Here's our roundup of Fur In The News from March 2016, and since April marks the start of the sealing season, of course it's in the news! Although the activists are urging Justin Trudeau to phase out the seal hunt, that's not going to happen. And that's good news for everything, including this restaurant owner who has taken to feeding a frequent seal visitor, since they are so overcrowded in the seas and they are running out of fish. Meanwhile, if you're wondering where to get your next pair of seal stilettos or seal skin bra, look no further!

Speaking of the seas, here is a highly depressing article about how whales are starving because their stomachs are full of plastic, and another piece about the impact fleece is having on marine wildlife. What is the solution? We suggest buying fur, leather, and other long-lasting biodegradable materials because as this article explains, "vegan leather" (synthetic leather to most people) isn't as ethical as its fans think.

If you are looking to buy some fur, Montreal is a great place to start, as furriers there continue to practice this traditional Canadian trade (above). And if you need some inspiration on what to buy, check out the top 6 fur coats of 2015, or the incredible garments in the Remix 2016 competition.

We can't write a roundup without talking about the animal rights warriors and, fortunately for us, it was almost all bad news for them last month. Let's start with the fact that Canada's Competition Bureau dropped the false advertising claim against Canada Goose, and the Supreme Court of Canada has given the green light to revoke the Humane Society of Canada's tax-free charitable status. (Insert fist pump here!) The mink "liberators" (read: people who set mink free to starve to death or get run over by cars) have been sentenced, one with jail time and the other house arrest and a significant fine.

In celebrity activist news, we've exposed Ricky Gervais as a fur hypocrite (above), and Pete Doherty (well known heroin addict musician) has joined the ranks of PETA by demanding a fashion brand stop using fur. Interesting that he is doing this while wearing leather shoes. And even the activists are in-fighting; this animal rights website is criticising how PETA raises its funds!

Our trapping story last month was a blog post about Neal Jotham and his work to promote humane trapping. We also released two new Q&A videos, this one about the role of trapping in keeping a balance in nature and an interview with a trap researcher.

Let's end this month's roundup with some nice looking pictures. This beautiful photo gallery in the National Post features several photos of trappers in the remote North, and what's not to love about these lovely photos (above) of a herd of wild horses discovered in Canada? And last but not least, a very touching video of a wild otter giving birth.

It's time for our monthly Fur in the News Roundup. Here is what the media were saying about fur in February!

Let's start with fur trade history, Hollywood style. Leonardo DiCaprio won the Oscar for Best Actor on Sunday and we love that he is standing up for protecting the Earth and our lands (otherwise known as our hunting and trapping grounds). If you are interested in the history behind The Revenant, we highly recommend this article, "The true story behind 'The Revenant' is even crazier than the movie".

It is great to highlight the history of trapping, and we also love this article from The Sportsmen's Alliance about why all sportsmen need to defend trapping. Let's give the trappers the support they need right now! Because as we know, the market hasn't been great for everyone this year. Unfortunately some of the wrong animals have been getting caught in traps, but we have a great solution for this: keep your dogs on a leash and don't let them roam free on other people's private property!

Let's move on from getting caught in traps to getting caught: the two American animal rights activists who went on a cross-country anti-fur rampage have pleaded guilty and will be going to prison and paying nearly $400,000 in restitution to victims. This might be the best news of the year, and we are only in March!

And the media has been very savvy lately about the tricks of the animal rights movement. This article talks about how groups make you want to cry and then they take your money, and the following story actually did make me cry a little. It is the very sad story of a horse at his end of life, and why we should reconsider the ethics of animal rescue.

We have a new hypocrite profile: Sairey Stemp (pictured above) is the editor of the British version of Cosmopolitan magazine and wrote a long article about why she dislikes fur, meanwhile promoting leather and sheepskin in her magazine. And while we are on the topic of hypocrisy, this writer says that it is silly to be anti-Canada Goose but still eat meat. By the way, here are 5 reasons why PETA won’t make me ditch my Canada Goose.

The activists have been up to their usual shenanigans. There's one in Scotland threatening a hairdresser because she put a fox skin in her store window, and there's a group of vegans in Ontario trying to argue that they are a "creed" and that "ethical veganism" is a protected human right.

But they aren't all nuts! One of our contributors used to be on their side and now tells his story about how he turned from activist to adult. And a last blow to the activists, Greenpeace has released a study detailing the hazardous chemicals used in outdoor clothing. Even a better reason to wear fur!

And finally, on the fashion front, fur has been been everywhere! From the rise of the #realfur selfie, to the menswear catwalks of Milan and Paris, it is making its mark. Even those crazy fur shoes that everyone thought would never catch on ... yup, those guys are super popular, too.

That's it for February! Let's end with a furry friend. February 27th was International Polar Bear Day!

We are full on into trapping season, so let’s make that the first topic of our November Fur In The News roundup. Are you out of practice? We love Outdoor Hub’s Introduction to Trapping, and these tips for the upcoming trapping season.

If you are struggling to find animals, maybe head on down to Chicago, which seems to have a bit of a beaver problem.

This is a great article about Making a Living on the Trapline (pictured above), and we love that this trapper has been given an award for his entrepreneurial skills.

Need a bit of trapping history? Read this article about the most famous fur trappers in Arizona.

If the activists are bugging you about traps, show them this video about the true “dangers” of using foothold traps. And if they are bugging you about hunting, show them this amazing infographic about venison donations to food banks. Much tastier than that vegan stuff! Speaking of vegans, here is a vegan story with a very happy ending. This one started eating meat!

While we are on the subject of activism, Greenpeace has backtracked and is now supportive of the seal hunt. Too bad its campaigning in the 1980s has already done so much damage!

Let’s not forget that activists frequently conceal their agenda, which is not about welfare but instead eliminating animal use altogether. This article does a good job reminding us of the distinction.

It has been a busy month over here at Truth About Fur! Our Hypocrite Profile on Pink (pictured above) got a lot of attention, as did Ross Hinter’s piece on whether we should be trapping wolves.

This memoir of 30 years battling animal rights is a story close to our heart, written as it is by our senior researcher Alan Herscovici.

And our latest blog post is about our Christmas competition giveaway. We are giving away six beautiful fur goodies over the next three weeks, and it is really easy to join.

Some other interesting articles that caught our eye ... Apparently babies who sleep on fur are less likely to get asthma and allergies.

There were a lot of bizarre fashion laws in history, some involving fur. For example, 14th-century English yeomen and their families could wear no fur other than lamb, rabbit, fox or cat. Even weasel was too good for them!

If you are looking for 21 ways to wear colourful fur, look no further. Or if you are content in your warm, snuggly parka, then this Canada Goose video (pictured above) might inspire you.