Friday, December 30, 2011

Look After Your Pet

It is very easy to get attached to pets, so make sure you can care for the pet before getting one. It would be hard to get attached to a pet and then have to give it up because of an unexpected move. or so rule that you were not aware of. Its also important to choose the right pet for you. Consider the life span, and gender of the pet, do you want a male or a female? Pets life expectancy is not as long as humans, so you may want to mate your pet before it is to late, so that you can always have one of your own pets off springs, which will help sooth the pain of losing a beloved pet. Pets depend on you to take care of them, just like children do. Some people even treat their pets like children, they shop for clothes for their pet, take them to the saloon for grooming, treat them to special foods, and some even let their pets sleep with them. If you are a pet lover and don’t have the money to purchase a pet from a pet store, there are many wonderful pets at shelters just waiting for someone to give them a home. You may have to pay a small fee, but it will be well worth it.
1. Why do dogs eat their poop?
One reason dogs eat their poop is because it just plain taste good. Another reason is it could be a vitamin deficiency. One other reason for the poop eating is that it is an instinctual behavior in the wild to eat the poop to keep other predators from tracking their movements. Some solutions for stopping poop eating are: You can put meat tenderizer on their food and it is supposed to make the poop taste bad once it goes through the body. Check to make sure your dog food is nutritous enough and they are getting everything they need in their diet. The best and most effective way is to clean up after your dog immediately.
2. How do I get my dogs to stop barking?
Dogs bark as a form of communication. Dogs will also bark out of boredom. Dogs that are not with their pack [you are their pack] will bark to get the packs attention to let them know they are lonely. Dogs will bark to alert that there is a person walking by or another dog in their territory it is a natural form of communication. If you remove the stimulant then there is no need to bark at it. The best way to stop nuisance barking is to exercise/socialize your dog. If the dog is with their pack then they is no need to get the packs attention. Dogs also bark when they are excited it is their natural way of communication.
. How do I get my dog to stop chewing up the furniture?
If you have a puppy it is probably teething and in some pain. The chewing is satiating to them and can possibly be soothing their gums. You can give them a cold carrot to chew on, make sure you give it to them outside it can get quite messy. You can also freeze chicken broth in ice cube trays for them to have to help relieve some of the discomfort. You can also use Bitter Apple spray to detour them from chewing. Mature dogs usually chew out of boredom and stress. Exercise is the best way to release the stress. You can turn there attention on to something else that is more exciting then your dinning room table leg.
4. How do I get my dog to stop nipping and play-biting?
One way is to yelp very loud and startle the puppy. If the puppy was playing with another puppy and it bite to hard then the puppy would yelp to let them know it hurt. If the play stops as a result of biting too hard then the puppy will learn from being shunned away that biting stops the play time. Another solution for play biting is to have a toy and redirect the attention on to something else. You can also change the dogs environment take them outside for a walk is very helpful.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Vitamin C For Your Guinea Pig

The distinction between the animals is particularly significant when housing rabbits and guinea pigs together. Rabbit food is not supplemented with Vitamin C unlike the rations prepared for guinea pigs. A further complication arises because Vitamin C is a relatively unstable compound. It is, therefore preferable to buy small quantities of food regularly. This will ensure that the guinea pig receives a relatively fresh diet containing the optimum level of Vitamin C - about 200mg per kg of food (approximately 90mg per lb). Check the expiration date recommended by the manufacturer if you buy the food in packaged form. The maximum shelf life is likely to be no more than two or three months. Keeping the food in a cool, well-ventilated spot will help to prolong the vitamin content in prepared diets.
Apart from causing skin lesions, an early but unseen effect of Vitamin C deficiency is that it appears to render the body more susceptible to infections. Studies suggest that the average guinea pig weighing up to 1 kg (2.2lb) requires 10mg of Vitamin C daily, while during pregnancy this figure can increase threefold. If the guinea pig appears unsteady on its feet and reluctant to walk, with haemorrhages evident in the mouth and elsewhere on the body, it may have a Vitamin C deficiency. Direct dietary supplement of the vitamin -usually as part of a multivitamin powder but, in severe cases, in tablet form - tends to be more satisfactory than giving it in drinking water, where it rapidly oxidizes and loses its potency. To be beneficial, a solution would need to contain at least 200mg of Vitamin C per liter (114mg per pint) of water and should be changed once, possibly twice, daily. An added complication results if the water has been drawn through new copper pipes and so contains relatively high levels of this metal since copper acts as a catalyst for the breakdown of Vitamin C.
Ensure that the condition never arises, therefore, by providing fresh green leaf food throughout the year. Broccoli is particularly valuable because it has a very high level of Vitamin C, averaging around 250mg per kg (114mg per lb). Also provide root vegetables, notably swedes and to a lesser extent, carrots. These should be sufficient to keep your guinea pig healthy, especially when fed alongside a good-quality supplemented dry ration.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

How To Raise Chickens

In fact, whether you are raising backyard chickens or raising them in a farm, all you have to do is know where to look for guides. How to look after chickens is made easier by pointers coming from professional breeders and raisers that are ready to help in any way they want to. Aside from the general details on how to raise chicken, you can also look for ways to optimize the yield of your chickens for maximum profitability.
Chickens are easy to adapt to a small space where they can peck, perch and eat comfortably. It is also important in knowing how to raise chickens that you know how to keep their eggs from being crushed in the coop. this is usually answered by collecting them early in the morning and learning how to approach the coop calmly.
The coop is where the chickens lay their eggs, roost, seek shelter and run around for exercise in. Thus, the coop should provide a good shelter and free space to roam around without trampling each other. Make sure that the place is free of parasites and other sources of diseases that can harm them. A well-drained site is also recommended for their easy access to a clean and well-kempt area.
The ability of chickens to thrive in any environment is dependent on the breed and on the age of the chickens. In learning how to raise chickens, you have to know that younger chickens are not that adaptive as older chickens. If you are in an area where the weather condition is erratic, be sure to breed birds that can easily survive. Make sure to appropriate the shelter for the chickens to the kind of weather in the area. If the area has hot climate, you have to provide protection from the sun, otherwise the chickens will face dehydration and heat-enabled conditions.
During hot weather, you can also moisten the soil with water so that it does not accumulate much heat and does not become uncomfortable for the chickens. There are guides on how to raise chickens that will detail how to survive in the cold and in the extreme heat. Meanwhile, for cold climate, chickens that have a thick feather protection are suitable. A list of the possible breeds is also available in how to raise chickens guides.
Chickens also need a patch of dry land where you can feed them. Feeds need to be kept dry, so any feed that shows signs of dampness and toxicity must be disposed off immediately. In order for your chickens to survive, you must take care of them with all your resources.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Hippos Are Dangerous Mammals In The Wild Kingdom

Even though hippos look cute and cuddly, they are known as one of the most dangerous mammals in the wild kingdom. It's because hippos look so inviting, that they are very popular attractions at zoos. It should come as no surprise to any parent that after a trip to see them, a hippo stuffed animal becomes the major request of the day. Their name "hippopotamus" comes from the Greek word "river horse" even though hippos have no relation to horses whatsoever. They do love water, however, and because their skin has been designed to be wet most of the time, a good 16 hours of their part of a hippos day is spent submerged in the water. There won't be too many hippo stuffed animals that will be able to withstand getting wet unless you don't mind damage to their soft, plush fur. These are one plush animal that needs to stay on dry land at all times. If you are determined to have your hippo go into the water, a much better alternative to a hippo stuffed animal is one that is made of plastic. Plastic hippos do exist, but they can in no way make up for the realism and cuddliness of a plush one.

