All pictures credit: Walkingfox
We have decided to call her/him Ishi, after the
last of the Yahi in California.
She/he also appears to be the only survivor.
Because you asked, here is more about Ishi,
last of the Yahi.
We would like to introduce our first
Gopher Tortoise birth here.
She/he was found yesterday when I took
Breanna out, just after lunch.
We are not sure of her/his sex, but
this is what we have waited for since moving in here in
2004.
We found no others, only this one.
Gopher Tortoises normally have between
3-15 babies, so we sadly fear the demise of her
siblings.
It is said that anything and
everything, eats them as soon as they hatch,
most do
not make it until their first birthday.
From what we have learned from other
pictures and information, this one appears to be about
two years old,
as they are said to grow about an inch
per year.
If any others are found, they will be
announced here.
But for now, we are so thrilled to
have at least one child from Harriet, whom we have
fiercely guarded,
loved and protected since we came here
nearly ten years ago.
Finally we have a baby!
September 13, 2013
Puget Pride
Killer Whales or Orcas
Picture credit: Robert Pittman NOAA
This story is for
Adam, whose heart is as big as the Ocean,
the Orcas and all the sea creatures that he loves so
much.
Killer Whales or
Orcas are the largest Dolphins.
This beautiful mammal is an
intelligent, fun-loving, playful, family oriented
and
devoted Sea Creature or Cetacean.
And for the first time in years,
this week a new baby has been born to a group
whose
terrifyingly low numbers,
leave many to believe that
they are not long for this Earth.
The new baby, who is a member of the L
Pod, was born in the waters of San Juan off the
Washington State Coast, known as Puget Sound.
This new calf is a member& of
Southern Resident Killer Whale population
whose numbers
are currently at about 79, with two having
been listed as missing.
The Killer Whales in
this area are members of the J, K, or L Pods.
The new baby or calf, is number
L 120 and its birth is cause for sheer delight,
extreme joy,
laced with a more than just a bit of
trepidation, as newborns in this area and of
this particular species,
do not have a good track record
for longevity.
Many of them die in their first year
of life.
There are multiple reasons for the
tremendous decline in Killer Whales here:
the
Exxon oil spill, and the lingering deadly aftermath of
it, as well as the now near extinction
of their
favorite food, salmon, which has sent them as far
away as California to eat.
This critically Endangered Whale is
the victim of yet one more example of Human cause and
effect:
oil spills, over fishing, military and
tourist conflicts, greedy marine facilities who take
them prisoners to perform.
We love to adore them in captivity,
watch them on film, and take boat trips out to see them
in the wild.
Yet we completely fail to comprehend
that what we are doing, is killing the Killer
Whales.
We are simply, ignorantly, loving and
crowding them to death.
But on this day, far away, in
Washington State, there is reason for Puget
Pride.
Places to learn more:
Killer whale – Wikipedia
Updated photos: Eyewitness describes birth of orca in
Puget Sound waters
Down to Earth: Patti Goldman on Protecting Orca Whales
Puget Sound’s endangered killer whales continue decline
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Puget Sound orcas feeding in California — again
Orca calf born to Puget Sound resident L pod
Puget Sound orcas retain protection under Endangered
Species Act
Newborn Orca Seen Off Washington Coast In Puget Sound
Pod
Census: Orcas declining in Puget Sound
Free Corky
September 6, 2014
Megalopyge opercularis
Megalopyge opercularis
Picture credit: Wikipedia
Thank you so very much to Walkingfox
for alerting me about this story just now.
This is a very short post because it
is so important and just learned about.
I also wanted to alert as many of you,
as soon as possible about this.
On our local WFTV News
earlier today, was a report about, don’t laugh,
a fuzzy
caterpillar that is very scary.
Its scientific name is
Megalopyge opercularis and
it has been found in Florida.
DO NOT TOUCH it
under any conditions.
This thing is nasty and its toxic
venom will do you great harm.
Even though it is fairly small, at
about one inch long,
it is the most poisonous
Caterpillar in the United States.
This is not a joke, take a look at the
pictures of the victims in the links below.
You, your pets and your children need
to be on high alert for this creature,
every single time that you are outside in your yards,
or where ever.
Please watch out for it and if any of
you should come in contact with it,
follow the
directions on any of these links included below,
immediately.
All I can say is YIKES!
And, Welcome to the Tropics.
Places to learn more:
Southern flannel moth
Puss Caterpillar or Asp — General Information
Florida’s Puss Caterpillars Pack a Venomous
Punch
Doctors: Don’t pet fuzzy caterpillar
Megalopyge opercularis –
Wikipedia
August 30, 2014
You’re On Your Own!
The Tiger Shark is a regular
visitor to Florida Beaches.
Picture credit: Albert Kok
This story has been on our local news
for several days and it has Floridians divided, once
again.
I truly did not want to write about
this, but the story will not go away.
Those who fish of course, are
completely opposed to the idea that anyone, or anything,
should interfere with the enjoyment of their beloved
sport of “shark fishing.”
Let me begin by saying that I find
this ” sport “ both appalling and
cruel.
Yes, the East Coast, or Atlantic Coast
of Florida, is and has been for many years, the
” shark bite capital of the world, ” but the
behavior of these people in the pursuit of
their passion,
has only added to the numbers, because
sharks will always go where there is blood in the water
and that is exactly how these people do their
” sport. “
This provocative, enticing and
dangerous action, is called
chumming.
Sharks are one of the most ancient of
all animals that live today on our planet.
They have survived and thrived, when
many others, perished and became extinct.
They are a nearly perfect predator and
truly need fear few, if any other animals, only Humans.
We have always been the greatest
threat to their continued longevity on Earth.
And, this disgusting sport of
“shark fishing “ is being done state-wide in
nearly every coastal town here now.
There are a plethora of Clubs,
Charters and Organizations here, all devoted to the
“exciting sport,”
their words, not mine, of
”Shark Fishing.”
The problems arise because of where
this sport is being done, which is on
the hundreds of beaches in Florida,
where swimmers,
surfers and tourists are usually gathered for a fun day
at the Beach.
What these “shark fishing”
groups fail to accept, is that they are responsible for
creating
a theater of danger at the beach, by their very
dangerous actions.
Since the beginning of August, two
young children have been bitten by sharks just in
Brevard County.
Melbourne Beach Mayor Jim Simmons, is
understandably quite concerned for the safety of those
who not only come to his town, but of what waits for
them when and if, they also visit the beach there.
He has personally experienced this
dangerous drama on the Beach and wants to stop it before
someone is killed.
The reason for all of the division in
the state over this Issue, is quite simple.
Local residents and officials want to
stop shark fishing, but really have no
legal authority to do so, only Florida Fish and Wildlife
can do this.
And the chances of that happening, are
slim to none.
There will be an FWCmeeting
September 11, in Kissimmee, to discuss this and Mayor
Simmons
not only plans on showing up for it, but to
lobby for his concerns there as well.
I can’t help but
wonder, where Florida’sBetter Business Bureau or
Departmentof
Tourism stand on this Issue.
Like the line from the movie says, ”
this is not good for the Tourist Trade.”
So for the time being,it is beach
users “beware.”
If you are a visitor here, or a surfer
new to the area, please be forewarned,
the beaches can
be a very dangerous place in Florida right now.
Shark Fishermen using
Florida Beaches for their blood sport, are protected by
our State Officials.
You, on the other hand, are on your
own!
Places to learn more:
Sharks – Wikipedia
Shark kills number 100 million annually
Florida Shark Fishing
Shark-fishing debate hooks town leaders
Florida Shark Attack Risk Has Officials Wanting To Ban
Shark Fishing In 2014
International Land-Based Shark
Fishing Association
A Shark Fishing Guide
YouTube Shark Fishing (It is sick and cruel, be
prepared)
August 23, 2014
Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke
For those of you not familiar with
her, Winona LaDuke is the Executive Director of a group
called Honor the Earth.
Last week they began a new campaign
called “Love Water, Not Oil,” that
is vital, no critical,
to all Americans, not just
Native Americans.
What Fracking and
Oil pipelines have done and will
continue to do to the environment of this country,
should be high on everybody’s agenda.
Once our water supplies and land are
contaminated, it will take thousands of years to make
them safe again.
Hopefully, you will keep this in mind,
when you go to the polls to Vote this week and next:
” which candidates are supporting
Fracking and Oil Pipelines
and which ones are opposed to them? “
The condition of the water and land
that you will have this time next year depends on it.
Here is a brief Bio that I wrote about
Winona several years ago.
She was and is, an amazing woman,
that I have the utmost respect for.
A side note that I find
interesting about Winona, she and Robert Redford share
the same birthday, August 18th!
Winona LaDuke at Dream Reborn Conference April 6, 2008
Picture credit: Eclectek
Winona LaDuke, who was born in 1959
and grew up in Los Angeles, is Anishinabe/Anishinaabekwe –
Ojibwe
and an enrolled member of the Mississippi Band
Anishinaabeg of the Makwa Dodaem –
Bear Clan of the
White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota.
Her father, an Ojibwe was a supporting
actor in westerns as well as an Indian activist and her
mother,
a Russian Jew from New York, was an art
professor.
As a teenager LaDuke addressed the
United Nations on mining issues.
After graduating from Harvard in 1982,
she took a position as the principal of the High School
on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota.
LaDuke is a Program Director of the Honor
the Earth Fund and
works nationally to promote
and assist Native Environmental groups.
She is a Founding Director for
White Earth Land Recovery Project:
a
reservation-based non-profit organization focusing on
land, cultural and environmental issues.
LaDuke co-chairs the Indigenous
Women’s Network and is Program Director of the
Environmental Program
at the Seventh Generation Fund.
LaDuke ran with Ralph Nader in 1996
and 2000 as his Vice-Presidential candidate for the
Green Party
and worked to increase Native American voter
registration and activism.
