APRIL 2008 - JUNE 2008

Global warming: have you made up your mind yet?:

Total votes cast: 58

• It's a myth. The world may even be cooling. 5%
• It's real, but natural. It can't be stopped. 25%
• Humans are partly to blame, but it's no big deal. 6%
• We should change our habits now, but with caution. 50%
• Extreme action is needed, or the planet is doomed. 12%

OCTOBER 2007 - MARCH 2008

Introduced to New Zealand for fur farming, the invasive possum has no natural enemies and now poses a major threat to the country's native fauna and flora. How should they be controlled?:

Total votes cast: 53

• Leave them alone. Let nature run its course. 7%
• Explore non-lethal means of control. 5%
• Kill and destroy them. No commercialisation. 13%
• Promote commercialisation of the pelts. 71%
• Introduce a new predator, e.g. foxes. 1%

JANUARY - SEPTEMBER 2007

Animal rights groups are again ratcheting up their attack on Canadian sealing, claiming it is cruel, unsustainable and unnecessary. How do you find their propaganda?:

Total votes cast: 446

• Accurate and informative. 18%
• Emotional but on target. 0%
• Sometimes they exaggerate. 0%
• They frequently distort the truth. 9%
• Just distortions and lies. 70%

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2006

This August California lifted its blanket ban on trade in alligator and crocodile products, bringing it in line with the rest of the US. How do you view this shift?:

Total votes cast: 130

• A serious threat to gator and croc conservation. 30%
• A potential threat to conservation. Caution needed. 15%
• Meaningless. The ban was never enforced. 0%
• A positive step if no endangered crocs are used. 15%
• Long overdue. The ban had no basis. 38%

APRIL - JUNE 2006

Sir Paul McCartney has joined the campaign against Canadian sealing. Whatever your position on sealing, have you found his contribution:

Total votes cast: 70

• Well-informed and effective. 48%
• Poorly informed but effective nonetheless. 2%
• Uninformed and ineffective. 14%
• Uninformed but damaging. 11%
• Exremely ignorant and destructive. 22%

JANUARY - MARCH 2006

The Animal and Earth Liberation Fronts (ALF, ELF) engage in acts of vandalism, arson and intimidation. Are these acts:

Total votes cast: 86

• Justifiable but not enough. 3%
• Justifiable and appropriate. 36%
• Understandable but inappropriate. 4%
• Crimes, but not of terrorism. 6%
• Terrorism. 54%

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2005

Pressure is mounting for a major revision of the US Endangered Species Act. Which of the following best describes how you view this legislation?:

Total votes cast: 122

• Seriously flawed. Scrap it. 13%
• Needs major revision. 27%
• Needs fine-tuning. 4%
• Fine as is. 0%
• Should be further strengthened. 54%

APRIL - SEPTEMBER 2005

You have $10 to donate to a single charity. Which of the following would you prefer to fund?:

Total votes cast: 112

• Medical research. 8%
• Feeding poor people. 23%
• Environmental protection. 8%
• Endangered species protection. 37%
• Animal shelter. 21%

OCTOBER 2004 - MARCH 2005

Which of the following most closely matches your view of non-commercial fishing, sometimes known as "sport fishing"?:

Editor's note: Following this poll, the voting mechanism was revised to ensure one person, one vote. In this poll, the same IP voted almost 200 times for the first option.

Total votes cast: 300

• All fishing is wrong. 67%
• Catch and release is the best way. 3%
• Eat a couple, release the rest. 16%
• Only fish for food, never for fun. 10%
• Catch as many as possible, sell the surplus. 1%

APRIL - SEPTEMBER 2004

Keiko, star of "Free Willy", died recently following an effort by animal rights groups costing millions of dollars to rehabilitate him in the wild. Was this effort:

Total votes cast: 36

• A noble endeavour, worth the time and cost? 19%
• A misguided act of foolishness? 33%
• A self-serving bid to raise funds? 47%

NOVEMBER 2003 - MARCH 2004

What is primarily to blame for increasingly severe forest fires in American national parks?

Total votes cast: 56

• Climate change: 11%
• More arsonists: 4%
• Incompetent management: 32%
• Environmental groups opposed to management: 46%
• Increase in fires is a myth created by loggers: 7%

JUNE - OCTOBER 2003

How do you feel about genetically modified crops?

Total votes cast: 36

• Can't decide or don't care: 8%
• Think they're probably dangerous: 19%
• Think they're probably safe: 11%
• Believe they are a major threat: 31%
• Believe they are vital to global food security: 31%

MARCH 2003 - MAY 2003

If you had to eat a vegan diet for a year, how do you think you'd feel?

Total votes cast: 62

• Mentally and physically strong: 44%
• Mentally weak but physically strong: 0%
• Mentally strong but physically weak: 3%
• Mentally and physically weak: 18%
• Homicidal and/or suicidal: 35%

OCTOBER 2002 - FEBRUARY 2003

Which of these clothing choices do you consider to be the LEAST environment-friendly?

Total votes cast: 135

• Cotton: 5%
• Wool: 0%
• Fur: 13%
• Synthetics: 78%
• Leather: 4%

JUNE 2002 - SEPTEMBER 2002

At its May annual meeting, the International Whaling Commission voted not to renew the "aboriginal subsistence" quota of endangered bowheads for Alaska because of America's refusal to endorse minke quotas for Japanese coastal whalers. Should America ...

Total votes cast: 20

• maintain its position. 5%
• abandon Alaska and oppose all whaling. 10%
• offer support for Japanese coastal whaling. 60%
• leave IWC and set US quotas unilaterally. 20%
• leave IWC and stop all US whaling. 5%

MARCH 2002 - MAY 2002

The FIA, the world's governing football body, has protested to World Cup co-host South Korea over the serving of dog meat in restaurants. How do you view this culinary practice? Eating dog meat in Korea is ...

Total votes cast: 44

• immoral because all meat-eating is immoral. 7%
• immoral because dogs are special. 5%
• morally acceptable if welfare is good. 27%
• not a moral issue. 9%
• the business of Koreans alone. 52%

OCTOBER 2001 - FEBRUARY 2002

Why do you believe the US government maintains a ban on Canadian seal products?

Total votes cast: 45

• It believes seals are endangered. 11%
• It believes lifting the ban would endanger seals. 13%
• It believes in seal rights. 4%
• It does not want to anger anti-sealing NGOs. 42%
• The US has no sealing constituency. 28%

SPRING 2001

What should be the main concern in managing the southern African ivory trade?

Total votes cast: 8

• The health of elephant populations. 25%
• Benefits for African communities. 25%
• Transparency in buying and selling nations. 12%
• Ensuring poaching does not escalate. 12%
• The welfare and/or rights of elephants. 25%