Mexican Government takes action to save the World's rarest Marine Mammal

A vaquita caught in a shrimp net

Recently, Mexico has taken an important step towards protecting the vaquita, a species of porpoise that is seriously threatened with extinction. The new regulation passed is known as an official norm, which was made possible by over 38,000 people from 127  countries signing a petition launched by the World Wildlife Fund. This new norm will make it so a kind of fishing net originally used for catching shrimp ( that often catches unlucky vaquitas) will be gradually substituted for nets that are safer for marine Mammals. This is a step forward for the vaquita, and perhaps all of conservation as well. Read more here.

Source: World Wildlife Fund international Photo: National Geographic

 

Recently, the mascot of the Ogden Nature Center, Chitters the great horned owl, has, sadly, died, thankfully of natural causes in the presence of his caring owners at ONC, the place he has lived for the past 37 years. He was an important asset to the Nature Center along with all of the animals they have in captivity there because he was used to educate and inform visitors about Utah's native wildlife and the importance of wildlife and resource conservation. A memorial was held for him not too long after his death. My thoughts are with him.

Bee colony deaths around the world on the rise, Could be due to pesticides

Bees are a very important part of an ecosystem, spreading pollen from plant to plant and seeds from place to place. But these biologically important insects are in decline of number, and many people think it could be due to a kind of nicotine-like pesticide known as Neonicotinoids that has already been proven to mess up the natural process of producing food. This is also known as, or is at least supposedly linked to, a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder. 40 or 50 percent of commercial beehives have already fell victim to CCD. It first surfaced in 2005, but has recently gotten dramatically worse. So next time you see this insect buzzing in your backyard, try your best not to call the exterminator, because that one bee could have a whole colony--or ecosystem--on its shoulders.

Turn off your lights for Earth Hour 2013

It doesn't matter who you are, or where you live, but (according to WWF) that hundreds of millions of people, businesses, and even whole towns will turn off all their lights in honor of the one commitment and responsibility we all have in common--taking care of our one and only planet. Your town as a whole might or might not be participating, but it doesn't matter. It's a simple way to show your affection for the planet. All you have to do is turn off all of your lights for just one hour on March 23rd, 2013. Whether on behalf of your city, town, school, or just your family, you can take the World Wildlife Fund's pledge to participate or learn more about Earth Hour by clicking here: Earth Hour 2013

Earth Hour 2013 Official Video

  

I don't know about you, but I'm gonna take the pledge.

-PJ

Video courtesy of WWF and EarthHour.org

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

    

First Rhino Calf born into new Rhino Breeding Program in India's Manas Natioal Park

A greater one-horned rhino (or Indian rhino) mother, one of 18 rhinos of the same species put in Manas Nat. Park as part of a newly established breeding population, recently gave birth to the first offspring born from a translocated rhino in Manas. Is it just me, or have rhinos been in the spotlight alot lately?

The Manas rhino project, part of the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 intiative, is an effort to encourage a new breeding site inside the lawfully protected boundaries of Manas National Park. It aims to increase the amount of Indian rhinos to 3,00 by 2020. In fact, most of the Indian rhinos lived in one other National Park, and establishing a new breeding poulation will make breeding rates faster and diversify the species' gene pool, putting them at less of a risk of major disease. As you probably already know, rhinos and elephants are under extreme pressure from poaching, a threat that forever looms above the welfare of the species' future. At least 17 rhinos have been killed illegaly for their horns this year in India's Assam state, but this is dwarfed by the number of rhinos poached in South Africa this year. Is there hope? That's up to us to decide...

-PJ

 

 

 

Source & photo: World Wildlife.org

Rhinos Listed as one of the Most Endangered Species

It's sad, but I have to say not very surprising: Asia's surprisingly few remaining Javan and Sumatran rhinos have been listed as one of the 100 Species Most at Risk of Extinction, a list issued by the London Zoological Society along with the IUCN (World conservation union). There are fewer than 50 remaining Javan rhinos, and while Sumatran rhinos live in a scattered distribution, there are an estimated 200 remaining in the wild. Also not surprisingly, this all is mostly because of poaching for Ivory. More than one Rhino subspecies has gone extinct because of this, along with other immediate threats such as habitat loss. The increasing demand for ivory, primarily from Vietnam, has caused poaching to skyrocket to record levels. Ivory is said to be a miracle cure for everything from flu to cancer, but obviously this is superstitious, just fuelling the ravenous sector of the Black Market that hungers for Ivory and ivory alone. But thankfully, actions are being taken to curb this hunger, and last year Nepal celebrated a year of no recorded poaching, mainly because of more and better law enforcement. But as long as poachers are put under the illusion that the rewards of doing this terrible crime outweigh the risk of being caught, rhinos remain at risk...

-PJ

source: WorldWildlife.org

     

Bardia National Park Tests Non-Lethal Unmanned Aerial Vehicle To Resist Poaching

In Bardia National Park in Nepal, poaching rangers are learning how to operate UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), which conservationists plan to use against illegal wildlife poaching. Hopefully, the non-lethal vehicle should catch heavily-armed poachers in the act, and scare others away. Another advantage is that this can keep the park rangers out of harm's way. Nepal is home to tiger, rhino, and  elephant species that are teetering on the edge because of poaching, and, with poaching records reaching new highs, now is the time to take strict action on this subject. I give my sincere thanks to the rangers in various national parks that help make sure this issue is getting attention and, hopefully,is halted.

