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Monday, May 20th, 2013

Melody Horrill

A terrible loss

Last week I covered a story about Karta the orangutan, who is recovering from losing her fifth baby.I was incredibly moved by her carers at the Adelaide Zoo and their concern for her welfare.I watched Karta interact with her mate and I could see the...
February 19, 12:53 pm
Is this coffee cruel?

There’s a growing trend that coffee lovers worldwide, including here in Australia, are sipping into – Civet Cat Coffee.It’s a far cry from your cup of Nescafe – priced beyond the means of the average coffee drinker, but still growing in demand.Civet...
October 12, 4:03 pm
Clucking with the chooks

Earlier this week I flew to Tarlee, north of Adelaide, to visit a free range egg farm for a story about the definition of free range.Being a huge supporter of free range produce, I was very excited to visit a farm accredited by the RSPCA, and to see...
July 13, 5:09 pm
Butter on the Crumpets

Throughout my 20 year career in the media I've covered hundreds of health stories.Many of them have focused on how certain foods can reduce the risk of certain diseases - I've always been a firm believer that there is a cure in nature for everything...
May 8, 12:00 am
Comfort Without Cruelty

Firstly, I should be clear about the fact that I would never knowingly buy or wear real fur - I don't need to and I don't want to.Give me the fake stuff every time.I see no reason in 2011 to rely on capturing and killing animals (sometimes rare ones...
October 18, 11:15 am
How Can Life Be Worth So Little?

I was grocery shopping the other day and comparing prices. I couldn't believe that broccoli was more expensive per kilo than a chicken!It occurred to me that the price of the life on one chook is so little - a vegetable is worth more.Now, personally...
August 17, 5:00 pm
Is Our Record Wet Drying Up?

South Australia's had its wettest start to the year on record - but could our long, damp spell suddenly coming in an end?The latest long range forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology shows a 65 percent chance of below average rain for the next 3 month...
April 27, 3:43 pm
Mother Nature Still Calls the Shots

As humans we're at the top of the evolutionary tree. We have learnt to manipulate nature to serve our own purposes, whether it's drilling for oil in the middle of the ocean, mining coal from the depths of the earth, clearing forest to provide land f...
February 4, 9:48 am
Another Shot Across the Bow

For the reader who suggested I stick to the subject of dolphins instead of tackling the subject of lacklustre pollies - (and I could go on about that forever) this is one just for you!A new report has found that toxic dust could kill off the latest ...
November 1, 5:53 pm
Where the Bloody Hell Were You?

Here in South Australia, water is a topical issue.The demise of the lower lakes has made headline news.Our television screens were filled with images of the suffering of drought stricken communities.That vision tugged at our heart strings - as did t...
October 14, 3:50 pm
a Memorable Shop

My partner and I went shopping the other day and I was staggered by the price of produce.We paid $12.00 a kilo for field mushrooms. Yet, we only paid $4.99 a kilo for chuck stewing steak. How is this possible?How can meat derived from a living, brea...
July 7, 11:20 am
a Burning Mystery

Last week, two of Adelaide's friendliest port river dolphins, a mother and calf, were discovered with what appeared to be horrific burns on the sides of their bodies.The injuries are so severe, a team of international vets have described them as the...
April 27, 3:39 pm
the Captive Debate

The death of a trainer at an American marine park by a captive killer whale has sparked a lot of discussion.While it's certainly a tragedy that a woman lost her life, I hope this story ignites debate about whether such mammals should be kept in capt...
February 26, 3:15 pm
That Sinking Feeling

I heard some very sad news yesterday. A program which I helped establish 16 years ago has been dumped.The project, which I gave up my full time job to establish, was Australia's first dolphin sponsorship program.It was created to raise money for the...
February 22, 5:09 pm
It's Not Easy Being Green

We're bombarded with stories about the government carbon reduction push and new incentives to reduce greenhouse gasses.We're told to turn off lights, reduce our energy consumption, consider solar and in general, do what we can do to protect our envi...
October 13, 12:48 pm
Triumph and Tragedy

As a journalist you witness triumphs and the tragedies.You sometimes see and do amazing things that give you renewed faith in the world.But sometimes you find yourself witnessing something that creates another little crack in your heart.Yesterday, I...
August 14, 1:55 pm
Save the Bears

I can't bear hypocrisy.Adelaide Zoo is gearing up for possibly its most important import in its long history - two Panda Bears from China.There's great excitement and expectation surrounding the arrival of Funi and Wang Wang, and a massive new clima...
June 19, 4:36 pm
Where's the Passion, Peter?

I generally steer clear of expressing my personal opinion about political matters, but an issue has come to light in recent days that I feel compelled to comment on.One of the Rudd Government's election platforms was its strong stance against the re...
May 27, 3:02 pm
Fish Food For Thought

I hosted a function the other night, and was joined at my table by three fishermen from Port Lincoln, a beautiful coastal community on the South Australian West Coast, which produces some of the best seafood in the world.In between my official dutie...
May 5, 7:18 pm
Crisis Hits Pet Owners

While many families are struggling with our grim economic situation, their pets are increasingly finding themselves homeless.It seems in our disposable society, animals are also considered disposable by some people.For instance American shelters hav...
April 3, 3:39 pm