She has written on environmental
racism and is the author of several books including:
Last Standing Woman and All Our
Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life
LaDuke spoke at the International
Women’s Conference in Beijing, China on August 31, 1995.
Read
excerpts from her speech
LaDuke teaches courses on Native
Environmentalism at the University of Minnesota
and
other colleges and has campaigned for the reduction of
nuclear waste.
In 1994, she was named by Time
Magazine as one of America’s 50 most promising leaders
under 40 years of age.
She currently lives with her two
children on the White Earth Reservation.
Places to learn more:
Native Americans Launch ‘Love Water Not Oil’ Ride To
Protest Fracking Pipeline
Winona LaDuke – Wikipedia
Honor the Earth Website
Winona’s Facebook Page
Love Water Not Oil
First Nation Ride For Mother Earth Forms
Norwegian/Indian Alliance
An Interview with Winona LaDuke
Honor the Earth – Wikipedia
August 16, 2014
Naughty Nudists
Royal Terns on Passage Key Wildlife Refuge in Florida
Picture credit: USFWS
When this came on our Noon News yesterday, at first I
thought that it must be a joke,
but as it turned out,
it was quite the opposite.
A Florida Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf
Coast near Tampa, called Passage Keys,
with a
resident population of rare Native birds like
Royal Terns, is being disturbed by Nudists.
The Nudists are allowed to wade in the
water offshore, but are forbidden to go onto the Beach,
where the Birds are Nesting.
There are signs and the area is
patrolled.
This Federally protected habitat is
off-limits to the public, but a seemingly ignorant and
determined group of Nudists have been going ashore
and the birds who are not used
to having humans on their
Nesting Beach area, are flying off.
This is not good.
Anyone who knows anything about
wildlife, knows that when they are disturbed
and
their habitats are invaded, or their daily eating
routines are interfered with,
they may suffer serious
consequences from it.
A hungry animal that is
frightened away from its food source or nest, may or may
not return, before it is too late.
A few months ago, in a similar kind
of Island Environment on the Atlantic Coast,
also with a
group of nesting rare Terns, several dogs were allowed
to run loose on the Island
and they did irreparable
harm to all that they encountered.
By the time it was over, the Nests,
the Chicks and the Terns were all gone!
Complete, absolute and total
destruction, for what?
It would be extremely sad to see a
repeat of this tragedy on the West Coast.
Places to learn more:
Popular Fla. nude beach causing problem for wildlife
Birds, nudists edge for space at Passage Key
Rare birds disrupted by nudists on wildlife refuge
Newly reformed island is for the birds, not nudists,
according to feds
Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge
Passage Key Wildlife Refuge
August 9, 2104
Water
A drop of Water
Picture credit: Jose Manuel Suarez
The absence from this obviously addictive pleasure, has
left me with a great deal of time to ponder what the
subject of the first posting here would be, after being
cleared by my Doctor to resume a somewhat normal life.
Before beginning, I must take the
time to say, from the very depths of my heart,
how much
all of your comments and kind wishes and thoughts have
meant to me,
while I suffered here in the darkness of
my self, or medically, imposed prison.
You simply overwhelmed me with your
responses.
But, now back to work!
So, what was brewing, or festering in
my mind all of this time?
It seemed like nearly everyday for the
past week, there has been a story on our News about
Water.
The problems with Water are not just
local, they are Global, and they are, or should be, our
number one concern.
No water, no people, no life!
It really is that simple.
After the air that we breathe, Water
is, in my opinion, the second most vital element, in
sustaining all life on Earth.
The World’s problems with Water are,
unlike our absolute dependence on it, quite
complex and come from multiple sources.
In Ohio right now, exactly like so
many places in Florida, the Water has become toxic from
farm, and/or pesticide runoff.
Here in Florida, the Indian River
Lagoon, Everglades, Lakes Okeechobee and Toho,
all have
toxin/pollution problems that are Human caused.
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
have either already died, or are continuing to die, at
all four places,
even though proposals have been made to
repair the damage, or improve the situation,
still the
deadly pollution remains.
In the meantime, no one at the top, in
either state, seems to have the temerity or the power,
to tell the farmers to stop poisoning our water
supplies with their careless disposal of poisons
and
complete disregard for Water safety or purity.
But, if we don’t force them to change
their deadly, destructive, dangerous habits, we are all,
every single living species on this planet, doomed.
Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers
are not compatible with life, they are now and
will continue forever,
to kill us all, until we are
finally gone.
Not all of our Water problems come
from chemical abuse, there are others.
Right now in many
states, people cannot drink their Water because of
fracking, places like Colorado
and Pennsylvania have
Water that can and does, catch on fire.
Who wants to drink that?
Another disastrous Water problem, is
not what is being done to it, but the complete absence
of it.
In California, my home for over 30
years, the entire state is now in the worst drought of
their history.
Entire Industries there are either
dying, or are already dead, from the total lack of
Water.
So, what is the answer, you ask?
Well, since the crisis with Water is
Global, perhaps we should all be working together to
solve this dilemma.
That really is not the appropriate
word though, is it?
This is not a dilemma, this is a
Global ” life or death “ situation, that will
soon have an ending, one way or another.
We, Humans, will either do what must
be done, or we will not.
Two of our planet’s most
important Global Organizations, the United
Nations and
the World Health
Organization are imploring us to do just this.
Nothing really big is hanging on this
decision, just all life on Earth.
It is our choice, what will we
choose?
Will it be Water?
Here are a few of the many
places where Water is in great jeopardy in the US:
Ohio, Florida, California, New York,
Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Texas
Some places to learn more:
Water Facts
Global Water Issues
WHO – Water
United Nations – Water Issues
Water – NRDC
World Water Day: 10 Places Most in Need of Clean
Water
The Ten Biggest American Cities That Are Running Out Of
Water
Driest year ever in Calif. sparks fire, water fears
Ohio Regulators Aim to Help Water Problem With
Fertilizer Licenses
In Florida, Toxic Algae is a Year-Round Fight
Pollutants threaten the Everglades’ future
July 19, 2014
Murdered, why?
Our beloved Gopher
Tortoise Harriet, on her way back to her tunnel after
eating.
Yesterday our local news, as usual,
found a heinous, outrageous story about an animal
that
had been tortured and killed.
It had been murdered.
The animal at the center of this media
firestorm,was a baby Endangered Gopher Tortoise.
As it was airing yesterday, I looked
out the kitchen window at our beloved Harriet who was
sitting under the tree, munching quietly on a tiny
plant.
She looked so peaceful, so happy.
She does not know that she is one of
the lucky ones.
Many in this state are not, they do
not have a safe place to live where they are not
disturbed.
Gopher Tortoises here are
continuously being uprooted at the whim and pleasure of
greedy developers
who want to build new Condos, new
Shopping Centers, new anything, new everything.
Just build baby!
And get ” those damn turtles out
of their way, they have things to build! “
Because they are protected, they are
supposed to be moved as new things are built.
Do we really believe that they truly
care if a Tortoise accidentally gets buried alive in the
process?
Oops!
My heart broke for the tiny one that was
tortured, who suffered and died.
I said a small prayer for it and
then immediately became angry for what has now become so
common here
and elsewhere in the world, constant,
unnecessary, violence directly aimed at innocent animals
who cannot fight back, or defend themselves.
Why has this abuse against
animals become so commonplace, have we all become immune
to it?
Are we all now completely
desensitized?
This should come as no shock,
considering the fact that nearly 100% of every news
story,
every single day, is about violence.
Two things are now quite apparent to
me and they should be to you as well.
Our News media here in Central Florida seems
to be obsessed with stories that involve an animal being
hurt.
We also have some very sick people
living in this state, who seem to take great pleasure in
harming animals.
Were those who committed this terrible
crime hardened criminals?
No.
Were these gang members meeting an
initiation requirement?
No.
The dastardly perpetrators in this
case of vile and extreme evil, were two teenage girls.
Their reason.
Only they know the answer to this.
Threats have been made against the
girls and their families.
FWC are naturally deeply involved and
the father of one of the girls has made an
understandable
comment that there will be ”no more
Facebook or Smart phones “ in their house.
He will allow the local Law
Enforcement and the Legal System to take its course.
The entire series of event surrounding
this despicable crime should be making an even bigger
case
for a return to some sort of morality, humanity and
just plain compassion in people today.
Where, as a species, have we gone
wrong, that now our children are doing these kinds of
things
to not only innocent, but Endangered Creatures,
that have no way to protect themselves.
So, what started out yesterday as a
local horror story, has now become a Global Horror
story,
as it has been picked up by News
agencies everywhere.
How we must look to the world?
What must they think of us?
As Parents, as Humans, we had better
take a long, hard cold, look in the mirror.
Our lack of Humanity and Compassion
has come home to roost.
Are our children now capable of
murdering wild things, just for the pleasure of watching
them die?
Dear Parents, dear Readers, will you
please talk with your children and ask them what
they think about this story?
If we are to survive as a species, we
had better start finding out who and what we really are.
And what we are capable of doing to
innocents?
We had better have an answer to this
question: Murdered, why?
There are three links below, I want
nothing more to do with this story:
Two girls face threats after torturing and killing
turtle in Florida
Florida teens face charges for torturing, killing
threatened tortoise, posting video online
Florida Girls Light Tortoise on Fire, Set Off Hunt for
Vigilante Justice
July 12, 2014
Guilty!
Beautiful, Bashful, Black Bear Cubs~
Picture credit: FWC
I am sure that you all remember the horrific stories
written here about
the Seven Black Bears, that were killed in the Orlando area recently.
It was a sad, sad, sickening thing to
have to write about and watch unfold.
Many hearts were broken, as this
story was on the News here nearly daily.
Many were also convinced that a Human
was at the root of this, but could not prove it until
now.
Finally the answer came and it has
been all over our news for the past 24 hours.
First, a local Seminole County couple,
Corey Zeak and Lori Clem, admitted to feeding the bears
in this neighborhood and pleaded “no contest”
to the charges against them.