Hippo stuffed animals are some of the most adorable plush toys on the market – with their oversized bodies and grey plush fur, they are a delight to all that admire them. A teddy bear is usually the plush toy of choice for most children, but one look at hippo stuffed animals changes the mind of even the most diehard teddy fans. While most of their body remains under the water, they can still see, hear, and breathe as their eyes and nostrils are located high up on their heads. When the hot African sun has set, they come out of the water to graze, sometimes travelling up to six miles at night so they can consume 80 pounds of grass. Their skin alone can weigh as much as half a ton! And, their canine teeth can each be up to 20 inches long. Thankfully, hippo stuffed animals are in no way that heavy which means they can be held, cuddled, and loved all at the same time. They can also be prominently displayed on a bed, floor, or shelf when not in 'use' with no risk whatsoever that they will damage anything they stand stand on because of their weight.

In order to match up your big desires with real experiences, you have to believe, or better yet know, that what you want isn't just possible but that it is done. It's there in energy form. You just can't see it yet. Your big desire is your pink hippo. What you want may be rare in your experience. In fact, it can be something that's never happened to you or anyone you know before. But if you know it can happen and you therefore can get excited and happy about it happening, you create a frequency that draws that experience right into your life. The male marks his territory by scattering his dung onto vegetation like trees and bushes. He does this by facing his behind towards the vegetation and as he drops his dung he starts to swing his tale continuously and rapidly from side to side, resulting in the dung being sprayed onto the vegetation. The male will often scatter dung in the same place on land as well as in the water, leaving his own scent throughout his territory.

Monday, December 12, 2011

The Symbolic Meaning Of Magpie

The most common is to salute the magpie and many people will also acknowledge the magpie by saying "Good morning Mr Magpie and how is your wife today?" It is believed that by showing the magpie respect you will not suffer any misfortune that he could bring and you are also presuming that there is another magpie in the vicinity which means that they will bring joy rather than sorrow as mentioned in the well known rhyme "One for sorrow, two for joy". The reason that only lone magpies bring bad luck is that magpies generally mate for life so seeing a single magpie means that the magpie could have lost his mate which is itself bad luck. There are other legends associated with magpies such as they carry a drop of the devil's blood on their tongue and that they were the only bird who didn't comfort Jesus when he was crucified.

In Chinese culture, magpie is a symbol of happiness. The singing of a magpie foretells good luck and happiness. That's why Chinese people call it 'Happy Magpie'. The Manchu minority in Northern China even regards this birds as sacred animals. The magpie in Chinese is called 'xi que' and the character 'xi' means happiness. Two magpies facing each other is used to symbolize double happiness. When the goddess from heaven named Fokulon was playing with her two sisters beside the lake, a beautiful magpie flew above them with a red fruit in its mouth. The bird dropped the fruit and Fokulon picked it up and ate it. A few months later, she gave birth to a boy (Bukulirongshun) and he was the forefather of Manchu minority. Magpies are also known to steal eggs and baby birds to supplement their diets and have even been known to kill small pets such as guinea pigs.

They decided to form an alliance and wipe out the rising tribe. One lucky boy named Fancha escaped the slaughter and kept running until dusk fell. This little boy was almost caught when a magpie lighted on his head. Luckily, the hunters did mistake him for a tree trunk when Fancha stood motionless in the dim field and the hunters ran on in another direction. The boy was saved by the magpie and he was the only survivor of the tribe in the genocide. Magpies like all members of the crow family have a reputation for being attracted to shiny objects and stealing jewellery and other trinkets. This again, could be a reason for them being associated with bad luck. Although studies have shown that magpies don't have any effect on the populations of breeding birds it can be distressing having magpies in your garden particularly if it is home to birds and their young families.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Giraffe - The Tallest Animal In The Earth

Many people love the giraffe because it is soft and flexible for your baby's hands and it even helps soothe the chewing because of the unique bumps and legs on the giraffe. It has been said that some people do not initially like the design because they feel is it an odd object for a teether, but once their babies get a hold of it, they change their minds. Many say it is worth buying because their babies just grasp onto it and love chewing on it. Whether you decide to go with a cuter cartoon giraffe or more elegant giraffe pattern, send invitations that inform guests as to the theme of your party. This is an excellent place to introduce your colors and let them know if there is anything you'd like them to bring, such as recipes, games, or particular gifts.

Giraffe patterns are extremely popular, so it's easy to find candles, linens, and even balloons to fit your theme. These can be in the shape of giraffes or just contain the pattern itself. However, be careful not to overdo it with the patterns. If you intend to use giraffe patterned napkins, choose a solid color tablecloth to go underneath. Also, you may want to purchase a large giraffe baby bag for the mom to be, and encourage guests to fill it with one giraffe toy, blanket, or stuffed animal each. Then you'll have created a whole theme for the new baby's nursery. You can even wrap each one in giraffe print holders. For other dishes, consider combining brown and yellow foods, such as trail mixes, nuts, breads, lentil soup, brown rice, burgers, bananas, chips, corn and cheese, with more colorful foods in giraffe patterned bowls, such as salads. Stick to the same color theme throughout the party so as not to overwhelm your guests.

Get a giraffe paper punch for creating mini shaped confetti to place within the bags. You can also use this confetti to decorate small boxes as housing for your actual favors. Favors themselves can have a giraffe theme simply by adding a cute label that you create. Giraffe clip art for your stickers is abundant online with images from live giraffes to abstract designs. Like cows, giraffes spend most of their time eating and then regurgitate their food to chew it as cud. On a weekly basis they will consume hundreds of pounds of food and in order to do so, must travel many miles to find enough of it. When it comes to watching out for predators across the African savanna, a giraffes height also assists them in this regard. nything heavy could be dangerous for infants 12 months or younger. You can always put warm pj.s on the baby. The blanket or quilt should only be pulled up to the chest. Stay away from heavy and fluffy blankets and quilts. The giraffe theme is perfect if you do not know the sex of your baby. Even if you do, animals always make adorable nurseries.

Monday, December 5, 2011

The Phoenix Is A Mythical Bird

The Phoenix is a mythical bird dating back to ancient civilizations and is a part of legends and lore. According to mythology it is a mystical creature which has an astoundingly long life span ranging to around a thousand years. It is believed to be a bird with colourful feathers and tail in gold and scarlet. It does not get sick or afflicted by disease at any time during its life span. At the end of the life span it is believed to create a pyre of twigs and ignites itself. It then burns to ashes and then again rises from the ashes to live another thousand years and thus reborn. A collection of the fascinating information of the unique bird Phoenix and its efforts for survival and growth makes you curious to know everything about its existence. All information that is related to the rising of this bird, mythology of this bird is the part of Phoenix artwork. We can view various pictures, images and drawings of the legendary bird.

