McCruelty - The More I Look Inside The Box The More I´m Hatin It

Readers, please do not look inside the box if you are sensitive! Chickens killed for McDonald´s are slaughtered using an outdated method that results in extreme suffering. As one of the biggest sellers of chicken meat, McDonald's has the responsibility—and the ability—to reduce this abuse by demanding that its U.S. and Canadian suppliers use a less cruel slaughter method ... Learn more. (info from PETA)

McCruelty: I'm Hatin' It--Learn More.

The Global Warming Phenomenon

We are all aware that Global warming is an urgent and serious problem! There are however numerous ways to reduce this problem, some are very simple whilst others necessitate a more focused approach. We can all help by at least doing the simple ones, which will with no doubt make a big difference in this planet of ours. Here is a list of a few simple things that we can all do in order to fight against and reduce the Global Warming phenomenon:

• Protect and conserve forest worldwide

• Be sure you’re recycling at home

• Recycle your organic waste

• Make your city clean

• Reuse your shopping bags

• Plant a tree

• Adapt car pooling with your coworkers or classmates

• Do not waste fuel and drive carefully

• Keep your car tuned up

• Avoid air travel

• Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb

• Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner regularly

• Always switch off appliances, don´t leave them on standby

• Defrost old fridges and freezers on regular intervals

• Move your fridge and freezer to the right place, where it consumes less energy

• Adapt energy efficient appliances

• Cover your pans while cooking

• Eat organic food and eat less meat

• Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full

• Take a shower instead of a bath

• Use less hot water

• Spread the word

There are lots of other things that we can do that are not on this list…
What are YOU doing to help reduce global warming?

Image: biowaves

Touched By A Wild Mountain Gorilla

Take a look at this video of an amazing chance encounter with a troop of Wild Mountain Gorillas near Bwindi National Park, Uganda. It must have been an awe-inspiring experience for this guy to be able to sit with Wild Gorillas and actually spend some time with them …

Merry Christmas !!!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all visitors and readers of this blog a very Merry Christmas - may your world be filled with warmth and good cheer this Holy season, and throughout the year !!!

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - (Rock Version) Artist Michael Bolton

If Everyone Cared

As I was sifting through a blog called "You are a perfect spirit", I came across a song called If Everyone Cared (artist Nickelback). I decided to post it on my blog because I found the video clip truly awesome ... Check it out for yourself!

Birds Shown To Be Capable Of Using Tools

Image from www.zoo.cam.ac.uk (crow using tool)

Several species of birds have been recognized as tool-users in the animal kingdom. Perhaps the most renowned avian tool-user is the Woodpecker Finch of the Galapagos Islands, which uses a cactus spine or wooden splinter to obtain hidden insects out of holes in the wood. This bird is clever enough not only to use a tool, but also to “manufacture” its instrument if not available! Egyptian Vultures use stones as tools to crack an ostrich egg, while Macaws have been shown to utilize rope to fetch items that would normally be difficult to reach. The Green Heron has one of the most remarkable tool-using techniques. The heron will cast bait such as insects, berries twigs and even feathers into the water, then crouch down and wait for the curious or hungry fish that comes to the surface for a meal. Many other species such as Parrots, the extraordinary Corvids and a range of Passerines, have also been noted as tool-users. If you happen to identify a feeding bird, take the time to observe it and notice its extraordinary behavior… They are truly spectacular!

The Dolphin With A Prosthetic Tale

Image from dailymail

Winter, who turned 6 in October is a dolphin that was rescued from entangled ropes of a crab trap when she was only two months old (December 17, 2005). After being spotted and caught by a small fishing boat and a Sea World Team, Winter was immediately rushed to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a marine Hospital. Winter managed to survive the dreadful incident, but unfortunately her tail had to be amputated. At first Winter would have to learn to swim without a tail, forcing her to swim more like a fish (side to side body motion) than a dolphin (up and down body motion), but this unusual movement would damage her spine.

Image from dailymail

Kevin Carroll and a team of experts from Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics, who had previously designed prosthetics for others animals (including dogs, a duck and an ostrich) volunteered to help Winter by designing a special prosthetic tail for her. It took about a year and a half designing and testing a tail for her, but the months of work were worth it. Today Winter is thriving and is using her new tail with great command.

Winter's fame has spread far and wide. Crowds of visitors are traveling to Clearwater to visit the dolphin that has become an inspiration to adults and children alike, especially to children who are amputees themselves. More and more people will definitely visit her after seeing the beautiful movie that was inspired on Winter’s story, titled "Dolphin Tale" (released on September 23, 2011). I have already seen it and I really loved it - Winter plays herself in the movie (see below trailer).