They were fined $200 each and put on
six months probation!
Then, a video surfaced of a man shown
actually in the act of feeding a Black Bear.
He appeared in court yesterday, his
name is Eugene Cifers.
And, he has pleaded, ” not
guilty.”
This man is not some ignorant,
uneducated, thoughtless, reckless culprit.
This man knows better.
Or at least you would think that he
would, considering that he is a former member of the
Audubon Board and Save the Manatee
Club.
This man has apparently been doing
this for quite some time and has shared his both,
illegal and stupid actions,
with a variety of people,
including his neighbors and even his trash man.
Too many Bears in this state are being
killed, either by car strikes, or by being
“euthanized”.
The recent
“donut caper, “ as I like to call
it, to try to “count ” the numbers of Florida’s Black
Bears,
is something that I fear may soon lead to a
disaster for them.
There are now grumblings or rumblings,
of something that I was assured by an unnamed person at
the top,
would never happen here, Black Bear
Hunting.
In Florida, our hands are now stained
with the blood of Black Bears, as it has become a
tragic, too common occurrence.
Last week another Black Bear who
refused to stay away from people and trouble was put
down.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife
Commission, or FFWC, said that they had no other choice.
The Bear was taken away, or
relocated, repeatedly, but it kept coming back.
Remember what they say, “follow
the food?”
This is what Black Bears and all the
wild things will always do, they will follow the food,
even though it might kill them.
Only stupid people feed wildlife,
because it causes them to behave abnormally, which in
turn costs them their lives.
It is not cute, or kind, to feed them
you idiots and you cannot plead, ” innocent
or no contest.”
These are not teddy bears, toys, or
dolls for you to play with.
They are not cute, cuddly, stuffed
animals for you to snuggle and then put back on the
shelf.
These are wild animals who need to
stay apart, or away from us, if they are to stay alive.
Every encounter that a Black Bear has
with a Human, is one more step that it has to unlearn.
If you feed a Black Bear or ANY wild
animal and it is euthanized:
You are GUILTY!
Places to learn more:
Eugene Cifers: Florida man accused of feeding
bears, wildlife officials say they have photo
Officials say photo shows Seminole man is
feeding bears
Florida Man Has Been Feeding Neighborhood Bears
For a Year, According to Officials
Neighbor of mauled woman in Seminole among three
charged with feeding bears
Bear that returned to Panama City is euthanized
July 4, 2014
Animal Independence Day
Only death awaits him.
Bull fighting still today remains popular in many parts
of the world.
Picture credit: Wikipedia
Today is Independence Day in
America.
It is a day which gives us all a sense
of pride in how much we have achieved since we became an
Independent Nation.
Over the past few hundred years we
have fought, died and defended our country in the name
of Freedom.
But on this Day, I find quite little
to feel proud or good about, when it come to the Freedom
of America’s,
indeed, the Whole World’s millions of
desperate and abused animals.
Who is fighting for their freedom?
Yes, there are many animal activists,
wildlife groups and individuals by the boatload, all
professing
to be doing their very best trying to keep
animals out of harms way and alive.
But, on this day, in this country, I
ask who will fight for the Freedom of Animals ?
Too many of us use them for our
own personal benefit, without ever giving a thought
to
whether or not we are harming, or even killing them.
We have all seen the horse and dog
races, the bull fights, the Rodeos,
and the terrible
fate of the animals involved in them.
We know about the fox hunts, the dog
fights, polo matches and most of all,
the grisly
experiments under the guise of scientific research.
We still in this country, have too
many zoos, circuses and wildlife attractions galore, all of them
placing profit over concern, or
well-being or welfare, of the very animals that
they hold hostage in them.
Thousands, no, millions, of innocent
Animals here and all over the World are continuously
being exploited.
They are being murdered,
slaughtered, abused and terrorized by ruthless Humans
for personal profit and individual gain.
We all know who these people, these
groups, these Organizations are, and yet, quite
unbelievably,
we still support them by taking
ourselves and our families there to watch the abuse
happen.
We are not only watching, but by our
very presence, are willing accomplices, to it.
So many of us pretend that we truly
care for animals, but deep down, we all know what
happens
behind the scenes, behind the closed doors,
when no one is watching.
Who will fight for their Freedom on
this Independence Day?
Will you speak out for them?
Will you make a change in your life
today, even a small one, that may make their lives
better or safer?
If not us, then who?
They have ALL suffered in silence long
enough.
Today could be the first
Animal Independence Day, together we can, we
must make the change.
June 28, 2014
Two Updates, One Despicable Item!
Comfrey Jacobs,
animal rights activist and
humanitarian, extraordinaire~
Picture credit and kindly lent by: Deby
Dixon photography
I am quite sure that you all remember
this brave young man putting himself on the line at
Yellowstone Park a few months
ago, trying to stop the slaughter of Bison/Buffalo.
The posting about him was:
God Hears.
What you need to know now, is what
happened to him and the high price that he paid for his
altruistic ideals.
By the way, if we did not live nearly
3,000 miles away, we would have joined him there.
What the courts have done to this
young man, verges on being a vicious retaliation and
wanting desperately
to make an example of him, to warn
others who may in the future wish to try a similar act,
to rethink it.
The Cattle Ranchers in Montana, have
entirely too much power and control in the entire
Yellowstone Basin Area and this all is
absolutely a result of them putting the squeeze
on the local law
enforcement agencies and the court systems.
Here is the follow-up story about
Comfrey Jacobs, who did his best to try
to prevent wild animals from being killed:
Activist Convicted of Blockading Yellowstone’s
Wild Bison Trap
The second update is one that has
been percolating in my head for many months now.
This story deduces, quite accurately
in my opinion, that if the economics in the part of
Africa
where Wildlife Poaching is out of
control would improve, the poaching would decline.
I believe that this is a real
possibility and that Africa needs to make every effort
to encourage and perpetuate this.
If other countries wish to become
involved, especially the United Nations,
there could be a breakthrough in ending these
despicable, heinous acts, by truly
desperate people, who are most likely starving and
see no other option in their survival.
Those involved in Wildlife Poaching,
must be made to understand, that this is not the true
answer to their problems,
it is simply a short-term, stop-gap,
that comes with great personal risk.
The story is here:
How Improving Local Economy Could Solve Africa’s
Wildlife Poaching Problem
The last story is new to me and was in
the same email as the other two.
Just writing this sentence is
so painful, I can only imagine how horrible the actual
facts of the story must be.
Your reactions to it, will tell me
all that I need to know and then I will read it, if I
can.
Right now, just knowing what has been
done, is already breaking my heart.
Most regretfully and
apologetically, here is the link to this despicable
story:
Buried-Alive Chickens Exposed in Shocking
Undercover Investigation of Nation’s Second-Largest
Producer
June 24, 2014
Cadet one, Gator zero!
The educational experience of a lifetime!
“An environmental education student gets to feel the back of a young
alligator on the refuge”
Please do observe the tape around the young gator’s
mouth to protect all involved!
Picture credit: Steve Hillebrand, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Public Domain)
Just now while having our lunch, this
story came on our local News and became an instantmust
be reported story.
We do not have a lock on
wildlife ignorance or abuse here in Lake County, but we
must be a close runner-up.
Apparently a group of young Police
Cadets were at a facility in Tavares, here in Lake
County
and were in training on how to
handle Gators.
It is said that one of the Cadets
tripped and fell on top of the four-foot gator, (making
it fairly young)
which then clamped down on the
Cadet’s hand and would not let go.
Please, try for a moment to understand
the experience of having a quite large thing/person
falling
on top of you and what your immediate
reaction might have been?
When the Gator did not let go of the
Cadet’s hand, one of the FWC who were on hand
to demonstrate,
or instruct the Police Cadets on
how to properly and assuming, safely, deal with, or
handle coming
face to face with Gators in
their daily duties or routines, immediately
shot and killed the Gator.
The person sitting directly across
from me, whose Blog is sarcastically called, ”
This Is Florida Don’t You Know, “
in reference to the things that happen
here every day, that make us scratch our heads,
immediately asked this question:
” why would they be using a real
alligator in this kind of training exercise with young,
inexperienced Police Cadets and
why wasn’t the Gator’s mouth taped closed?
“
As for me, I have nothing more to
say, I am completely speechless.
You may read about this story here:
Gator shot after biting cadet’s hand during training
exercise in Tavares
June 17, 2014
Ethics Be Dammed
The magnificent, soon likely to be extinct, Florida Panther
Picture credit: The Florida Panther page
Just now on our lunchtime news, was a story about our
Governor’s supposed
questionable connection to some of
the very same Companies that had recently
been given
permission to drill for oil by our DEP in Collier
County.
They said, that he owns a lot of
stock in one of the Oil Companies that wants to drill,
blah, blah, blah.
It went on for several minutes about
various terrible things that they believed were going
on, that may
have been most unethical and the
Governor’s possible connection to the these
drilling companies,
and the terrible idea that he was
doing some VERY unethical things, it went on ad
nauseam.
By the time it was over, I felt
completely disgusted with the story, the Reporters, the
Residents of Collier County,
the Governor and anyone
else involved in this nightmare.
People were shown taking to the
streets of their upscale neighborhoods, like Naples,
signs in hand,
shouting about their beautiful way of
life being lost, their soon to be declining
property values,
their glorious life styles
diminishing, etc., etc.
Every single point that they made,
was about how the possible drilling would affect them
and their lives.
At no time, did anyone ever mention,
what should, in my opinion, be the number one
reason
that no one should EVER be allowed to drill in
Collier County, it is the very last safe haven,
or tiny
remaining Habitat for our critically Endangered Florida
Panther.
This animal is on it last legs, it is
at the end of the log.
Hello, it is out of time.
But not once was this fact mentioned
in this story.
Why?
If this drilling is approved and they
do begin in Collier County, the Florida Panther is
doomed to extinction.
But should any of this come as a
surprise?