There are various complementary names of birds, which is the effect of the legendary status of this Phoenix bird. Therefore, in Phoenix artwork we can see the pictures, drawings of various birds of various regions like China, Japanese, Russia, Egypt and many more. These names are the counterpart name of Phoenix is treated as a idealize image for all the complementary birds. Though their names are different, the matching part is the legendary name Phoenix. Therefore, in Phoenix artwork, we can view the different features and some surprising information about the bird Phoenix and its several animated and digital images. The term "rising like a Phoenix from the Ashes" is often used in sports when a team or an individual on the verge of losing a game or match virtually comes back from the brink of certain defeat to win in the end. This triumph against all odds has caused the Phoenix bird to be made the mascot or symbol of many organizations and there are even several firms named after it.

The symbol of the phoenix appears quite early in Chinese culture. More than 7, 000 years ago, images were found on Chinese ceramic objects depicting a giant bird with a well – proportioned body, and a long neck and tail. These birds were probably worshipped as a totem symbol. Another account of phoenix story states that before the bird is swallowed by the flame it lays an egg from which hatches and a new phoenix which will live a thousand years and then the same process is repeated, thereby its lineage continues. Though there is no way of ascertaining the truth of either version, both express the same theme, triumph over extreme adversity. In fact, there are male and female phoenixes. In the theory of wu xing or the five elements, and in the art of fengshui, two phoenixes were shown facing each other to represent to southern direction. Later, the two birds were combined to symbolize most on earth. The bird was seen sacred, flying in dance of the universe towards harmony, creation and reproduction. If this theory is correct, the phoenix was already a totem symbol of the ancient Viet people.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Do Sharks Attack Humans ?

The Shark Mop by this company is one of the most popular products in the market and is possibly the best steam mop in the United States. It was first developed and offered to customers in the year 1997. There are many different models available for purchase each having its own special features. Some of them include the Euro Pro Ultra Hard Surface Cleaner, Euro pro Ultra Multi Purpose Cleaner, Shark Steam Bottle Cleaner, etc. These products are available in a variety of diverse sizes that you can choose depending on your particular needs and the purpose for which you require them. The price range for these products can vary depending on their size and cleaning abilities. Some of the reviews of these shark mops state that the best steam mop is the Pro Steam Cleaner that although being the most highly priced out of all the models, provides the most efficient results. These patterns seamlessly connect and form shapes in sync with the muscular movements of the body, to form water channels for water to flow with less resistance thrusting the Giant fish to cruise forward effortlessly. The skin of the Fish has less water absorbing properties. The pore permeability and overall body structure is sized and shaped effectively to vary buoyancy of the water under various swim states of the Fish.

Shark has over streamed bodies. In this over streamed bodies, it has fully cartilaginous skeletons. Sharks have five to seven gills for respiration. Their skin has an outer protection called dermal denticles. This improves the fluid dynamics of the shark. Nowhere is this more evident than in the recent developments for the field of shark conservation. Although they are more likely to be reviled as savage predators of the sea due to popular movies such as 'Jaws' and newspaper reports eager to print stories concerning attacks on surfers and the latest tourist scares, sharks are gaining a newfound acceptance for their ecological role, and recent conservation measures have only served to reinforce this attitude. More than 70 million sharks are killed every year for their fins, which end up as an ingredient in soups. If the current rate of death continues, nearly a third of all shark species on the planet may soon be faced with extinction. As those conducting work with animal researchers have hypothesised, the loss of these predators would have an incredible impact all the way down the ocean's food chain.

Sharks also prey on a lot of other fishes in the ocean. But no matter how aggressive and dangerous they look, there is one thing that sharks can not eat. That is a puffer fish. A puffer fish bloats like a balloon as a defense mechanism when they sense an imbalance in their surroundings. Its sharp needles hurt the mouth of a shark when they are swallowed. The sharks have Ampullae of Rorenzini, which is an electro receptor organ. This receptor organ alerts or gives them a keen feeling of vibration whenever there is potential prey. Another thing that one should know is that sharks have great listening abilities that it can hear the sound of the prey even if the prey are miles away. Great White Shark cages are the workhorses of the industry as they spend the most time in the water on the front lines. Couple that with the fact that the cages are where the average shark diver spends most of his or her time and the need for safety, reliability and comfort becomes apparent.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Lovely And Naughty Monkey

Dave the Funky Monkey, or Dave the Cheeky Monkey as he is known in the USA, can be controlled using a small hand-held infra-red remote that has a selection of buttons that correspond to each of his four operating modes, Conversation Mode, Greeting Mode, Puppet Mode and Action Mode. By pressing these buttons on the remote control you can make him perform a wide range of different movements and sounds that together make him appear to have a very realistic behaviour. He is a lovable electronic monkey toy that can sit on your shoulder, and by means of some sophisticated animatronics and a small hand-held remote control, has the ability to interact with members of your family, friends, colleagues and passers-by in a manner guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone's face! Read on to find out more about Dave the Funky Shoulder Monkey and why he is set become the most in-demand toy this holiday season.

People tend to combine Kama with Artha, which are in a line. Therefore, we only have a strong will to collect money. Similar with the combination of Dharma and Moksha, we do something good only to get reward and to avoid punishment. What is our different with a donkey who just want to eat carrot and avoid stick? Meaning that we have Kama or strong will to gain Moksha or ultimate freedom, not after the death but during our life right here right now. Then, we collect wealth to be shared with the oppressed people. However it is a good be that it is more likely to be your kids who will be the recipients, but do not rule yourself out just yet as there are still many adults around who probably still love the monkey toys that they already have and perhaps they just like another one!

These for sure are some very popular toy items and there is no sign that this is going to change at any time in the very near future. There are many different types of toys that are based on the monkey character and some of the favorites are exactly that type of a toy where often the individual monkey product is given a name such as Dave or a nickname such as Cheeky or Funky! If you can get your hands on a couple of coconuts, they would great table decorations. There is a small game called "Barrel of Monkeys" where the object is to hook the arms of the monkeys together. Buy one of these games and spread the monkeys out on your table, so your guests can play.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Do You Love Cute Cat ?

People like to laugh, and to give their friends and family reason to laugh as well.They started with just a few people capturing amusing or unexpected images of their pet cats and sharing them with friends and family through emails. These emails were so well received that they were shared further and further until they became chain letters. Soon other people were looking for opportunity to take funny cat pictures and send them around. Beyond just emails, entire websites featuring photo galleries filled with these pictures started opening. People could now go to one place and see hundreds of pictures of cats in any number of funny situations. These pictures were put on shirts, mugs, posters and in books.Unposed, candid shots of cats in humorous positions or situations remain among the most loved of funny pictures. If you are looking for a little glimmer of lighthearted humor during your day, it is easy to find a type of funny picture that will make you smile. The websites that were created in honor of these feisty felines generally offer subsections that allow you to choose the category of funny pictures that are most appealing to you.
Consequently they are less likely than indoor cats to become bored, frustrated, or obese. On the other hand, they are more at risk of street accidents (especially kittens and elderly or deaf cats), fight injuries, and diseases transmitted by other cats. Pedigree cats may become the targets of thieves. It is highly distressing when a cat is missing and the owner does not know whether it has been stolen, taken in by another household, or even killed. Suburban and rural cats are at lesser risk, but can still incur injury, hypothermia, or heatstroke. It is advisable to have a "pet door" that allows the cat to come and go as it pleases and seek shelter from storms, or during spells of cold or hot weather.Unneutered toms may spray urine in the house, and unspayed females may urinate more frequently when in estrus, in addition to becoming restless and howling all day.
A scratching post is a must if you want to spare your furniture. If you live in a high-rise apartment, put screens in the window frames to stop the cat from crawling out through an open window.This ranks way ahead of scratching, biting and the many other aspects of cat misbehaviour. If a cat stops using its litter tray and the problem goes unnoticed or ignored for just a short while, it soon manifests itself in the most pungent and unpleasant way.But the sudden absence of a much loved and familiar face will confuse your cat. As the rest of the family grieve the cat will pick up on the change of people's behaviour, and may feel confused. This again is stressful to your cat and may affect its litter behaviour.The death of a companion pet could also affect your cat and cause stress Are you using the right cat litter for your pet? Another reason your pet cat has stopped using its litter tray, could be the litter its self.