The tale doesn’t end here… Lessons learned from Winter´s prosthetic tail is now being used to make prosthetic limbs more comfortable for human – and animal – amputees. I have attached a touching true story about a lovely young girl called Megan McKoen that went through a terrible experience when she was just 5 months old. Megan experienced difficulties adjusting to her disability, until she met Winter and was fit with a Wintersgel liner. Read more…

The Great Auk Extinction - Today They Can Only Be Seen In Museums

Image from wikipedia

The flightless Great Auk was a northern seabird which stood about 75 to 85 cm high and weighed round about 5 kg, making it the largest member of the alcidae family. It nested in large colonies, which made it easy for people to hunt for its meat, fat, oil, eggs and down feathers. As birds became scarcer, specimen collecting became the proximate cause of their extinction. The last breeding pair was killed on the island of Eldey, off Iceland in 1844, and the last live bird was seen off the Newfoundland Banks in 1852. Today, a number of stuffed Great Auk specimens exist in museums. Words cannot describe how sad I feel whenever I learn about species that are extinct or face extinction due to human actions…

One Of The Rarest Penguins On Earth

Image from wikipedia

Named for its bright yellow eyes, this penguin has a bright yellow band running from its eyes around the back of its head and a stout reddish purple bill. The Yellow Eyed penguin is considered one of the world’s rarest penguins, with an estimated population of round about 4000. The main threats include habitat loss, habitat degradation and natural predators. In August 2010 the yellow-eyed penguin was granted protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Found only in New Zealand, the Yellow Eyed Penguin is the most retiring of the penguins, each pair nesting well away from other birds. Unlike some other northern penguins, it does not breed in burrows, but uses the cover of forests and other dense vegetation to keep out of the sun. The Yellow Eyed Penguins generally lays two eggs which are incubated by both parents who may spend several days on the nesting at a time. These adorable creatures may live up to 24 years.

Read more at wikipidia.org

Find Out Why Seahorses Are Unusual In The Animal Kingdom

Cartoon by Catherine Pain

The reason why Seahorses are unusual in the animal kingdom is because the males actually carry and deliver the babies? When mating, the female seahorse deposits eggs into the male’s pouch. The eggs eventually hatch and fully-developed miniature seahorses emerge into the water. Once the babies are released into the water, the male’s role is complete and he offers no future care … amazing, don’t you agree!

The Lizard That Was Once Entirely Extinct

Hierro Giant Lizard's were once believed to be entirely extinct but rediscovered in the mid 1970’s. This giant lizard has at present only a small population of about 300 to 400 individuals (including re-introduced populations) living on the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands (Spain). Unfortunately, it is classified as Europe’s most endangered reptile. The Hierro Giant Lizard's major threat is predation by feral cats, and possibly also by dogs and rats.

The Hierro Giant Lizard is omnivorous and feeds almost exclusively on only two types of plants, Kleinia neriifolia and Lavandula abrotanoides. It also feeds on insects. It is a large, stocky lizard with a broad head and pronounced jowl. Its underside is generally brown, but has an orange to red coloration towards the middle. Adults are dark grey to brown in color with two rows of pale orange patches running along the sides. As the Hierro Giant Lizard grows older it tends to turn black with some grey. They are round about 60 cm long, although most of that is tail - males are known to grow larger than females.

Source: iucnredlist.org

Bird With The Largest And Smallest Wingspan

The largest flying bird ever was an extinct species called Argentavis magnificens, which existed more than 6 million years ago and had an estimated wingspan of up to 8 meters. Today, the absolute record is held by the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans), which has extremely long wingspans averaging from 2.51 to 3.5 meters. On land, the title is held jointly by the Andean Condor and the Marabou Stork which have a wingspan of about 3 meters. At the other end of the scale, the Bee Humming Bird of Cuba (Mellisuga helenae) has a tiny wingspan of just about 3.25 cm – by far smaller than many insects.

more...

Red Dog - The Movie

Red Dog

I just came back from seeing Red Dog at the movies and all that I can say is that anyone who has ever had a close relationship with a dog will love this beautiful, warm and touching film that is based on a true story of a stray dog call Red Dog that traveled around Western Australia in the 1970's and helped create a sense of community in the mining town of Dampier in North Western Australia. Although Red Dog had many friends, he was loyal to only one man - John Stazzonelli who took ownership before dying in a motorcycle accident. Red Dog, not knowing that John had died, went looking for him all across Western Australia's Pilbara region ...