This is the very same
neighborhood that just a few short months ago, was
completely up in arms,
screaming for Florida Fish and
Wildlife to come and take care of a Black Bear that was
annoying them.
They wanted it gone, and right now!
So, if our desperate Florida Panthers
need any warmth, support, or a kind word spoken for them
in this area,
they are just plain, flat-out of luck.
Period!
In Collier County, money and status
trumps all.
I know this because one of my Aunts
lives there and she has spoken about this fact at great
lengths to me.
Are all of the parties involved in
this matter completely oblivious to the dangerous peril
that the Panther is in?
I truly doubt that.
What is clear to me, is that when it
comes to money, profit, political power and just
about anything in Florida,
any and everything comes
before the life of an animal.
Greed is a state of life and mind
here.
So, will oil drilling go forward here,
most probably.
If it is stopped, one thing that you
can be sure of, it will NOT be because they are
concerned
with the ethics of the Governor and where his
sticky little fingers may, or may not have been.
It will NOT be because they are
concerned with the life or death of the Florida Panther.
It will ONLY be because somehow their
money and status is threatened and in Collier County,
that is everything.
Ethics can be damned.
Places to learn more:
FL Gov. Scott stake in oil company tied to drilling near
Everglades and endangered Panther habitat
Scott’s stake in oil company
tied to Collier drilling riles environmentalists
DEP and Collier Commission Clash Over Everglades
Oil Drilling
Gov. Rick Scott’s stake in oil company tied to Collier
drilling riles environmentalists
Sen. Nelson calls for federal review of Hughes Co. well
drilling in Collier
Judge backs Collier County drilling project
June 11, 2014
Schaus Survival
The magnificent and critically
Endangered Schaus Swallowtail Butterfly
Photo credit: Dr. Emmel UF Zoology
Yes, it is only a butterfly, an
insect, but the engaging and endearing story of this
particular butterfly
is the kind of stuff that Hollywood
loves to drool over.
The Schaus
Swallowtail was the first Butterfly, the
first insect, to be put on the Endangered
Species list in 1984.
This huge, magnificent
five-inch Butterfly was once plentiful all over the
Upper Keys and even Miami.
But, then with the advent of
massive and widespread herbicide and pesticide use to
eliminate mosquitos,
sound familiar, its numbers took a
complete nosedive.
In 2012, only a scarce few were found
and Florida Biologists went into panic mode to stop the
free fall.
Enter the UF Team to
the rescue.
This week, six of them were
brought down and released into Biscayne
National Park.
So far 45 of them have been released.
Other steps have been taken to help in
the recovery of the Schaus, invasive plants and
trees
were removed and those that are native to the butterfly
like torchwood and lime, were put back.
This is not rocket science, this is
finally doing what is right for something that we,
Humans have nearly wiped off
the face of the Earth with
our callous, careless actions and total disregard for
animal life.
Butterflies are not the only
victims of our very bad behavior, there are so many
other similar stories
with others who have suffered at
our hands.
Some have even gone extinct now,
thanks to us.
Lastly, it is my extreme pleasure
to introduce you to the primary saviors of this stunning
Butterfly:
Dr. Thomas Emmel and Jaret
Daniels from the McGuire
Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity
at the University of
Florida at Gainesville.
Studying Butterflies has occupied the
majority of these two dedicated Biologists life time of
work.
In closing, may I recommend a trip to
the
University of Florida Natural History Museum
on the grounds of the school with its
vast assortment of fossils and
plethora of exhibits and displays.
Then you should continue your day of
wonder and discovery by walking right next door to the
Butterfly Rainforest.
A visit to this impressive
facility will be a never to be forgotten adventure for
those of any age.
Come see what makes this place the
state of Florida’s best non beach, non
amusement park, attraction.
It truly is a Natural Wonder.
Places to learn more:
Endangered butterflies released in park
Endangered Schaus’ Swallowtail Butterfly Release
in Biscayne National Park
Schaus Swallowtail Butterflies Released Into
Biscayne National Park
Endangered butterflies released in park
June 8, 2014
A New Blog!
Greetings Dear Readers and Followers~
It is here for your consideration:
Flawless Pandemonium
While we were away this week, a new
Blog was busy percolating in my head.
It is now up and it is my fondest wish
that some of you may come to see it.
This new Blog concerns the
Corporate Bullies worldwide who hold all of us
hostage daily, in some way.
It may be the pet store where we buy
our dog food, or the place where we buy our gas, or
our groceries.
These are the Big Boys
and they take no prisoners.
And as you soon will learn, neither
will this new Blog.
Monsanto is number one
on my list and the others have just been laid out on the
newest post, called the List!
Please do come, I am counting, as
always, on your support~
thank you~
May 31, 2014
Oorah!
Elephants At
Zakouma National Park in SE Chad,
the tragic sight of many Elephant deaths by poachers.
Picture credit: C. Michael Hogan
Always there when we need them, our US Marines
from North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune,
are now using their talents to help stop the slaughter of elephants
in Chad.
This specialized team of US Marines, has just
landed in Chad to begin training local Park Rangers in the
long suffering, ugly war against elephant poachers near and around
one of Africa’s last sanctuaries for them,
in the Zakouma
National Park in South East Chad.
The elephant ivory pillage and plunder in Africa has decimated and
devastated the population,
nearly to the brink of complete extinction.
The prior elephant numbers here were once over 4,000, but now hover
at just around a paltry, sickening 500.
Now just as economic factors seem to be improving in the region,
perhaps
lessening the frantic desperate state for those who
have perpetrated the elephant crisis,
the new presence of US Marines training locals to
fight back against this rogue group,
just may have a chance to succeed.
There has also been a marked increase in elephant calf births
recently,
given all concerned with the ugly situation, a tiny glimmer of hope.
Will those guilty of so many years of insidious ” blood
ivory ” rampages from the recent past,
find some new line of work that does not involve murdering African
Wildlife?
We can and must, all pray that they have or will.
Or……..
In the meantime, our US Marines are now
“boots on the ground” in Chad
and here’s a message to all the poachers,
” you’d better look out, our boys mean serious business here.”
OORAH!
May 28, 2014
Harriet Is Home~
Harriet our wandering, resident
Gopher Tortoise
Picture credit: Walkingfox
Yesterday was a very long and busy day.
We made the long trek from the Ocala Forest up to Gainesville, for
Breanna’s visit with her Doctor at the UF Vet Hospital.
It is one hundred miles, so we left early before 9 AM.
It was the last of three trips up there, for her regular required
immunizations, including Rabies.
We stretched these shot visits out to three this year for her
safety, not wishing to have more than one injection per visit,
which
was an Airedale Club suggestion many years ago, when we adopted our
sweet Sabrina.
So, anyway, when we finally got home about 3 PM after a quick stop
for groceries, I sat down, put my feet up
and looked out the front
window, as I have done every day for weeks now, wondering where
our wayward,
wandering female
Gopher Tortoise was
and why she wasn’t coming up or out, for the summer season, as she
has always done by now.
In fact, for the past few weeks, we have both worried that she may
have been killed on one of her last sojourns,
just before the
beginning of the cold season, when they all go down into
their holes or tunnels
and hibernate until it gets warm.
Usually, she comes back up and out sometime in early April.
But not this year.
We were both afraid to think too much about this.
Then yesterday, glory be, there she was, right at her
hole in the front yard,
( she has one in the back as well ) attempting to reclaim the area
that she calls home.
For over an hour, she worked feverishly, the sand flying in all
directions,
as she cleaned up the mess that the long winter had made of her
home.
Can I tell you that we both looked at each other and said, ”
thank God, she is safe, she is home.”
After nearly 8 years, she has become a family member, just like
Breanna.
Now today, Harriet is out in the yard, munching on all of her
favorite “weeds”.
We use no poisons, no pesticides, or toxins, anywhere near her two
areas on the property,
absolutely nothing that could harm her, or her food.
We also do not wish to poison the foods of our resident green
treefrogs, green lizards
and all the others who live here with us in the Forest.
So, the sun is shining, Harriet is out in ” her yard”
eating and our world finally once again,
is just as it should be.
Harriet is HOME~
May 26, 2014
Cantankerous Cranes~
These were taken across the street
from our house on April 30, when there were still TWO chicks.
Today there is only one chick
remaining.
Picture credit: Walkingfox
A story in my email this morning reflects an ongoing situation that
makes
those of us who love the
Sandhill Cranes more than just a little edgy.
For the past two months, there have been stories on the news of our
Sandhill Cranes
being in dangerous
places during this current breeding season.
Cranes don’t really seem to be aware of, or even slightly concerned
with, their own safety or well-being.
They literally bring traffic to a standstill, where ever they happen
to be, when they decide to cross a road,
or gasp, even a four lane highway in search of another bite of their
chosen food.
Recently a pair had taken up residence along a very busy Brevard
County road and played havoc daily with the busy traffic.
Kind and concerned people tried so hard to protect them from harm,
but in the end one was injured and later died.
It’s mate remained near by, then disappeared for a few days and is
now back again, near the site of the tragic accident.
Sandhill Cranes mate for life, will this one seek a new wife, that
is yet to be determined.
The Cranes, not understanding any of this Human interaction on
their behalf,
can often turn on good Samaritans and then pick at them and/or their
cars in
retaliation for being interfered with while searching for food.
Cranes are quite well known to become fiercesome, if their chicks
are threatened by Humans or other.
Some FWS officers have learned this while trying to corral them in
the past.
Here in Lake County, we have our own Crane story.
A pair of Sandhill Cranes had been showing of their family of two
chicks for many days just across the street
in
the open field from our house and then one day, one chick went
missing.
We do not know if it was killed by a car or a predator, which ever
the case may be, now the little family only has one chick.
It is rare to see a family of four out here in the Countryside, the
norm is one set of parents and one chick.
Today as they made their daily appearance, I noticed that the
remaining chick is now nearly full grown
and breathed a deep sigh of relief.
It will most likely make it now and one day return here and start
its own family.
