(Cross-posted at EENR)

Alhough ever since my childhood I dreamed of being close to animals, I never thought I'd share my house with two mischievous ravens.  In 1995 my husband Jim and I had two of these most intelligent birds in our care under an educational permit for the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network.

Kong was estimated to be between 25-30 years old.  He spent much of his life in a small wire rabbit hutch against the side of a house, and was rescued from that situation by a kind neighbor.  We acquired him to keep Bertram (then 2 years old and imprinted) company during the day.  In the evening we brought them both into the house to break up their boredom - provided Jim and I were BOTH available to watch them, since, as you will soon discover, it takes plenty of attention to watch two ravens.

I just received the following email from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and thought it deserved passing along.  Hopefully some of you here will help out, as well as pass it along to as many people as you can.

Yellowstone's wild, free-roaming buffalo herd is under siege.

The Bush Administration is turning America's greatest national park into a killing ground for hundreds of mighty bison -- better known as American buffalo.

We must speak out against this cold-blooded cruelty NOW -- because every week, more of these noble creatures are being herded into cattle trucks to be slaughtered.

This winter alone, more than 1,000 wild bison have been brutally killed by the National Park Service and the Montana Department of Livestock -- or shipped to slaughterhouses.

And come May, newborn calves are just as likely to be killed as their mothers.

We cannot stand by and let this massacre continue: Send a protest message now.