The push to protect elephants in Bangladesh and owls in New York City. Editor’s Warning: Animal cruelty and death.

Happening in the World: Bangladesh has passed a court order banning the adoption of their endangered, wild elephants as an act of protection against exploitation. The order states that young Asian elephants can no longer be captured and placed into captivity. Previously, it was permitted for logging groups to use the elephants that were in captivity to haul logs or for them to be used by circus groups as entertainment. With this new order in place animal rights group, People for Animal Welfare, are hoping for local elephants to be rehabilitated and for the harsh training these animals face to come to an end. (BBC)

Happening in the US: Koch brother’s political network, Americans for Prosperity Action, suspends its support for Nikki Haley in the presidential primary after her recent loss in South Carolina. The organization originally spent tens of millions of dollars on promoting Haley as the top G.O.P candidate, but decreased its spending after Haley failed to succeed in the New Hampshire primary last month. The chief executive of Americans for Prosperity Action, Emily Seidel, believes that at this point their organization can’t make a difference in ensuring Haley’s victory, and, instead, will now focus on House and Senate races. (NYT)

Happening in NYC: Following the death of Flaco the owl on Friday evening, conservationists are calling for bird-proof windows across the five boroughs, as nearly 250,000 birds die each year due to crashing into New York City buildings. While in flight, birds frequently mistake the reflection’s from skyscraper windows for the nightly horizon or the morning sunrise and they fly directly towards it, which ultimately results in them hitting the glass and dying upon impact. In order to protect bird populations, Dr. Dustin Partridge, the director of conservation and science at the New York City Audubon, pushes New Yorkers to turn off the lights in their apartments during bird migration periods or apply a special film to their windows to break up the reflection and keep the sky safer for birds. (The Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: On Monday, February 26 from 10 am to 4 pm, Columbia is hosting its annual Black History Blood Drive. The drive is in honor of Dr. Charles R. Drew, M.D., the first African American to earn a Medical Science doctorate from Columbia and in the United States. Donors must register and make an appointment to donate blood. For more information, see Columbia University Events. 

Elephant via Wikimedia Commons