Monday, November 21, 2011

Some star animals

Animal based films such as Cats and Dogs have been worldwide hits. New digital film techniques make it even easier for animals to be used in films. Their performance can be enhanced or they can be filmed in an easy to control environment and the background can be added later making all kinds of seemingly impossible shots possible.
The world loves animals and the entertainment industry realises this, which has lead to a substantial increase in the use of animals in films. They appear in all kinds of films not just those made for the cinema. Animal actors are even hired and used in nature films to help fill in the blanks and capture certain shots which are too difficult to get in the wild. They are also used in promotional films and pop videos.
Years ago it was mostly dogs, horses and chimps that were used to act in films, TV shows and adverts. Now every kind of animal you can think of is used in films this includes mammals, birds, reptiles and in a few cases even insects. You can even hire fish to appear in your film should you want to do so.
It does not matter what type of animal you need you can find and hire them. However it is important to use a good agency that offers not only the range of animals you are after, but can also guarantee that those animals can do what you need them to.
These rules and regulations require that animals in films are rested properly as well as fed and watered at regular intervals. They all have handlers, who are there not only to make sure that the animal performs, but to also look after their welfare.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Working With Animals

Working with animals is a worthwhile cause, often undertaken because of the lasting impressions animals leave on humankind with their power, nobility, beauty, and grace. However, some animals are quite different from the photogenic creatures that bedazzle humanity with their charm. Whether these following animals inspire you to conservation efforts, or simply make you squint at the screen in disbelief, they have one thing in common they have all developed truly inspirational ways to outsmart predators. These methods have kept these animals (photogenic or not) safe for hundreds of years, and they're absolutely fascinating to read about.
The Hognose Snake
With venomous fangs, you might imagine the hognose snake has no problem defending itself. The problem is that its fangs are at the back of its mouth, and practically useless a thankful fact for those working with animals. Instead of biting, the hognose snake uses a tactic that has sustained creatures under threat all over the world .it plays dead. However, they don't merely lie still these crafty snakes take the concept of playing possum to a whole new level. The snake convulses wildly, flips over onto its back, and lies motionless, even when prodded. In some cases, it accompanies the performance with a lolling tongue, and by spewing blood from its mouth. In fact, the hognose is so dedicated to the role, if flipped onto its stomach, it will immediately flip over to its back again. Now that's commitment.
Dresser Crabs
The dresser crab is undoubtedly one of the most stylish denizens of the animal kingdom ,no one working with animals will ever see this much fashion sense! As the crab moves through environments, it scans the ground for objects it can attach to its velcro-like exoskeleton to, to help it blend into the terrain. Should it sense danger (or the opportunity to pose), it will freeze in its tracks and blend seamlessly and sassily into the background.
The Hagfish
The hagfish isn't so much a fish as it is a somewhat-sentient mucus gland. In response to attack (or the experimentation of a scientist working with animals) the hagfish secretes a microfibrous slime. When this goo is combined with water, it expands into a gelatinous muck. Drop a single hagfish into a fish tank, and within seconds you'll have a tank full of, essentially, mucus. This slime not only makes the hagfish extremely difficult to grasp, but can also succeed in gumming up the gills of predators. At this point, the predator usually realises it's achieved little more than a mouthful of mucus, and swims away - presumably to contemplate the health benefits of vegetarianism.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

"Dramatic" Elephant Rescue in Zambia

A mother African elephant and her baby lie mired in mud as family members look on in Zambia's Luangwa Valley (map) on November 1.

The pair were rescued by wildlife officials and conservationists after a two-hour battle against heat, dehydration, and rapidly drying mud.


The Kapani lagoon, where the elephants got strapped, is nearly dry and very sticky at this time of year—making it easy for an animal to become ensnared, said Mindy Roberts, sales director for Norman Carr Safaris, whose Kapani Lodge overlooks the lagoon.

On this particular occasion the baby became trapped first. "One of her feet could have become stuck, and then as she thrashed around, her whole body got stuck," Roberts said.


When the mother elephant came to help the baby, she sank into the mud as well. Other members of the herd quickly retreated when the rescuers arrived.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Bats are not rodents

Bats are not rodents. They are not blind as a bat. And most do not suck blood. They are the only mammals that can fly, and with more than 1,100 species of bats, they are the most diverse type of mammal after rodents. Bats first evolved more than 50 million years ago.

Contrary to a popular misconception, most bats can see quite well, but most species also possess an extremely powerful sonarlike ability -- emitting high-pitched pulses of sound and triangulating the echoes bouncing back to their oversize ears. That allows them to swoop down and snatch food like insects out of the air in the pitch dark.
Not all bats have this ability. Most of the bats of the type known as Old World fruit bats rely instead on smell and the keen vision of their oversized eyes. The fruit bats also have a more vegetarian diet, eating fruit, nectar and pollen.


Since 2007, researchers have been investigating the deaths of thousands of bats in several dozen caves and mines in upstate New York where bats hibernate for the winter. Other bats in the same caves were found to be severely underweight. Some have white fungus on their noses, some have pneumonia, but these appear to be secondary symptoms. Researchers have not yet determined whether what they call "White Nose Syndrome" is caused by a toxin, a virus, a bacteria, or environmental factors such as pesticide use or lack of food sources.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The Penguins and Bagpipes

I saw this video on PenguinsLand and just had to do a little bit of research on it.

On November 2, 1902, William Speirs Bruce led an expedition to the Antarctic aboard the Scotia. They would be the first to explore the Weddell Sea and started the first permanent research station, the Omond House, on the South Orkney Island of Laurie on April 1, 1903.

Gilbert Kerr bagpiping with an Emporer

The man in the photo above is Gilbert Kerr, the ship’s bagpiper. Bruce dressed Kerr in full Highland regalia and got him out on the ice with an emporer penguin. The idea was that they would play different styles of bagpipe music (jigs, strathspeys, reels, slow marches, etc) and see if the penguin had any reaction.

Per their report, the penguin was fairly indifferent to the performance, possibly concerned it was going to be their next dinner guest.
Neither rousing marches, lively reels, nor melancholy laments seemed to have any effect on these lethargic, phlegmatic birds; there was no excitement, no sign of appreciation or disapproval, only sleepy indifference.