It is one of nearly 4,000 local or resident Sandhill Cranes, and
also a Threatened Species.
We also have a plethora of snow birds,
whose numbers are strong and stable.
It was this latest story that compelled me to write today about this
continual and dangerous Crane behavior.
When Cranes set up their homes, they apparently do not take traffic
into consideration.
It would seem that like our resident Black Bears who also
“follow the food,”
the Cranes, frequently do not fare much better in places that used
to belong solely to them.
Food sources for the Black Bears are often found in trash or
garages,
both very dangerous places for a Bear to be caught.
For the Cranes, the food is frequently found in the center of busy
four lane traffic.
The search for a daily meal, can prove fatal for any or all of
these little families.
So, the residents in Brevard County are pondering whether to pave
or brick in,
the
center divided areas along their busy roads, where the hapless
Cranes have chosen to dine.
Will it be approved?
If it is, it may save a few lives, but the sad thing is that the
Cantankerous Cranes will likely
move on to another place, just as lethal,
where those favorite meals live and are plentiful.
All kinds of good suggestions have been made, like warning signs,
speed bumps,
even volunteers to help the Cranes across the busy roads.
I wish these concerned fellow Crane lovers well and hope that
something will be done to change the current situation.
But, the Crane drama of traffic and danger, is not just in town,
where cars are whizzing by at a fast pace.
Often when we drive across County Road 42, near us here in Lake
County,
on
our way into civilization, we pass Cranes either on, or too near,
the very busy road.
Annoyingly, they all seem quite oblivious to the danger, the
imminent peril that they are in
and
it worries all of us who love them and want to see them here
forever.
When buying our house here nearly ten years ago, the Cranes flying
over head just at the
moment we
came inside and looked out the front window, cemented the deal.
The Sandhill Cranes chose this house for us
and
we love them and it for this reason.
This cantankerous time for the Cranes is
not long-lived, only a couple of months,
so here is hoping that we smart Humans can come up with a way to
keep them safe,
while they are bringing up baby!
Places to learn more:
Crane-crossing crisis hard to solve
Sandhill cranes still on traffic rampage
Cranes continue to disrupt Melbourne traffic
Cranes disrupt traffic, peck at cars in Melbourne
Gallery: Sandhill cranes back to disrupting traffic
Injured sandhill crane in Melbourne dies
Sandhill crane returns after death of mate
May 24, 2014
Beach Babies~
A Least Tern parent feeding its chick near St.
Augustine, Florida.
Picture credit: Craig O’Neal
For this upcoming Memorial Day
weekend holiday, Florida Audubon is
advising
and warning the public to be aware of
the plethora of bird life that will be on our many
Beaches.
This weekend kicks off the
Summer Beach Season here and there will be
thousands of people and birds,
out on our lovely, luscious and most
inviting warm sandy beaches.
Did I mention that Dr. Beach
chose four of our Florida Beaches
for his top ten list for 2014:
Top 10 US beaches for 2014
But please do be advised, many of our
beautiful Beaches are already occupied with many
of Florida’s newest wildlife citizens.
On any given beach right now, you will
find a delightful array of nests and/or baby birds,
eager to make their first journey.
Any disturbance right now that causes
a mother to abandon her nest, could prove fatal to her
chicks or eggs.
Audubon has just sent out an email
press release, asking each of us to:
“Keep an eye out for
Florida’s original “beach babies.”
The young and the newborns that will
be found all over Florida’s beaches right now, are exceptionally
vulnerable to any
and all risks that they may encounter like: children,
pets, cars and other!
This weekend would be a perfect
opportunity to teach your little ones about our
wonderful Florida wildlife
and how and why, we must take
great precautions around them.
So, on this prequel to a wonderful new
summer in the Sunshine State
this weekend,
let us all be aware that we must share
the Beaches with these brand new babies to assure that
they will
grow up and come back next year, to
make even more “Beach
Babies!”
Places to learn more:
Audubon Asks You to Protect Coastal Birds this
Memorial Day Weekend
Bird nesting season, beach season collide
Watch out for beach-nesting birds
May17, 2014
A Day of Animal Mourning
A Florida Panther, Everglades National
Park
2005 National Park Service Photo by Rodney Cammauf
While watching Sam Champion on the
Weather Channel this morning, I was painfully reminded,
that today is “Endangered Species
Day.”
Today is shamefully called National,
or is it Global Endangered Species Day?
This day was apparently created nearly
a decade ago, by the US Fish and Wildlife,
these would
be the kinsfolk of those who recently euthanized
seven Black Bears here
in Central
Florida for being ” not afraid of humans. “
This declaration of a special day like
this, is disturbing on so many levels to me personally.
It is not like Halloween, or
Thanksgiving, with hype and hyperbole
for a brief 24 hours.
No, this is not something that should
have a ” DAY. “
Those unfortunate animals on our
planet that now suffer on the brink of being
gone forever,
do not need a national or global day,
they need a year, a lifetime, an eon
of attention to
their desperate plight.
Without drastic change, or a complete
reversal in Global thinking, these creatures are surely
doomed to become extinct and quite soon.
There will be no links, or list of
“places to learn more” today
for this posting, as none are required.
Every single one of us knows what is
happening to animals everywhere, we have been told and
warned about it for decades, we do not need to go read a Blog, a Newspaper, or even a Book.
We already know!
We Humans are more than likely, 99% of
the cause of their decline, impending deaths
and
elimination from the Earth.
We remain steadfastly, selfish,
greedy and ignorant.
Animals were not put on Earth for us
to torture, abuse or murder.
They were put here, I believe, to be
our companions, our ……………., you fill in the blank.
And we are responsible for assuring
that they are allowed to live, survive,
gasp, even thrive
for as long as we are
here.
Not sure of the total accuracy of
this, but do believe that our Florida Panther
is the number one,
most Endangered Mammal or Animal
in America.
Sadly, last week on our way up to
Gainesville to see Breanna’s Vet at UF , we drove past
what was my second
sighting of one, both times they were
lying on the side of the road, the apparent victim of a
deadly vehicular accident.
Is it any wonder that their
numbers are now at less than 100?
This magnificent animal, that at one
time roamed not only all of Florida, but much of the
Southeast,
now finds itself relegated to a tiny area,
not fit for a house cat, let alone a big cat,
that
requires a 25 square mile range to support them.
We have, in this state, run our
Panther, “our state mammal,” out of
every single place that it used to call home.
The words Ancestral Habitat and
the Florida
Panther are a joke, an oxymoron.
They no longer know, where they came
from, or where they belong any more.
They are left, with what we greedy
Humans have begrudgingly given them to survive on,
and
it is not even close to what they need,
no MUST have to survive.
Why have we taken away all of their
land, you ask?
To build another Strip or Shopping
Mall, another Beachfront Condo, or to drill for more
oil, gas, or other.
It is all Pure Greed.
Florida has enough houses, condos,
malls and fossil fuels to last until the next
millennium.
Our refusal to care for the
well-being of our planets most critically Endangered Animals
has put them,
to quote the great Shawnee Chief
Tecumseh, at the ” end of the log. ”
Every generation comes with one who
tries, nearly always in vain, to show us the error of
our callous ways,
in our treatment of our fellow
animals, my most recent favorite is of course, Gandhi.
His thinking, his comments, on the
subject of caring for animals are legendary.
Any man of his stature who would leave
a gathering of dignitaries sitting,
while he left to
tend to his goats is my Hero.
Gandhi had his priorities straight.
Can the rest of us at least try to do
the same?
Personally, I will not celebrate in
any way on this day of Endangered Species.
No banner or sign waving, no protest
marching, no screaming out for the world to celebrate
this day.
Instead, I choose on this day, to
reflect on what I have failed to achieve in the year
that this Blog has existed.
Like the millions of Native People in
America, who call Thanksgiving, ” a day of
mourning,”
I choose to call this,
a day of mourning for the
animals
who will likely not survive until it
comes again next year.
May 14, 2014
A Serbian Sensation~
Dusan Krtolica, Serbian artist
extraordinaire~
Picture credit: Dušan Krtolica
A very kind fellow Hoosier just sent
me a link to a story about one of the most gifted young
artists that I have ever seen.
Thank you
Mosdao for this information, it was
absolutely awesome.
And here are all of the details about
the incredible work of this very young creative genius.
His name is Dušan Krtolica and
he is an unbelievably talented 11-year-old from
Serbia, who has been
creating beauty in the form of a
multitude of animals of all kinds and drawing since the
tender age of two.
This brilliant young artist has
already had several art shows and his future appears to
be so bright, that he may
need some really good
sunglasses to protect him from the glare of the huge
spotlight on his work right now.
Dusan’s dream is to one day be a
Zoologist and the field would be lucky to have one as
knowledgeable
about such a vast number of animals, as he
already appears to be.
Please do see the links below to learn
more about him, his work is absolutely breathtaking.
The detail found in his stunningly
beautiful drawings would be expected of an adult,
but to
see this in one so young, is mind-boggling.
Dusan already has a Blog, a Facebook
Group that you can join and follow for updates on his
work
and he also has a Facebook Fan page.
This very intelligent young man is
quite well covered in social media and it can only
get better for him from here.
His talent and hard work will surely
lead him to a lengthy career in the fine arts, where he
will have few peers.
Places to learn more:
11-Year-Old Artist Creates Amazingly Detailed
Drawings of Wildlife
Dušan Krtolica, the World of Art
DUSAN KRTOLICA FAN PAGE
May 12, 2014
Branson’s Bunch~
Sir Richard Branson at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development
June, 2012
Picture credit: UNclimatechange
When going through my mail this
morning, a surprising story presented itself.
The unexpected subject of this great
news, is not one who normally comes to mind
when thinking of Endangered Wildlife,
but there he was, right there in my mailbox,
Billionaire Richard Branson.
The story was concerning a new
edition to an already growing group at his
Necker Island home in the Caribbean.