The film was produced by Nelson Woss and Julie Ryan, and stars US actor Josh Lucas, Rachel Taylor and Luke Ford.

Kemp´s Ridley Turtles - Among The Smallest Marine Turtles In The World

Image National Park Service

The Atlantic or Kemp’s Ridley Turtle is amongst the smallest marine turtle in the world with an average length of approximately 2 ft (65 cm). Unfortunately it is also the rarest sea turtle and is critically endangered due to Marine Environment Threats (commercial fisheries, oil and gas exploration, marine debris), and Nesting Threats (increased human presence, human interference, poaching, beach erosion, artificial lighting, predators and so forth. read more…

Today the Kemp's Ridley population appears to be in the early stages of recovery thanks to human intervention and conservation efforts lead by USA and Mexico – Kemp´s Ridley turtles may be removed from the endangered species list in the not too distant future…

On average every two year cycles, females come ashore to lay several clutches of eggs each season. The males spend their entire lives at sea once they have hatched. Highly migratory animals, they often travel hundreds of kilometers (miles) to reach their nesting beach, which is usually the same beach where they were born. Kemp's Ridley are the only turtles which nest in the daytime.

Kemp's Ridley turtles feed on crabs, jellyfish, fish, squid, snails, starfish and a variety of other marine invertebrates, as well as some seaweed. The Kemp's Ridley have distinctive heart-shaped shells that range in color from gray to olive to black. Their bellies are white (juveniles) to yellowish (adults).

Kemp's Ridley live in large estuaries, lagoons, bays and shallow coastal areas in the Gulf of Mexico, but immature turtles, probably carried by the currents, often appear along the Atlantic coast, as far north as Nova Scotia and New England.

Pictures: "Gorgeous" Dinosaur Nest Found Full of Babies

Pictures: "Gorgeous" Dinosaur Nest Found Full of Babies

East African Side Neck Tutle - Why The Name?

Image from Petsgallery

The East African Side-Necked Turtles (Pelusios subniger) inhabit shallow ponds and streams with muddy bottoms. When the pools dry out or the conditions become too hot or cold for them to tolerate, the turtles in general burrow into the mud and remain protected until the rain comes.

When threatened, this species pulls its long neck to one side (hence its peculiar name *_*), rather than bringing it back into the turtle’s shell like typical tortoises and turtles do. They have dark, often black carapaces which are slightly domed and yellow undersides with a dark edge. These unique turtles are found in eastern and southeastern Africa, including Madagascar.

Do You Want To Become A PETA Angel For Animals This Winter?

Information taken from PETA

Dogs without protection from the elements outside suffer terribly during the winter. By becoming a PETA "Angels for Animals" sponsor, you can change the life of a dog trapped at the end of a chain or in a tiny pen without adequate shelter from winter's chill. Your sponsorship gift today can provide a sturdy new doghouse to a "backyard dog" struggling to survive long days and nights outside in the cold snow and rain this winter.

PETA builds hundreds of rugged doghouses and delivers them to lonely dogs whose guardians won't relinquish the animals or let them inside. PETA's doghouses are made to last, so your sponsorship today will provide a dog with shelter from snow, wind, rain, and summer heat for years to come.

The Heaviest Snake In The World

image from wikipedia

The Green Anaconda is currently known as the heaviest snake in the world due to its massive weight which can go up to 550 pounds (227 kg). This unique creature is a non-poisonous constrictor with a skin color that is either olive green or yellow with oval black to brownish patches along the length of the body. The pattern of the patches is exclusive to each snake, just like a human fingerprint. Its head is relatively small (right side of image), featuring bright orange-yellow stripes on each side.

The Green Anacondas eyes and nasal openings are positioned high on top of its head allowing it see its prey and breathe while situated just beneath the water's surface. Anacondas are constrictors, which mean they coil their muscular bodies around their prey and squeeze them to death, after which they swallow their prey whole. They will eat just about anything they can overpower, including fish, birds, mammals and other reptiles. Their slow digestive systems allow a hefty meal to last for weeks or even months.

Green anacondas are viviparous reptiles, which mean they give birth to live young instead of eggs. The babies measure around 15 to 30 feet long and within hours, are able to swim and hunt.

These unique reptiles live in swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams, mainly in the tropical rain forests of South America in areas such as the Amazon and Orinoco basins.