Regardless of the results, this is certainly an interesting experiment in the true nature of scientific wonder – just to see what would happen. I’m also interested to find out why they brought a bagpiper along for an Antarctic expedition. I’m guessing there is reason relating to Bruce being Scottish and this was customary.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Taronga Zoo’s Fiordland Cresteds on a Walkabout

A Fiordland penguin named Munro made headlines last year after making a long 1,240 mile trip from his natural habitat of southern New Zealand to Australia. Nowadays, Munro and his two female companions, Chalky and Milford, are taking strolls about the Taronga Zoo. Zoo visitors can’t help but keep watch of the penguins as they take in their surroundings.

“The Penguins really enjoy their walk, although it is more of a ‘nanna’ stroll as they take in the sights and sounds around the Zoo. It is wonderful to watch the penguins investigate different areas and helps develop the relationship we have with these remarkable animals.

When visitors meet them during their walk it really raises their understanding of just how unique the species are and gives us a chance to educate people about the threats facing Fiordlands and just how endangered these extraordinary animals are.”

Munro, Chalky, and Milford are the only Fiordland Crested penguins that are cared for by a zoo anywhere in the world. In the wild, they are only found in the coastal rainforests of southern New Zealand and Stewart Islands. They are also listed as a vulnerable and threatened species due to habitat destruction and introduced predators.

Since last year, the Taronga Zoo has been hoping that Munro will mate with either Chalky or Milford to breed a new generation of Fiordland Crested penguins, also providing an opportunity to study their breeding and brooding behavior.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Antarctica’s penguin poop sleuths

LOUISE Emmerson offers invested yesteryear 5 many years inside a Hobart lab preoccupied along with knowing the actual life associated with Antarctic Adelie penguins. However it had been just a few times back which your woman lastly noticed the genuine article waddle in to look at over the glaciers. It had been adore.

Perched silently among the actual Antarctic equal associated with chattering suburbia, the packed rookery only a quick vessel trip through Australia’s Casey investigation train station, your woman wrist watches the actual mother or father penguins come back in the ocean along with bellies filled with meals for his or her quickly developing, voraciously eating youthful. “Great large golf balls associated with nonsense, ” whispers Doctor Emmerson. “Don’t you want to hug all of them? ”

The woman's job here's instead much less attractive, however believe it or not doting. She's arrived at gather their own garbage. Along with Aussie Antarctic Department task innovator Simon Jarman as well as friend Paul Dual, she'll invest the following fourteen days residing in the remote control area hut, actively playing Pictionary through evening, as well as going away to the cold icescape every day in order to clean penguin poop in the snowfall as well as rubble, picture this, catalog this, as well as down payment this within pipes to become delivered to the Hobart lab. The actual DNA inside the examples is going to be accustomed to obtain brand new understanding to the Adelie’s diet plan, foraging routines as well as reproduction designs.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Strategy Toys’ Wood Penguin Remembered

This really is ust an amiable community customer caution for any penguin-related item which i occurred on today. Despite the fact that this particular gadget is actually adorably adorable, make sure you be mindful as well as pay attention to the actual alerts how the ALL OF US CPSC is actually providing beneath.

The actual Ough. Utes. Customer Item Security Fee, within co-operation along with Strategy Playthings, Inc., offers introduced the non-reflex remember around 3, 000 wood penguin playthings, the actual risk becoming how the mind from the penguin gadget may remove, subjecting fittings along with razor-sharp factors, showing the laceration risk in order to customers. Strategy Playthings offers obtained just one statement of the event; nevertheless, there have been absolutely no connected accidental injuries.

Wooden Penguin Gadget through Strategy Playthings

The actual wooden penguin-shaped gadget includes a dark mind along with rubberized fins, the yellow-colored nasal area along with a whitened entire body along with red-colored about the bottom. The actual gadget is actually round-shaped as well as produces the gentle bell jingle whenever content spun. The actual gadget steps regarding 3 as well as ¾ in . tall as well as regarding 3 in . within size. “PLAN TOYS” as well as UPC quantity 084543521109 or even EAN quantity 8854740052117 tend to be imprinted on the exterior from the product packaging from the gadget.

The actual playthings had been offered from niche gadget shops countrywide as well as on-line through Might 2007 via Feb 08 with regard to in between $15 as well as $20.

Customers ought to instantly consider the actual penguin playthings from kids as well as come back these phones the actual shop exactly where bought to get the reimbursement. Customers may also get in touch with Strategy Playthings to get directions upon coming back the actual penguin playthings by way of postal mail for any reimbursement.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Return to Penguin City

Tonight I watched Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom entitled, “Return to Penguin City.” In this episode they talked of the scientists’ research of the Adelies’ annual migration to their breeding grounds, the incubation of the eggs, the raising of the chicks, and their lives in their colonies on the Antarctic peninsula. It was a very interesting show. I mostly found their behaviors particularly fascinating.

When the juveniles left their creches, they were like tourists going to the big city of the first time, in awe with their mouthes gaped open. Also along with unfamiliar surroundings, these penguins needed to learn the local lingo and proper gestures. Once they’ve laid their claim to some real estate, they must use their new behaviors to keep it theirs, sometimes by being aggressive – growling & snipping at each other and picking fights. Even though it should be common sense, it’s amazing to see animals exhibit the same behaviors as humans.

The episode also talked of the links between the amount of pack ice and Adelie populations. When the amount of pack ice increased, the populations thrived. The penguin population decreased when large amounts of their coastal ice habitat melted and fell into the sea. It does seem most obvious, though, when you eliminate habitat that the population of a species will shrink as well. I don’t believe they were trying to push any sort of opinion on the global climate changes but more of their scientific observations as they should be.

There’s more to the episode and it definitely is a good episode to watch. If you missed it tonight, it will be on again on March 26th at 8pm & 11pm and March 30th at 2pm, all times Eastern.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Strategy Toys’ Wood Penguin Remembered

This really is ust an amiable community customer caution for any penguin-related item which i occurred on today. Despite the fact that this particular gadget is actually adorably adorable, make sure you be mindful as well as pay attention to the actual alerts how the ALL OF US CPSC is actually providing beneath.

The actual Ough. Utes. Customer Item Security Fee, within co-operation along with Strategy Playthings, Inc., offers introduced the non-reflex remember around 3, 000 wood penguin playthings, the actual risk becoming how the mind from the penguin gadget may remove, subjecting fittings along with razor-sharp factors, showing the laceration risk in order to customers. Strategy Playthings offers obtained just one statement of the event; nevertheless, there have been absolutely no connected accidental injuries.

Wooden Penguin Gadget through Strategy Playthings

The actual wooden penguin-shaped gadget includes a dark mind along with rubberized fins, the yellow-colored nasal area along with a whitened entire body along with red-colored about the bottom. The actual gadget is actually round-shaped as well as produces the gentle bell jingle whenever content spun. The actual gadget steps regarding 3 as well as ¾ in . tall as well as regarding 3 in . within size. “PLAN TOYS” as well as UPC quantity 084543521109 or even EAN quantity 8854740052117 tend to be imprinted on the exterior from the product packaging from the gadget.

The actual playthings had been offered from niche gadget shops countrywide as well as on-line through Might 2007 via Feb 08 with regard to in between $15 as well as $20.