I was not aware that Branson had been
rescuing Endangered Wildlife for years and in
co-operation
with several Wildlife Groups, was
using his vast wealth for such a good purpose.
Branson’s involvements in
Humanitarian and Environmental Issues are the
only things that will be addressed here,
as it
would take an eternity to describe the total sum of the
man’s often outrageous, or occasionally notorious life.
It is not often that I find that a
Billionaire and I have much in common, but in Branson’s
case this is not entirely true.
His lifelong admiration for
Nelson Mandela’s Humanitarian efforts and
causes and
his passion for protecting the Environment, including Endangered Animals,
are two
areas where we are in complete agreement.
Branson’s Island home in the
Caribbean has been a source of much criticism, as many
believe that he only lives
there to avoid taxes on his
vast wealth, but for whatever reason, he has managed to
make this place
a refuge for wildlife and it is for this
reason that I admire him and am writing about him today.
My huge respect for Branson as a
Humanitarian, is only superseded by my admiration of
his sincere
efforts to care for Endangered Animals on
his little island in paradise.
As he continues to add to his animal
family, Branson has wisely teamed up with the
Turtle Conservancy
The most recent guests to be welcomed
at his Island retreat are several Endangered
Tortoises.
Prior to them, have been a wide
assortment of mammals, birds, reptiles and other,
amounting to a total of 140 species.
As one of the wealthiest men in the
world, Branson does not need to do any of this.
He could continue to carry on every
single day of his life as the famous, carefree playboy
of the world,
as many already believe that he is.
But for me at least, this
particular side of such a multifaceted man shows that he
is a complicated,
many layered person who has earned my
respect, at least for this.
One amusing mention in the story, is
about a web site that Branson has had set up, with a
new family member
or addition to be “shown
each week.”
Regardless of the flamboyant outer
shell this powerful, passionate man consistently shows
to most of the world,
in my opinion, there is more
importantly, another softer, kinder side, and it is for
this that I will always thank him.
Thank you Richard, for what you are
trying to do with the Endangered Animals
on your island, or Branson’s Bunch.
Places to learn more:
Richard Branson adds endangered tortoises to Necker
Island
Necker – more species than any other island on earth
New tortoises on Necker Island
The Turtle Conservancy
May 9, 2014
Dolphin Defense
A Dolphin group in Xcaret, Mexico
Picture credit: Truncatus
Today is feel good Sunday, so in Honor
of this day of positive thinking, here is a feel good
story.
Do you need or want, yet another
reason to fight for and defend wild animals?
Is it just me, or do Dolphins always
look happy and like they are smiling?
I give you this story, in the hopes
that you too will become a wildlife or any animal
defender from this point on~
Recently in the waters off of New
Zealand, near Cook Strait, British swimmer Adam Walker,
was saved from the jaws, (truly sorry
for that) of a Great White Shark.
Walker was about to become
lunch while swimming for Whale and Dolphin
Conservation,
in support of the very
animals that saved him.
This was his seventh swim for the
group to raise money and awareness for Whales and
Dolphins around the world.
The pod of about ten
“Guardian Dolphins” surrounded Adam and
protected him from
the Great White who
was closing in on him.
Apparently, the shark then decided
that perhaps there were more rescuers than he could
handle and left.
Can you say KARMA?
Point in fact, this is not the first
time that this kind of protective attention was given by
Dolphins towards a Human.
By now, we are all keenly aware that
Dolphins are one of the most intelligent animals in the
Sea,
isn’t it time for us to protect those that have
repeatedly proven they are willing to protect us?
We must defend the Dolphins now in
their time of greatest need, as they are being hunted
and murdered at alarming and sickening rates all over
the planet.
So be a good Human and
defend Dolphins, won’t you?
You never know when they might return
the favor to you~
Places to learn more:
Amazing Dolphins Stage a Rescue
‘Guardian’ Dolphins Save British Swimmer Adam Walker
from Great White Shark in New Zealand
Dolphins, Shark, Swimmer Adam Walker in New Zealand’s
Cook Strait
May 3, 2014
Suwannee’s Sturgeon~
A Gulf Sturgeon jumping on the
Suwannee River
Picture credit: Tim Ross
Just in case you don’t live in Florida
and/or have never been to the beautiful
and famous
Suwannee River and seen this phenomenon
in person,
please take a look at one of the
Youtube videos below.
It is an amazing and exciting
spectacle to watch and see happen live.
This oddly beautiful fish looks and
acts like few others and seems almost mythical.
Each year about this time, animals
everywhere are in the mood for love
and the Gulf
Sturgeon are no exception to this Spring
Ritual.
This annual trip each year, from the
warm waters of the Gulf, North to the Suwannee River,
is for this Sturgeon, a return to their Ancestral
home to spawn.
Once this is completed, they will
return to the Gulf of Mexico for the remainder of the
year.
There are, of course, signs to warn
those new to the area, of the dangers that could
be involved
with this magical occurrence that they are
about to witness.
Being out on a small boat in the river
when the Sturgeon do get active, has proven hazardous
in the past, when they can jump as high as seven feet in
the air.
” The primeval Gulf Sturgeon,
whose ancestral beginnings are older than Dinosaurs may
date back as much
as 200 million years, or about the
same time as Sharks.” From my Gator Woman
Gulf Sturgeon page.
What make this Ancient fish so
unique, is its primordial appearance, its many rows of
armor or scutes
and it is these bony plates, combined
with their average weight of about 40 pounds, that are
the
primary reason why an actual encounter with this
quite large fish could and would be most painful.
Although this is considered to be
the average, they can be as long as eight feet and weigh
up to
two hundred pounds, making this quite the fish to
be reckoned with in any scenario~
Thankfully, there were no
reported injuries to humans last year, from human and
fish collisions!
Experts say that recently things seem
much calmer and quieter, but then, the season is just
getting underway.
So, if a mini vacation or trip to the
South is in your plans, why not come on up or down, as
the case may be
and stroll around the Park grounds, or
float on a boat on the gorgeous Suwannee River.
Florida Gulf Sturgeon are, like so
many of our most exquisite wildlife, a protected
species.
This means that no one is allowed to
catch it or kill it!
Places to learn more:
Gulf Sturgeon
YoutubejumpingSturgeon
Gulf Sturgeon ( An
Excellent NOAA page)
Youtube Video of Jumping Sturgeon
Giant Jumping Fish Return to the Suwannee River
Jumping sturgeon return to north Florida river
Boaters Warned Of “Flying” Fish
Sturgeon returning to the Suwannee River
April 26, 2014
It’s A Baby Shower
A small example, (not actual) of the many kinds of
animals that this Wildlife Hospital rehabilitates every
year.
An owl, a hatchling turtle, a fawn and a gopher tortoise
– (Our resident tortoise Harriet)
Picture credits: Baby turtle – Manuel Heinrich
OK, who doesn’t love a baby shower?
But for this one, you can leave the bibs and diapers at
home and instead bring bird seed and kibble.
You see the babies that this shower is
being held for, all have either feathers or fur.
The people and the place that will be
hosting this Baby Shower, is the
Florida Wildlife Hospital
in Palm Shores,
Florida, which is near Melbourne and Palm Bay, in
Brevard County.
This non-profit rescue and
rehabilitation facility is holding its 8th annual Baby
Shower
and like most fund-raisers, they are hoping that
you will come and
see what they do and why and bring
your check book with you.
Or, at the very least, put a box or
two of food for their growing collection of
dependent creatures,
into the loving and caring hands
of the many hard-working volunteers here.
This organization began 42 years ago
and is run by a host of volunteers and their Director
Sue Small.
The Hospital has over 4,000 members
and they are always looking for more to join them.
The cost of caring for all of these
creatures is jaw dropping.
The operators of this wonderful
organization are aware that many other needy groups get
a huge portion
of the press and news attention, but are
hoping that some of the generosity and
love available in
Central Florida and beyond, will find its way to their
facility
and help them to care for the creatures who
depend on them to stay alive.
Knowing the kind of people who live
here and how much they love animals, here’s hoping that
they will be
rewarded with what they need, to continue
operating this place of safe haven for injured animals
in Florida.
They offer educational programs for a
nominal donation, which is explained on their website.
The Baby Shower will
be on May 3, 2104, from 10 AM to 2
PM at the Palm Shores Town Hall,
530 Paul Hurtt Lane, ½ mile south of
the Pineda Causeway on the West side of U.S. 1
For more information, please call them
at: 321-254-8843
This is a FREE
event with children’s activities.
There will be food to purchase as well
at a bake sale.
Their web site, which is loaded with
pictures, is very helpful and has a lot of great
information:
Florida Wildlife Hospital
They have a “Wish List”
and Donations are accepted through Pay
Pal on the website.
The hospital is open 365 days day a
year to admit patients.
Places to learn more:
Wildlife hospital hosts animal baby shower
Wildlife Hospital Video You tube
April 22, 2014
Earth Day Memories, then and now~
Stuntman Dar Robinson and Actor/Environmentalist
Iron Eyes Cody, two kind and gentle men.
Many years ago in California, I
had the privilege of meeting a person who was often
shown
in commercials to tug at the heart-strings of
us all, to treat our Planet or Mother Earth better.
This man and I were introduced one
night at the Artists and Models Ball
in the late 1980′s.
I had been sent to cover the event
for the Entertainment section of the LA newspaper I
worked for at the time.
Meeting him that night, I was
struck by his gentle, kind demeanor.
He truly was, exactly like the
person he portrayed in the Environmental commercials
for so many years.
His name was Iron Eyes
Cody, or as those of us in California loved
to call him, The Crying Indian.
He made a huge impact, just as he
and this commercial were meant to do, on the
status of a
beleaguered Earth and his commercial was
ALWAYS a central part of any California Earth Day
event.
I will not discuss the
controversy over his ancestry, it is not why I
admired his work.
What this man did then and will
always do, is to make me aware of the
irresponsible,
often cruel way that
Humans treat this place that they owe everything to,
while showing her such little regard or respect.
