Petitions for helping endangered animals

If you want to help endangered animals, you can sign a couple petitions to help them at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/environment-and-wildlife/endangered-species/

Overexploitation

People, with their natural abilities, are rather weak compared to other animals. We don't have claws to attack, thick fur or feathers for warmth, sharp senses (compared to others), tails, or swift running. But we are a very intelligent species and have developed tools and weapons to hunt, harvest, and live off resources when other animals were naturally born with their "tools".

Overexploitation is taking too much of resources from the wild, such as animals and plants, to make clothing, medicine, pets, and others. We affect many different species, such as aquatic species, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, and plants.

Fishing has become very efficient, but is also causing the rapid decline in populations of fish. 

Many birds are kept as pets, and others are hunted for food or just game. 

According to National Wildlife Federation, "People have always hunted mammal species—for fur, food, sport, and for their horns or antlers. Mammals are also trapped for the pet trade, zoos and biomedical research. Today, illegal hunting still threatens many species, especially large mammals such as tigers, rhinoceros, bears and even primates, whose body parts are highly valued in some parts of the world for traditional medicine."

Amphibians, like frogs, are used in education, pets, and medicine. Many biology classes dissect frogs. Frogs are also a source of food, and the California red-legged frog is now endangered due to overhunting for food.

According to National Wildlife Federation, "Reptiles are harvested and traded around the world for their skins or shells, their eggs, meat, and for the pet trade....Some reptile skins—such as crocodile, python and monitor lizard—are highly prized as exotic leathers."

"Plants are vital to our survival and are the foundation of most of the Earth’s ecosystems. People harvest plants for food, medicine, building materials, and as raw materials for making other products.  But we are taking too many plants from the wild. Some plants, such as orchids, are so prized by collectors that they are now endangered and  legally protected from poaching by international law. Some medicinal plants, such as American ginseng, have also been so enthusiastically collected that it is now very hard to find them in the wild. A number of tree species that are prized for their wood, such as mahogany, are under threat because of overharvesting" (National Wildlife Federation).

Info source: http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Overexploitation.aspx

Your Wildlife Personality

Here's a fun quiz to find out what animal you are:

http://blog.nwf.org/2014/03/whats-your-wildlife-personality/

Hawksbill Turtle

Hawksbill turtles have beautiful, mottled shells. Because of their beautiful patterned shells, the shells are often sold in markets, valued highly. These turtles have pointed beaks which give them their name, the Hawksbill turtle. Hawksbills are critically endangered.

Hawksbill turtles live in tropical areas in the midst of coral reefs. They mostly eat sponges but also eat sea anemones and jellyfish.

According to WWF, "Hawksbills help maintain the health of coral reefs. As they remove prey such as sponges from the reef's surface, they provide better access for reef fish to feed.  They also have cultural significance and tourism value.  For example, for local residents in the Coral Triangle, the flow of visitors who come to admire turtles is a vital source of income."

Info and image from https://worldwildlife.org/species/hawksbill-turtle

Wild vs. Captivity for Cetaceans

What's the difference for a life of a cetacean, like a dolphin, in captivity than out in the wild seas? Is it better for cetaceans to be in captivity? Won't they be guaranteed better conditions than out in the wild? Won't they have a longer lifespan? What do you think?

• Space and socialization
• In the wild, cetaceans usually have plenty of space to frolic in the seas. They can swim up to 100 miles in just one day. They socialize with other cetaceans and create bonds.
• There's definitely not enough space as the ocean in captivity. There's not even as much land as there is water on the earth. Sometimes cetaceans are also isolated or forced to live with animals they can't socialize with, lacking a good environment for socialization.
• Boredom and activity
• Usually, in the wild cetaceans are playful and happy. They are constantly active and don't get bored.
• However, in captivity, cetaceans have to entertain tourists and are often bored. They can become frustrated and aggressive.
• Water depths and choice
• In the wild, only 10%-20% of a cetacean's time isn't spent deep underwater. They have total control and freedom over their choices.
• Trainers deicide everything for the cetaceans and they are forced to constantly stay at the surface of the water.

These are only some cons of keeping cetaceans in captivity. There are many more reasons you can read at https://awionline.org/content/wild-vs-captivity.

But, as some of these species are endangered, do you think keeping them in captivity would reduce the risk of extinction?

Info and image from https://awionline.org/content/wild-vs-captivity

The South China Tiger

The South China tiger is the typical image everyone thinks when they hear "tiger". When you think of "tiger", don't you think of a great cat with orange fur striped with black?

These felines are critically endangered, along with several other animals like the Amur Leopard, Black Rhino or the Leatherback Turtle. Sixteen species worldwide are critically endangered, which means that they "face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild," according to World Wildlife.

In fact, South China tigers are already extinct in the wild. No tiger has been spotted in its natural habitat for 25 years. In the early 1950s, there used to be over four thousand individual tigers in the wild. Hunting, even though banned by the late 1970s, caused the rapid decline of the South China tiger population. By 1996 there were only 30-80 individuals left in the wild.

 Image from https://worldwildlife.org/species/south-china-tiger

Info from https://worldwildlife.org/species/south-china-tiger

Banana smoothie

This blog post is related to "Why they're endangered and how we can help".

Homemaking something is often a great way to help reduce pollution. Pollution plays a great part in the environment and also plays a part in the increasing numbers of endangered species. Even blending together a few fruits into a smoothie during the summer is a way to save endangered animals and the environment. Instead of buying the smoothie with the packaging, plastic bottle (which often gets thrown away instead of recycling), and its cap which are all big sources of pollution while it is manufactured and as waste, you can use a blender at home and make a banana smoothie with this really simple but delicious recipe.

This recipe makes enough for about two servings (approximately two cupfuls of smoothie).

Ingredients:

• One banana, unpeeled
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon of sugar (or honey, if preferred)
• 1/2 cup of ice

Recipe:

1. Place ingredients into blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Serve immediately.

Voila! That was simple, wasn't it? It wasn't much to do, but you've made a difference in the environment.

Image from http://romanlosangelez.wordpress.com/2014/01/10/healthy-bananas/