Customers ought to instantly consider the actual penguin playthings from kids as well as come back these phones the actual shop exactly where bought to get the reimbursement. Customers may also get in touch with Strategy Playthings to get directions upon coming back the actual penguin playthings by way of postal mail for any reimbursement.

With regard to more information, get in touch with Strategy Playthings toll-free from (866) 517-7526 in between 8 the. michael. as well as 5 g. michael REHABILITATION Mon via Fri or even go to the firm’s Site from www.plantoys.com..

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Oil-stained penguins clean on Uraguayan coastline

The actual lifeless physiques associated with a few 100 oil-stained penguins cleaned on Uruguay’s the southern area of coastline, and also the Southern United states country’s naval government bodies had been looking into their own fatalities Mon. The actual creatures tend to be Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus Magellanicus), a few seventy centimetres high as well as evaluating regarding 5 kilogrammes, the actual government bodies stated. Within the Southern United states winter season, these types of creatures, that can't travel, go swimming northern in order to the southern area of South america in the Patagonian coastline.

This appeared most likely how the creatures obtained captured within an essential oil drip which was caused by an accident a week ago, a few 20 kms away Montevideo’s coastline. A few fourteen, 000 litres associated with energy essential oil leaked out to the sea due to the crash in between the Greek-flagged deliver along with a Maltese charter boat. Nevertheless, the bond wasn't instantly verified. Naval government bodies aided through sea fauna specialists had been looking into the actual fatalities from the creatures, cleaned on land on the extend associated with a few two hundred and fifty kms in between Montevideo as well as Rocha.

Guy, such a terrible point to know. About the better aspect, a few of the Megallanics are now being cleaned as well as looked after through SOS-Marine Existence Save. Nevertheless, much more penguin life might be used.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Dead Penguins Found Closer to Equator Than Ever Before

You’ve most likely observed plenty of content articles away concerning the lifeless penguins which have cleaned on land within South america. I’ve study a few as well as We had been keeping away upon publishing till I'd more info compared to exactly what this news reviews possess stated. These days I acquired a hyperlink through Nationwide Geographic’s website relating to this misfortune.

It would appear that it’s not really which uncommon to determine cleaned upward penguins, lifeless or even in existence, upon these types of seashores. These types of Magellanic penguins are floating around away from ocean in order to forage with regard to meals as well as occasionally they may be swept aside through the powerful sea currents getting these phones shoreline because much northern because Rio de Janeiro. Nevertheless, it would appear that this season there are plenty much more possess made an appearance. Researchers tend to be attributing this particular to some powerful chilly entrance originating from Argentina. These types of penguins which appear in this way happen to be inside a destabilized condition as well as their health aren't outfitted to take care of exotic illnesses as well as contaminated seas, although most likely passed away through pure tiredness.

In the event that a good hurt or even ill penguin is located, it's a good idea to notify the correct government bodies for example zoos or even additional comparable establishments that can take care of all of them. A few wrong individuals possess attempted to consider all of them house as well as location all of them within frozen drinking water, being unsure of these people choose much more temperate environments.

By This summer thirtieth, employees within Bahia had been dealing with 474 ill penguins whilst a lot more than four hundred had been discovered together seashores within Rio de Janeiro. People who perform endure tend to be used southern from the nation through the B razil federal government to allow them to capture the correct currents home.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Lifeless Penguins Discovered Nearer to Equator Than in the past

You’ve most likely observed plenty of content articles away concerning the lifeless penguins which have cleaned on land within South america. I’ve study a few as well as We had been keeping away upon publishing till I'd more info compared to exactly what this news reviews possess stated. These days I acquired a hyperlink through Nationwide Geographic’s website relating to this misfortune.

It would appear that it’s not really which uncommon to determine cleaned upward penguins, lifeless or even in existence, upon these types of seashores. These types of Magellanic penguins are floating around away from ocean in order to forage with regard to meals as well as occasionally they may be swept aside through the powerful sea currents getting these phones shoreline because much northern because Rio de Janeiro. Nevertheless, it would appear that this season there are plenty much more possess made an appearance. Researchers tend to be attributing this particular to some powerful chilly entrance originating from Argentina. These types of penguins which appear in this way happen to be inside a destabilized condition as well as their health aren't outfitted to take care of exotic illnesses as well as contaminated seas, although most likely passed away through pure tiredness.

In the event that a good hurt or even ill penguin is located, it's a good idea to notify the correct government bodies for example zoos or even additional comparable establishments that can take care of all of them. A few wrong individuals possess attempted to consider all of them house as well as location all of them within frozen drinking water, being unsure of these people choose much more temperate environments.

By This summer thirtieth, employees within Bahia had been dealing with 474 ill penguins whilst a lot more than four hundred had been discovered together seashores within Rio de Janeiro. People who perform endure tend to be used southern from the nation through the B razil federal government to allow them to capture the correct currents home.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Monitoring Penguins with Microchips

Penguins happen to be micro-chipped in the Kingscote rookery within the beginning of the 15-20 12 months intend to keep track of their own routines as well as evaluate their own actions in order to bring about preservation initiatives.

Division with regard to Atmosphere as well as History provided personnel as well as gear to assist the actual Kingscote Sea Center using the task, such as soaring inside a investigation scientist through SARDI, Annelise Wiebkin.

Sea center overseer Steve Ayliffe stated this program would need to end up being more than two decades “to help to make sense”.

“Many from the the baby birds we're chipping may come back within a few years to possess their very own youthful as well as all of us can keep track of fatality as well as come back prices. ”

He or she stated hi-tech investigation from additional pet colonies experienced incorporated scanning devices that documented whenever parrots remaining as well as came back for their nests to ensure that the baby birds might be aided in the event that mother and father didn't come back.

“The penguins tend to be appreciated from regarding $1500 every therefore it seems sensible to comprehend just as much regarding all of them once we may, ” he or she stated.

The actual task came into being in the conferences between your providers from the state’s 3 primary penguin rookeries available to vacationers from Penneshaw, Kingscote as well as Granitic Isle. Parrots are also cracked from Penneshaw as well as Granitic Isle.

Mr Ayliffe stated the actual DEH personnel have been therefore devoted to the actual task they'd came back within their personal period more than a number of nights to accomplish the actual micro-chipping from the old the baby birds, nearly prepared to fledge.

He or she stated the actual checking might additionally assistance to complete the actual spaces within understanding of the reason why NZ hair closes experienced began targeting the actual colonies.

Microsoft Wiebkin offers requested financing with the Taking care of Nation Open up Grants or loans plan to keep the actual task.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Cincinnati Zoo Announces Hatch associated with Full Penguin

Upon This summer thirty, the actual Cincinnati Zoo & Organic Garden’s full penguin girl hatched. 2 week-old “Kyoto” gets the next prosperous full penguin actually to become hatched in the Cincinnati Zoo. Mom, Bebe, set the actual egg cell upon 06 6 as well as discussed incubation using the dad, Ray, for that following fifty four times.