What better way to shake up
Environmental ignorance and empathy, than the image
of an Indigenous person
disgusted and
broken-hearted over what humans do and have done to
Mother Earth?
This commercial and the campaign
worked, and began a movement that started in
California
and spread throughout the country, to
change or at least rethink, our bad behavior.
But that was then, what have we
done as a species since then, to lessen our heavy
footprint on this Planet?
Many groups and organizations in
the United States are working tirelessly to
reverse the damage already done,
some are
successful, some are not.
The point is, that because of
Earth Day and the promotional awareness that it
brings with it,
Environmental Issues remain on the
table.
An example, this morning on our
local news, was a story that made me smile.
Darden
Restaurants Inc., whose home
office is in Orlando, has begun a brilliant project.
At several of the restaurants in
their chain, they are saving food scraps in a
project that has
them working together with
Organic Matters, who is a local
organic recycler.
These scraps are then being used
to feed chicken and cows.
The result of this new plan, is
that less food will end up in our land fills and
many more animals will have a better, more natural
food source.
It is a win-win.
Can the rest of the country
consider picking this great idea up?
I have faith in us, with a little
encouragement, we humans do try to get it right.
So, on this Earth Day, if you eat
out somewhere, perhaps you might ask the owner or
manager of the place,
if they have heard of this
idea and if they would be willing to follow suit?
We have nothing to lose and
hearing about all of this, the Crying Indian
may just be smiling from his final resting place.
God Bless you Iron Eyes,
you were such a special man with a giant, gentle
heart.
I am grateful to have known you,
if only for just one night.
Places to learn more:
Darden turns
scraps into animal feed
Food Waste
Alliance
Organic
Matters
April 17, 2014
Numbers!
A Florida Black Bear Cub
Picture credit: FWC
**An update 4/17/2014 5 AM**
FWC just announced that there
will be fines and possible jail
time for anyone caught feeding
Bears.
This comes too late
for SEVEN Black Bears!
Today with heavy and trouble heart, I
am imploring you to do something for an animal that you
do not know.
This week has been nearly impossible
to get through for those of us who live in Central
Florida.
As of this writing, SEVEN
Black Bears have been killed here in the
greater Orlando area.
What is mind-boggling is this, FWC say
that they have no way to know if any of them is
the one
who hurt the woman, as DNA tests take
time to get back.
Their second explanation, or
reason for continuing the killings, is that the Bears
are showing “no fear of humans.”
Let’s see, Bears come into a
neighborhood, bordering right up to where they live
and these kind humans leave it something to eat and
enjoy the sight.
Bear thinks, Human good!
Result, no fear!
If you remember, the last time, a
woman taking out her trash with her dog was bitten,
but
it was not until after other innocent Bears had
been killed, that they said the one responsible was a
mother with two cubs, who had felt threatened by the
woman’s dog and was probably protecting her
cubs.
They were shipped off to Busch Gardens
in Tampa.
And DNA eventually proved that the
ones killed were not the ones who bit the woman.
I have just called our Governor and
made a passionate plea for him to get involved.
Of course I did not speak to him, my
message and my name were taken by a nice person
in
Tallahassee, just doing her job.
Next, I am calling Nick Wiley, the
head of Fish and Wildlife here, to repeat the same
exact message.
Two questions are keeping me boiling
mad right now.
If this were not a gated,
wealthy suburb of Orlando, would there be such an
abundance
of concern for this neighborhood?
Are there people in this wealthy gated
community, as has been whispered,
who have been feeding
the Bears?
Bear are simple souls really, they go
where the food is.
The fact that so many of them were at
this woman’s garage indicates a food source.
Did she, or are others in this
neighborhood, breaking the golden rules of
being “Bear Aware”
for Central Florida and all other Bear areas here?
For example: Garage or other outside
building doors left open at night or trash/garbage
or
other intentional “Bear attracting
food” left out on purpose, or by
ignorance?
We all, who live here and love the
Bears, know about these few simple rules
and for the
most part do abide by them.
Where we live near the Ocala Forest,
Bears roam freely all around us.
So, why don’t we have any Bear
problems like they appear to have continuously near
Orlando?
It could be, because we here in the
Forest, have hopefully by now,
learned how to protect
ourselves and them from harm.
We don’t invite them into a “trap
of death” by doing wrong things.
So, here is my request, of any of you
who follow, read or support the thinking of this Blog.
Will any of you, if there is no
financial hardship for you, please call this number:
850 488 – 7146
This number is for the state of
Florida’s Governor’s office.
All you have to do is say how you feel
about the fact that our FWC has
already killed SEVEN Black Bears
and ask how many more are going to be killed and why?
And, if you still have any unvented
passion left after that, here are some other numbers:
850 487-3796 FAX
850 921-5786
These numbers are for Nick
Wiley:
Executive Director Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission
Also, his email: Nick.Wiley@myfwc.com
When the Florida Black Bear was taken
off of the Threatened List in 2012, I was very
concerned
about their future welfare and called FWC and
asked if their next move was going to be to have
an open
season or legalize hunting of them?
I was told of course not, that is not
going to happen.
But the way things are going this week
here, they won’t need to, it looks like Open
Season
on the Black Bear has already begun here
in Orlando, just read the numbers!
April 15, 2014
Beepocalypse
A
bee performing the miracle that
keeps the whole world running~
Picture credit: Bob
Peterson/ Jacopo Werther
If like us, Spring at your house
means working in your garden and/or your yard,
here are
some things that you may wish to consider before you
begin.
In my email this morning was a new
round of pleading from one of my favorite sources for
keeping our Planet safe, the
Cornucopia Institute.
They are once again, repeating a
request for us all to stop using a certain type of
insecticides
in our yards because of the mortal effects
they are having on our bees in America.
Bees and all pollinators are dying by
the millions and it is having a ripple effect all
across our Planet.
On the Weather Channel
this week, a sad example was demonstrated live on the
set,
bees are being born with crumpled wings and
only living a day or two, because they cannot fly,
the
source or cause of this deformity is mites.
Two more recent possibilities that
have been reported as possible, or probable,
causation
for the massive Global bee deaths, are
extremely cold weather and a plant virus.
So, when all of theses factors occur
within a short period of time, the mites, pesticides,
extreme cold and plant viruses, the world’s bees bite
the dust by the millions.
Many are calling this phenomenon, a
Beepocalypse.
We do not use any pesticides on our
property because of our Airedale Breanna and our Gopher
Tortoise Harriet.
We also do not wish to have our
beloved green tree frogs or lizards killed by them.
Pesticides, like Monsanto’s
Round Up are just plain lethal to all livings
things, they are equal opportunity killers.
Insecticides have already been banned
in Europe.
Surely if they can do this to save our
Global pollinators and their food supplies, we can as
well?
Another point to remember, if you like
to eat, think about what the bees and pollinators do
for all of us,
every single day of their lives.
Without them out there doing their
jobs, our food supplies would dwindle and quickly.
No bees, no food, no flowers, no
people.
Pretty simple really, isn’t it.
As a result of the massive backlash
against these lethal products, most lawn and garden
departments now carry and are happy to refer people, to
the ones that are safe, or safer
and more natural and
have a less harmful effect on all that comes in contact
with them.
Here in Florida, this has now become
a problem of nearly historic levels for areas like the
Indian River Lagoon area.
This Ecosystem has seen catastrophic
wildlife death numbers in the past few years from
multiple causes,
but the primary one is considered to be
toxins in the water.
Pesticides used on our yards and
in farming, are the worst offenders in Florida.
Manatees, Dolphins, and birds are
sick and dying here and the water that they depend on
for life, is to blame.
The only way to fix this, is for all
of us to become very concerned and careful about what we
use and do with any chemicals.
Is your yard being perfectly
emerald-green worth an animal’s life?
Please remember Floridian’s, what goes
on our lawns and on our land here, ends up in the
aquifer
and eventually in our drinking water.
Do you really know what is in that
glass of water you are drinking today?
Places to learn more:
Why Bees are Dying
Why Congress Should Care About the Beepocalypse
Center for Food Safety
More than 50,000 bees killed in Oregon, insecticide
blamed in largest bee die-off in recorded history
Bees Dying by the Millions in Canada
How a Plant Virus May Help Cause the Beepocalypse
Bees are dying. Here’s why you should care
April 14, 2014
Animal Awareness Alert~
A Florida Black Bear in the Ocala
Forest and a Florida Manatee mother and baby
Black Bear picture credit: FFWCC, Manatee picture
credit:
www.sfwmd.gov
The Black Bear pictured here was taken in an area quite
near our house and according to Wikipedia:
“which supports the highest density population of
black bears in North America.”
**Update……..Five Black Bears were
killed last night by FWC**
FWC kills 4 bears in Lake Mary neighborhood where woman
was mauled
Although Bears and Manatees may not be on your mind at
this very moment, they need to be.
Two animal stories were on our local
news this morning that need to be brought to your
attention if you live in Florida.
Like much of the country, it is Spring
right now here in Central Florida and a great many of
our animals are on the move.
Black Bears everywhere in the state
have ceased their hibernation states, short-lived as
they were due
to the fairly mild winter and have begun
roaming into adjacent areas and neighborhoods in search
of food.
Like you feel in the morning, they are
now awake and very hungry.
So we MUST be vigilant right
now everywhere, for their increased presence and state
of hunger.
Last night a local woman was
attacked, or surprised in her garage, by what may
have been as many as 5 Black Bears.
Yes, she had left the garage door
open, but, was their also some trash or garbage
in there, or dog or cat food?
Not known yet.
Before there are even more Black Bears
killed, as has been done recently, can we all please
take an extra moment,
to do what we know must be
done and that is to keep alert and NEVER leave food
outside
and for heaven sakes, please remember to close
your garage and shed doors at night.
We do not want or need another tragic
round of Black Bear killings here, do we?