-PJ

Source & photo: WorldWildlife.org

Romney Reveals Plan to Drill in Alaska Wildlife Refuge

Recently, Mitt Romney revealed his plans to "aggressively" expand offshore drilling in places like Virginia and South Carolina, but, as if things weren't bad enough, what he plans to do if he's elected president just got even worse. He proposes to start drilling smack in the middle of Alaska's National Arctic Wildlife Refuge. I was kind of neutral at first when it came to the presidential debate, but now I'm Obama all the way. The National Arctic Wildlife Refuge is home to everything from wolves to caribou to wolverines to our beloved polar bears, and I just can't stand to see them threatened by Romney's plan to "expand" our oil resources. We all know how the Gulf of Mexico turned out. Let's not let it happen again. As Romney said, "This isn't a 'pie in the sky' sort of thing. We will succeed in expanding our oil resources and making America an independent country when it comes to energy and fuel resources." In other words, he plans to guarantee this chaos will occur...

-PJ

To help the refuge, click the link below:

National Arctic Wildlife Refuge

Source: NPR (National Public Radio)

Conservation Groups cry out Against Dam in Thailand

Recently, three indochinese tigers (a mother and her cubs) were caught on a motion-sensored camera, the mother inspecting the device closely. Unfortunately, this would have been a good thing had the tigers' territory not have been where a proposed hydroelectric dam is proposed to be built soon. Indochinese tigers are a subspecies of tiger that lives in Indonesia and the surrounding areas. Studies show that fewer than 1,500 wild indochinese tigers are alive today. And now, environmental organizations are protesting against a nearly $400 million dollar project that aims to build a hydroelectric dam that could flood over 5,000 acres of valuable land in Mae Wong National Park. The dam including others proposed as part of the same plan, is also expected to reduce the region's fish supply by 16 percent, according to a study by conservation groups. We can only hope that the dam and its counterparts will be halted, because a lot more could be at risk than those three tigers.

-PJ

Source: The World Wildlife Fund/ LiveScience.com 

My Volunteer Work...Plus more Responsibility!

Remember Harry, that gopher snake at The Ogden Nature Center that I exercise as a volunteer? Now I get more of a part in taking care of him instead of just exercising him. I get to change his water, clean his tank, etc., and to top it all off I get to go inside an exclusive room for only volunteers that work with animals. Plus, I finally got my name badge to let everybody know I'm a volunteer and not some random kid walking in and messing around with the snakes. So even though I'm not the most experienced volunteer there, I love my work and will probably continue to do it for a long time. Me and Harry have become brothers. Sort of.

-PJ

Documentary Sheds Light on Little-Known SeaWorld Cetacean Cruelty

We all love SeaWorld parks. Full of aquatic animals of all shapes an sizes. But a new documentary, "A Fall From Freedom", made by Earthviews Productions (View the movie on the link below),  uncovers a controversy going on at SeaWorld parks that mistreats dolphins and orcas, especially during capture where people use explosives to scare orcas and/or dolphins or belugas to shore, and then wrestle them violently to put them on boats, only to be sent on a long, bumpy trip across the country in trucks or airplanes. But this is only the tip of the iceberg on the list of terrible things people have done just to ensure your entertainment during your family trip to San Diego this summer. As many people say in the documentary, SeaWorld should just rescue and then rehabilitate the animals, and that would be the "featured show" for us to enjoy.

-PJ

Click this link to view the documentary:

A Fall From Freedom

World Elephant Day!

Time to embrace the world's biggest land mammal! National Elephant day is tomorrow, August 12. Elephants are under threat because of poaching for their ivory tusks, but this holiday brings new hope for the beautiful mammals. You don't exact;y have to throw a party for the elephants, but just realize how precious they are and, even given terrible human obstacles, are still a species that has hope.

It is also a reminder of the terrible mass killing of elephants that occurred between January and March of this year, and the World Wildlife Fund has just let out video footage of it. Heavily-armed foreign poachers invaded Cameroon and killed over 300 elephants in Bouba N'Djida National Park. Surprisingly, I never heard of the incident until recently, or else I would have made a post about it much, much earlier. But the World Wildlife Fund has just released a video honing in on the incident, made like a mini-documentary.

This video is a reminder of the horrendous incident, and may not be for the weak-of-stomach:

                                               

We can all conclude that in order to save the elephants it's up to us. So donate to an organization that saves elephants, like WWF. Cherish these creatures of majesty, and forever realize there is hope for the elephants. And there's hope for every animal, for that matter.

-PJ

Phoenix's status:

Remember Phoenix, the young golden eagle who almost died in a Utah wildfire at Uintah County?  He recently had a vet check-up on July 31. He's doing well so far, considering nobody thought he was going to survive the blaze. However, there is one small problem. It's not major or anything, just a threat to Phoenix's  healing beak. The Utah Wildlife Rehabilitation Center says that Phoenix is becoming  a little rambunctious, and the bird could damage his own beak, which was softened and damaged by the fire and might take a while to heal up. To help deal with this, Phoenix's caretakers placed pads in the eagle's cage so there's less of a risk to his beak.  So,after going under anesthesia and getting a full check-up, Phoenix is expected to be fine, which is good news in my eyes.

                                                                        -PJ

Source & photo: WRCN facebook page

Some of Phoenix's feathers are still burnt and his beak was softened, but he's expected to be
fine.

                                                                                           

P.S. Please Comment!