When the girl pipped, or even shattered with the spend, upon This summer twenty-eight, the actual Zoo’s Aviculture personnel transferred the actual egg cell inside a transportable incubator in order to Cincinnati Children’s Medical center Healthcare Center’s (CCHMC) Veterinarian Providers Laboratory with regard to additional assessment. Doctor. Whilst gary M. Keller, Overseer associated with CCHMC Veterinarian Providers Department as well as Ur. Scott Dunn, CCHMC licensed permanent magnetic resonance (MR) technologist, utilized Permanent magnetic Resonance Image resolution (MRI) in order to keep track of the actual improvement from the full penguin embryo. This kind of 3-D image resolution is actually priceless towards the Cincinnati Zoo within the analysis from the incubation associated with full penguin ova and also the micro-climate required within captivity.

Following 2 several hours within an open up MRI step, the actual egg cell had been transferred to the actual Zoo exactly where this hatched 2 times afterwards This summer thirty. The daddy, Ray may still family as well as give food to “Kyoto” with regard to an additional 7 days before girl is actually used in the temperature-controlled refrigerator device arranged from fifty five Levels Farrenheit. within the Zoo’s Baby's room. Both Baby's room personnel as well as Aviculture personnel may reveal the actual hand-rearing responsibilities, giving Kyoto around each and every 3 several hours 6 occasions each day. Because the girl would not end up being remaining on it's own, the luxurious penguin is going to be positioned using the girl in order to imitate the mother or father, who does usually maintain the dig taking care of it's youthful. The actual existence from the luxurious additionally reduces the opportunity from the girl imprinting upon people. From giving period, owners may location the actual luxurious penguin while watching girl, that vocalizes—a transmission for that mother or father in order to give food to the actual girl.

The actual girl may obtain (using a syringe) the “fish milkshake” which includes floor seafood, a good electrolyte health supplement, as well as nutritional vitamins. Since the girl advances within grow older as well as pounds, the quantity of method this gets is going to be reduced as well as the quantity of seafood as well as how big the actual seafood it's given increases, till with the ability to consume entire seafood by itself.

Penguins happen to be analyzed for many years, permitting all of us in order to keep track of the healthiness of their own sea atmosphere. Environment modifications, specially the impact these types of modifications possess about the seas, really are a top element in the actual decrease associated with a number of penguin populations through the the southern area of hemisphere. Additional elements resulting in passing away as well as reduced manufacturing associated with penguin children consist of essential oil air pollution, over-fishing and also the intro associated with brand new varieties. 4 varieties associated with penguins tend to be dealing with the actual instant risk associated with annihilation. Most the actual 17 penguin varieties possess ongoing rejected within amounts during the last thirty many years. Continuous checking as well as preservation initiatives are essential to save these types of intriguing creatures.

Presently you will find around two zillion full penguins within the crazy. Just 15 zoos within The united states possess full penguins and also the Cincinnati Zoo’s Wings from the Globe display. has become house in order to 7. They're mostly of the penguin varieties which still prosper within the crazy. Full penguins are available through the the southern area of hemisphere upon sub-Antarctic island destinations. Full penguins taking pleasure in consuming a number of victim; nevertheless, these people choose little seafood as well as squid. Full penguins would be the 2nd biggest penguin varieties, developing to become regarding 3 ft high as well as consider more than thirty lbs.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Penguins get back home to Patagonia

A lot more than 370 penguins which inexplicably cleaned on Brazil’s equatorial seashores had been flown southern on the large atmosphere pressure freight airplane as well as launched nearer to the actual cold seas these people phone house, pet promoters stated Mon.

Onlookers cheered since the youthful Magellanic penguins had been arranged free of charge on the seaside within the southern area of South america as well as scampered to the sea, the actual Worldwide Account with regard to Pet Well being stated inside a declaration. This known as the actual penguin discharge the biggest actually within South usa.

The actual penguins had been amongst almost 1, 000 which have cleaned on Brazil’s northeastern coastline recently, stated team spokesman Bob Used vinyl cutter. Regarding 20 % from the penguins passed away and also the relaxation weren't wholesome sufficient deliver back again.

The actual penguins, that have been held from a good pet rehab middle within the northeastern town associated with Salvador, had been flown with an atmosphere pressure C130 turboprop airplane generally employed for large army freight in order to the southern area of South america as well as arranged free of charge upon Sunday.

Specialists wish a little number of old penguins launched combined with the children can help manual all of them southern towards the Patagonia.

Magellanic penguins type within big colonies within the southern area of Argentina as well as Chile as well as migrate northern so far as south west South america in between 03 as well as Sept.

Environmentalists state it's not understand the reason why the actual penguins had been stranded to date northern, however recommend these people might have been transported past their own typical variety with a circulation associated with tepid to warm water.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Dogs to help protect penguins on Australian island

The small Azure Penguin populace happens to be an excellent issue for that nearby citizens as well as government authorities associated with Sydney. Every year their own amounts tend to be reduced because of launched potential predators for example foxes as well as canines.

Conservationists tend to be assured which prospecting Maremmas, the variety of sheepdog through Italia, may be used to assist safeguard the nest associated with Small Blues upon Center Isle within Warrnambool. Maremmas sure along with flocks associated with parrots and also have demonstrated an ability to safeguard their own flocks through potential predators. The concept had been initially advised with a worried neighborhood fellow member, Joe ‘Swampy’ Marsh, that has effectively utilized Maremma sheepdogs to safeguard their free of charge variety hens through foxes.




To date their own answers are good and also the plan appears really guaranteeing. The actual Warrnambool Town Local authority or council may lengthen the actual test with regard to an additional 12 several weeks, wishing to determine an additional improve throughout their reproduction period eventually allowing the small Azure populace upon Center Isle in order to regenerate to their own greater amounts through in years past. Certainly a great instance from the neighborhood as well as federal government operating collectively to enhance biodiversity within their atmosphere.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

National Penguin Awareness Day

Happy National Penguin Awareness Day! Yes, it’s January 20th again and it’s our little flippered friends’ day to get some attention, aside from some little ceremony that’s happening on the east coast (j/k – congratulations, Mr. President!).

Anyway, be sure to take some time today to learn or do something relating to penguins whether it be learning more about them, visiting them at the zoo or aquarium, reading awesome books about them, or even just spending countless hours on flickr or YouTube looking at them. Here’s a few to get you started.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Humboldt Penguins Really feel in your own home within Sofia’s Zoo

The actual 8 Humboldt penguins that are located within the Sofia Zoo for that 3rd day time right now, tend to be changing usually and therefore are within excellent situation.

The info had been documented Sunday for that Bulgarian Nationwide Stereo, BNR, through the Zoo Overseer, Doctor. Ivan Ivanov.


“They possess modified nearly entirely, also it depends upon the elements in the event that they'll be discrete since the predict with regard to the start of the actual 7 days is perfect for very cold chilly. They've not really hatched within their environment as well as should be held comfortable. All of us may allow all of them away whenever temps achieve a minimum of 7 levels Celsius. These people stroll, go swimming and therefore are really fascinating. These people perform using the employees as well as began consuming fish” Ivanov states.