The second point to make you all
aware of is, that our Florida
Manatees are also starting to become
active
and are beginning to leave the warmth and safety
of places like
Blue Springs State Park
and other
warm water areas, and heading out to their cooler summer
waters,
all along the Florida Coastlines as well as
inland locations.
So, as we all start taking our boats
out, now that the days are getting warmer, to where
they Manatees
live and travel, we must be especially
careful not to run into or over them.
Boat propeller strikes lead to
countless unnecessary Manatee injuries and deaths every
year.
And last year was an especially not a
good one for them
with over 800 deaths in various
ways.
So please remember, when you are out
in your boats from this point on,
please observe the
“slow down manatee zone” speed limit
signs.
A Manatee’s life is depending on it.
So, while we are all busy right now
celebrating Spring, can we all try to
ensure that Florida’s Bears
and Manatees will also be
here to see it next year with us?
We all need to be a part of and
support this, animal awareness alert.
Spread the word~
You may learn more here:
Bears drag Florida woman from garage
Officials Warn of Bears Stirring as Woman Attacked
Seasonal Manatee Speed Zones are in effect
April 12, 2014
We Must Speak Even Louder
Wild Orcas as they were meant to be, free and
hunting in the Norwegian Sea.
Picture credit: Wolfgang Hägele
Yesterday in California, more than a million voices,
via their signatures on a petition,
were raised up
against the continuing captivity of Orcas at Sea
World San Diego,
but they simply could not
compete with those of the owners, the local city
Governments,
or the faithful lobbyists who work so
tirelessly on behalf of their clients.
What was at
stake was the fate of the Orcas at Sea World
facilities and their questionable safety and treatment.
Animal rights activists came from
everywhere, along with parents, teachers and children to
show their support for
California Bill AB2140, proposed
by Democratic State Assemblyman Richard Bloom of Santa
Monica,
who was apparently influenced by the
highly popular and widely publicized film, Blackfish.
It is reported that the Sea World lobbyist is
Scott Wetch.
Naomi Rose, who is a marine mammal
scientist with the
Animal Welfare Institute,
sponsored the Bill, AB2140.
This Bill would have stopped the Killer
Whale/Orca
shows at Sea World in San Diego
and phased out their
captivity.
But at the end of the day, power and money won.
Now that the Bill has been sidetracked, or waylaid
until mid 2015 in San Diego, all involved in
this seem
to agree that next on the list, are the Sea World
facilities in Florida and Texas.
A curious item was mentioned on our
local news, that Sea World’s attendance is down,
but their profits are
up.
How very interesting.
Usually when a great many people are as enraged as
those who signed this petition are/were,
something
happens, things get changed, but in this case, it
appears not, and
over a million signatures on this
petition meant zero to Californians.
Not surprisingly, Sea World did a massive, continuing
campaign press blast, to discredit the film
Blackfish,
while the San Diego Chamber of
Commerce declared that Sea World
and the Whales are
both extremely vital to their economy.
And, now that this scenario is guaranteed be
repeated in Texas and Florida, you can
be
assured that the Sea World owners, local city
Governments, and the lobbyists, will push
back even
harder with everything that they have, but it will in
the end be, mostly about the money.
When those with the money and the control do not hear
the voices of over a million in protest,
we must speak
even louder.
” We must speak for those with no voice.”
You may learn more here:
Bad Day for Captive Orcas: California’s ‘Blackfish’ Bill
Stalls
California bill that would end Sea World killer whale
shows stalls
Killer-whale bill stalls in hearing; study due
in 2015
Orca Ban in Theme Parks a ‘Silly Bill,’ Sea World Says
California Bill That Would End Orca Shows Stalls
Pictures of Orcas:
Orca Pod Wiki
April 5, 2014
Cocoa Says NO!
The Pier at Cocoa Beach
Picture credit: Mike Russell
On our local news this morning, came
a most unexpected joy.
It was announced today, that the
City of Cocoa Beach had rejected
offshore Seismic Testing.
Those in this Committee actually said
that they don’t want it, because it has been said to
harm Whales and Dolphins.
Did I hear right?
Is it possible that an entire City
Commission actually realizes that many of the well to do
tourists that they work
so hard and spend so much trying
to attract here, are actually coming because of the wild
things that live here?
Duh!
I can still remember my very first
trip here in the 1970′s to visit my parents, when they
lived in North Miami Beach.
One of our very first day trips was
down to the Everglades and I was hooked for life~
I was mesmerized by all of it, but
most of all, by the incredible raw beauty of the land
and the dizzying array
of glorious creatures that lived
here.
I had never seen most of them, in
either California or Indiana growing up, so it was all
new.
For those of you who do not live here,
please allow me to shed some light.
We have in this glorious Sunshine
State, what may be the world’s greatest collection of
Birds
and countless rare and exciting species of plants
and wildlife in the world.
There is never any shortage of
well-heeled, big spending visitors arriving here, every
single day of the year,
to take in all of this pristine
beauty.
They travel to Florida by the
millions, from every country in the world.
So, then knowing this, that not
everyone coming here is going to Disney, or playing
Golf,
it simply would not be financially responsible,
not to mention completely inhumane,
to do our
very best to preserve and protect the priceless beauty
here, not just for the tourists,
but for our state’s
residents as well?
If Seismic Testing all along the
Atlantic Coast is not stopped in its tracks, our Marine,
or Sea life,
are all in great jeopardy, the Whales, the
Dolphins, every living thing.
It has been pointed out repeatedly,
that the North Atlantic Right Whale, is just one more
screw up away by us,
to complete and total extinction.
And our Dolphins and other Coastal
animals are already being pushed to the brink by
overdevelopment.
So to all of you other Coastal
Cities in Florida and indeed all of the United States
Coast lines, you had better wake up.
Our Coast lines and all that inhabit
them are a Treasure, but for only as
long as they exist.
Listen, I think I hear your tourist
dollars leaving the building and they may not be back!
No wildlife, no wild places, no
scenic beauty, no tourists~
Get it?
Some places to learn more:
Seismic testing could harm marine life
Atlantic oil drilling using seismic airgun may wipe out
endangered Right Whales
A Cocoa City Commission Video:
Seismic Testing Rejected
An entire page of this topic is quite
well covered here:
Offshore Oil Drilling
April 3, 2014
Whales Win!
Traditional Whaling in Taiji
Picture credit: Public Domain
If you have had your absolute fill
of depressing news about our wonderful world of
animals, you can smile today!
Japan has argued for years, that they
have the absolute right to kill 1,000 Whales a year in
the Antarctic, for
” scientific purposes, ” but the United
Nations has told them, not so fast!
Judge Peter Tomka has determined that
what the Japanese are doing, is not “scientific”
and they will stop immediately.
The Japanese have a very long
history of whaling, as it has been a
strong part of their culture since the 1700′s.
The bitter and sad stories coming out
of Taiji where Dolphins and Whales are murdered every
year,
has been the subject of countless Blogs, News and
TV stories, even a documentary film,
the Cove.
Bloodshed, as in rituals, for the sake
of culture, had been a part of our lives since we
crawled
out of the water, or from under a rock, or
whatever we did, but long ago we stopped most of
these heinous acts and became mostly civilized beings.
It is not that Humans have really
changed or evolved so much, more likely, it has been the
influence of a more “ethical” society and
the negativity attached to these gruesome acts.
Only our behavior towards the
animal kingdom seems to have remained in our archaic
past,
as witnessed by the ongoing slaughter every day to
animals all of over the world, especially in Africa.
Regrettably, nothing has deterred the
determined Japanese, who since their defeat in the War,
have felt this was one last part of their culture where
their Honor and National pride were still secure.
The Japanese were not alone in this
evil, many countries including ours, participated in the
killing of Whales.
But in 1986, a “Moratorium
Against Whaling” was enacted and all but the
Japanese,
Norway and Iceland adhered to it.
Although I can certainly respect
preserving your culture, some of the reason to support
this particular one,
must be subject to the current
status of Whales on the planet.
Global numbers for all sea
mammals have decreased dramatically in the last Century,
so continuing this
so called “scientific
research” is no longer a viable excuse for Whale
slaughter, anywhere.
Our species, we Humans, must learn to
respect all animals and protect them before they are
wiped from the Earth.
For if they are all gone, we will be
alone and this Planet was never meant to be Only
inhabited by Humans.
You may learn more here:
This page has a wide selection of
places to learn more:
ICJ ruling on whaling news roundup
Here is Court’s the ruling:
International Court of Justice
World Court: Japan’s ‘scientific’ whaling is illegal and
must end
U.N. Court rules Antarctic whaling by Japan illegal,
orders halt
World Court rules against ‘scientific’ whaling
Victory for whales at the International Court of Justice
March 29, 2014
Will You Honor Your Mother Tonight?
Image credit: Google Images
What began in Sydney, Australia in
2007, has now expanded and grown to
become a Global
Cultural Event and celebration, with countless
Countries,
Nations, People, Organizations and
Businesses involved, each in their own way,
showing
their love and respect for our Planet, for our Mother
Earth.
Tonight at 8:30 PM once again, the
entire Planet will have the chance to show its respect
and love for this place that we all call home, Mother
Earth.
Each corner of the Planet will observe
this hour of lights out, at their own local time.
By collectively turning off our power,
we can all demonstrate that we do care for this place
that gives us all that we need to live, survive and
thrive as a species.
She gives her all to us, can we say
the same?
So, won’t you please join with the
millions of concerned others just like you and
turn
off your lights, for at least one hour tonight,
beginning at 8:30 PM?
The fact that this event continues to
grow exponentially every year and is now
reaching even
the most remote of areas of the Globe, says that we do
care
and that we do want to make the world a better
place.
May God continue to Bless us all and
may we all continue to Honor Mother Earth
on this and every night.
Some places to learn more:
Earth Hour
Earth Hour: Millions to switch off lights around the
world
Earth Hour: Time and date
Earth Hour – Wikipedia
March 28, 2014
Because this is America and this is how we work~
Gator-Woman