2013, year of the Snake...

I just happen to be a snake (I was born in 2001), so it must be my lucky year. I love snakes, if you aren't already familiar with that fact, which I stated in recent posts about my volunteering experiences with Harry the Great Basin Gopher Snake.




     But with every new year comes new challenges that face wildlife and their habitats, and hopefully this year one of America's resolutions will be to better protect and preserve the natural habitat and native species on this little plaet named Earth. Poaching, habitat loss, illegal exploitation, etc., are all challenges that we have already faced before, but are getting more threatening and menacing than ever.  Its up to us, as a whole to take action and better preserve these species.

-PJ

Bouba N'Djida National Park in Cameroon Mobilizes Elite Soldiers to Defend Area From Poachers

Yes, the same country and park that fell victim to the horrible slaughter of over 300 elephants in these recent months is now immobilizing an army of armed patrols to defend the country from ruthless ivory poachers. It only makes sense: poaching groups that have developed use machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, and some even wear uniforms, says General Martin Tumenta, who also states that these are no ordinary poachers that Africa is dealing with. This is a good thing, given the amount of animals killed and the money in circulation. But are there other methods of solving this? Is the answer to this violence really more violence? That's still to be discovered, but we are running out of time. We have always had poaching patrols at use and at our disposal, but now we're getting serious--and more intense. 

Source & photo: worldwildlife.org (international)

Remarkable New Animals Discovered in Mekong

The list includes a new species of snake, a bat with a devilish appearance, and several new species of fish. This is exciting for the scientists who have discovered them, but there is always the grim realization that, given that they are newly discovered, we don't know if these new species are plentiful or if they are in imminent danger of extinction with the fall of a single tree. I would say we are lucky, given the amount of species that go extinct before we even know about them. Every day, whole swaths of rainforest are cut down, and the Amazon is currently under siege from a barrage of greedy companies struggling to obtain oil from the rich underground preserves there.

This is the ruby-eyed pit viper, the new snake species that was recently discovered

But fortunately there's always a way to help. To learn more about these newly-discovered species and more, check out the following link:

WorldWildlife/MekongSpecies

-PJ

I'm Getting a Little Held Back...

I was just giving you guys a heads up that I might not be posting for a while. There's just so much threats to wildlife, so many wrong-doings against animals in this world, and it's a little too much to keep up with, though I wish I could inform you about everything.


But just to let you know, I'm managing the site right now, making a few minor tweaks. That new page is still being worked on, there's a little trouble managing the link. But I am still intent on informing you about all if the threats in the world, and achievements, and how you can help. But none of this would have been possible if it weren't for you, the people who share my interest and lifelong love. I'm just a kid in middle school. I love being a kid, but I also love doing this.

-PJ

WWF Projects Some Rhino Species to go Extinct if Poaching Trends are not Reversed Within 10 Years

THIS IS URGENT NEWS, PEOPLE. The World Wildlife Fund has recently conducted a study that shows that unless poaching trends are reversed, rhinos could face extinction in about ten years. Given the amount of money in circulation from the poaching trade, this is a very difficult thing to stop. An ordinary South African could earn several months' worth of money in just about three days, and several rhinos are killed in Africa every day. I have no confirmation that this is true, but it doesn't matter. Either way, it's an extremely pressing issue.

             This introduces my new "POACHING THREAT" page, which is under construction and will be up soon, including links to sites about the threat and how you can help, and facts about the issue. But we only have 10 years left. From now on, there's no more just talking about action. It's a race against time.

-PJ



Source: WorldWildlife.org

Obama Re-Elected, our Environment Saved

Polar bears, sea turtles, and yes, Stratton old pal, our timber wolves are now at safe harbor from oil drilling at last. I'm not saying Romney's a bad person, because I'm sure he isn't, but his plan to "expand" our nation's energy independence was a death sentence to many species of North American wildlife.                                                                                                                    


         Granted, energy independence is a pressing problem. But Obama's approach to this is environmentally cleaner, even though slightly less efficient. He hopes to expand our renewable energy resources. In many ways, this is better: we don't have to get sunlight and wind from some power plant halfway across the world, do we? Some people just can't grasp the fact that oil isn't the only energy resource out there, and besides, crude oil has caused major environmental chaos recently (just look where the Gulf of Mexico got us. I, for one, don't want that to happen again) around the globe.  So in other words, this is good news for my family, and for the wonderful North american wildlife as well.

-PJ

 



Ongoing Yellowstone Wolf Study Discovers Key Traits In Wolf Packs That Boosts Amount of Surviving Pups

A new ongoing wolf study in Yellowstone National Park has recently revealed a natural trait in wolf packs  that allows for more pups to survive to adulthood. The studies show that a mother wolf's body weight along with pack size are key factors that govern wolf reproduction. Researchers from Utah State University used 14 years of data from an extensive study of wolves in Yellowstone and concluded that the size and overall health of a pack contribute to more pups surviving to maturity. Logically, it makes sense: a larger pack is more capable of protecting otherwise defenseless pups, and larger, healthier moms make for bigger litters.

       Wolves are highly social animals that hunt and live in packs. They are known for their complicated "pecking order" in packs and have various ways of communicating with each other, including body language and howling over long distances. Lower-ranking wolves often are last to eat, the Alpha pair having almost complete control of a pack and sometimes drive out lower ranking wolves, who soon become lone wolves. But humans just have to come along and ruin everything, don't they? Wolves are under threat from hunting for sport or because farmers fear for cattle or even themselves. While wolves are protected in some states, others often have large periods of hunting where wolves are shot or trapped ruthlessly. But we can still save them. After all, they live basically in the backyards of western America...

 

-PJ

 

 

Source & photo: Standard-Examiner