 years for this day, this decisive day,” said Saúl Luciano Lliuya, as supporters cheered outside the courthouse. “I’m very excited; I hope that everything goes well.”

The lawsuit, filed in the Higher Regional Court in Hamm, western Germany, makes the case that RWE’s historical emissions have contributed to the global warming that has accelerated glacial melt near Lliuya’s hometown of Huaraz. This has caused Lake Palcacocha to rise to dangerous levels, raising the risk of disastrous flooding in the community.

Standing in front of photographs of glaciers shaped like mountains, Lliuya said that the lakes, glaciers and mountains “give us water, give us life,” as Euronews reported.

“[T]he glaciers are melting, are disappearing bit by bit. Some lakes, lakes like Palcacocha – it’s a risk to me, to more than 50,000 people who live in the zone at risk,” Lliuya said.

RWE does not operate in Peru and denied legal responsibility, saying there are many contributors to the global problem of climate change.

Lliuya first challenged RWE following a Carbon Majors Study from 2013 that said the company was responsible for 0.5 percent of post-industrialization climate change.

Huaraz is asking the energy company to pay roughly 0.5 percent of how much it will cost — an estimated $18,562 — to protect Huaraz from imminent flood risk and the overflow from the nearby lake.

“What I am asking is for the company to take responsibility for part of the construction costs, such as a dike in this case,” Lliuya told reporters in early March, as reported by Euronews.

Lliuya originally filed a lawsuit against RWE that was dismissed by an Essen court. An appeal to a higher court in 2017 led to the current hearing.

Roda Verheyen, lead lawyer in the case, said she was “calm but hopeful,” The Associated Press reported.

“[T]here is no time to be lost, because the glaciers are melting every day,” Verheyen said.

RWE said it has complied with government greenhouse gas emissions guidelines and has a target of being carbon-neutral by 2040. However, its historical contribution to global heating has brought attention to corporate responsibility for climate change in addition to cross-border legal accountability.

RWE “is still one of the biggest emitters of CO2 in all of Europe,” Verheyen said. “This is only a very first step — a trampoline for further cases of this kind.”

According to nonprofit research group Zero Carbon Analytics, there are more than 40 ongoing climate damage cases worldwide.

Flood risk from Lake Palcacocha is a real concern for the residents of Huaraz, reported NPR. A 1970 earthquake in the valley triggered a deadly landslide that took the lives of approximately 25,000 people.

In addition to the risk of flash flooding, avalanches and landslides, glacial melt is also interfering with the availability of drinking water for many communities. As ice sheets melt away, local streams have become toxic and discolored from recently exposed rocks containing heavy metals.

The region’s seasons are also affected, hindering agriculture.

“It is scary, the risk from climate change. For example, it has been raining. Even the rivers that pass through the city have risen,” Lliuya told NPR. “There is a lot of fear and the lake’s levels have risen. People are very worried.”

The case is being litigated near the head offices of RWE in Hamm and is expected to last several weeks.

“We want Saúl and the people of Huaraz to live in safety. No one should live in fear of losing their home due to the climate crisis. Polluters have to step up and pay the true price of their business model,” said Francesca Mascha Klein, a Germanwatch lawyer who is working with Lliuya on the case, as NPR reported.

The post Farmer in Peru Takes Major Germany Energy Firm to Court Over Emissions appeared first on EcoWatch.

https://www.ecowatch.com/peru-farmer-germany-climate-lawsuit.html