The actual penguins are likely to remain in the Sofia Zoo for around annually to some 12 months inside a fifty percent. When they possess children during this period, the actual infants tend to be to stay within Sofia.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Globe Penguin Day time

Represents the beginning of the actual Adelie penguins’ migration northward to the encircling Antarctic oceans. They'll go swimming no more than several 100 kilometers (or even 600km), exactly where they’ll remain aloft one of the icebergs, chowing lower about the krill along with other penguin-y faves.

six hundred kms? That’s not really too much in order to “migrate. ” Accurate. These people don’t truly proceed anyplace. Because 04 is actually the main Antarctic “winter”, this will get more dark lower presently there and also the Adelies think it is very difficult to determine within the more dark times therefore they’ll journey northern exactly where it’s a little better in order to search for meals as well as return within the “spring. ”

Wish these days is really a academic however enjoyable Penguin Day time for you personally! For those who have period, discover more regarding penguins or possibly make a move penguin-like may it be looking at all of them away in the zoo/aquarium or even discovering a task which includes all of them inside a enjoyable method.

Pleased Globe Penguin Day time!

Reward! Here’s a brief academic movie regarding Adelie penguins generally.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Floating around training with regard to penguin Jack port

The plucky penguin known as Jack port that experienced difficulty obtaining their wings moist is actually getting floating around training in order to capture upward. Jack port had been obtained from their mother and father whenever he or she had been simply a good egg cell simply because owners from Paulston’s Recreation area had been concerned these people wouldn’t have the ability to take care of him or her.

Which designed Jack port experienced to utilize a swimming swimming pool to begin floating around, as well as had been trained with a individual rather than the penguin.

Right now he’s learned in order to go swimming Jack port is able to plunge to the large swimming pool using the additional penguins – such as their sibling.

The actual success associated with Jack port as well as their sibling Shuffles is essential simply because presently there aren’t a lot of their own kind of penguin remaining within the crazy.

They're Humboldt penguins as well as it’s believed you will find just in between 9, 000 as well as 15, 000 of these remaining.

Jack port had been obtained from their mother and father following their mother set 2 ova as well as owners made the decision the easiest method to maintain all of them each in existence had been to consider 1 aside.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Contaminated Penguin Feces

Issues regarding natural pollutant amounts within the Antarctic possess resulted in rigorous research in to that they achieve this particular remote control area, stated Covaci. The actual contaminants result from man-made resources for example organochlorine pesticides as well as brominated fire retardants, he or she described. The actual paths by which these people usually journey tend to be atmosphere as well as sea currents. Current research show which migrating parrots may also transportation natural contaminants towards the Antarctic within their entire body tissue, additional Covaci.


Based on Belgian researchers, the actual Antarctic environment’s pollutant amounts tend to be increasing quicker compared to anticipated. The actual contaminants are now being present in the actual dirt remaining through penguin guano (study: feces) as well as carcasses. It would appear that the actual penguins are now being subjected not directly through consuming polluted seafood that have been in some way impure through another thing.

“Bioaccumulation implies that the actual penguins possess higher amounts of pollutants within their bodies”

-- Adrian Covaci in the College associated with Antwerp, Belgium.

Monday, September 26, 2011

My chicken's $300 vet bill

Tallulah was listless. At least I think it was Tallulah. We had four identical Plymouth Rock chickens, and we'd only gotten around to naming two of them -- which two, we weren't quite sure.

After googling "San Francisco" and "bird hospital," I secured a diagnostic appointment for the chicken, who lay uncharacteristically still near the water dish in the coop in our backyard.

The chickens came from my son's first-grade classroom. At the end of the school year, they were going to be sent to the farm if no one claimed them, so we took them home.

We feed our chickens twice a day, give them fresh water when they need it, and clean their coop weekly. In exchange, they produce eggs every day, eggs that we eat, and share with friends, and feel a little bit smug about: We are masters of our urban farm. We eat locally. We tend these beautiful creatures and live in harmony with them. I can't quite say the chickens are our pets, not in the way our cat is our pet. Yet they are somehow part of the family, and so I sat in the waiting room, waiting to tell the vet about my listless chicken.

Others in the waiting room held parrots and cockatiels in elegant wire cages in their laps; I held my chicken in a cardboard cat carrier. My friend Patrick was visiting from Boston, and I'd dragged him along to the vet, claiming it would be an adventure. Patrick and I looked at each other and tried not to titter in this somber place where people brought their beloved pets, a place where we had brought a farm animal.

As we waited, a woman spoke to the vet about putting her parrot on Lupron. Lupron is used to treat many things in humans, most strikingly for halting puberty in transgender children. A transgender parrot. Patrick and I glanced at each other and couldn’t contain our nervous laughter any longer.

At last the vet brought us into an exam room. She asked somberly, "What seems to be the trouble with your chicken?" I bit the inside of my lip to keep from giggling. She examined Tallulah, listened to her small heart with a stethoscope, peered down her beak. She found nothing obviously wrong -- no impacted crop, no pasted vent, no broken bones -- and said that tests would be required for a diagnosis.

On the drive over, I'd imagined a speedy diagnosis of some common chicken problem, maybe an egg stuck in the chute. But there was no stuck egg, no simple answer. We reviewed options and associated costs: X-ray, fecal analysis, blood work.

As we discussed diagnostic tools, treatment plans and discharge orders, I pressed my lips together and flared my nostrils in a moderately successful attempt at mirth suppression. The vet was so earnest, so impassive. She did not know whether we considered Tallulah to be livestock or a treasured pet; I wasn't sure either. I just knew that when the vet proposed the options, they sounded absurd -- and I chose among them anyway, the way I would have for our cat, who I once took regularly to the feline ophthalmologist to treat a rare autoimmune retinal disorder. Extreme measures for our cat made a certain amount of sense. She was our pet, we slept with her at night, she purred and loved us back. I was not going to let her go blind. In that spirit, I agreed to an X-ray and a fecal analysis. I thought: That makes sense.

I did not think: On a farm they would break this chicken's neck and toss her behind the barn. I did not think: We haven't even named them all, maybe we haven't even named this one. I just agreed to pay a great deal of money to diagnose the woes of the chicken I could only assume was Tallulah; it did not occur to me to do anything else.

The vet said that when we took Tallulah home that night, she would need to be kept away from the other chickens, in a 90-degree environment. Patrick and I strategized -- a box in the bathroom with the heat on? A borrowed dog kennel in the hall closet near the furnace? In my heart, however, I knew: I did not want to take Tallulah home. She was languishing. She was stinky. She needed special care. I liked chickens that peck in the dirt and lay eggs and look pastoral. I was aware that I was a small-hearted person who did not deserve to own chickens.

It was past my children's bedtime, so I left Patrick to wait while the tests were done, and I went home to give goodnight kisses. In an hour, I would pick up Patrick and Tallulah. We would put her to bed for the night in the warm box in the closet by the furnace to await test results.

It was not until I was in the car driving home that I was overcome. Not with a giggle, or a chuckle, but with crazed, swerve-into-oncoming-traffic laughter as I understood the ridiculousness of this situation. For authorizing exorbitant tests, I was ridiculous. For not feeling more pain over Tallulah's obvious distress, I was ridiculous and wicked.

I called my husband Evan and choked out a confession: I just agreed to $300 worth of tests on the chicken. He became, like me, gasping and maniacal. "For that money," he sputtered, "we could buy 150 new chicks." But Tallulah, we knew, was at least part pet. We had to try to save her for our children.

When I got home I snuggled the kids on the couch. I explained that Tallulah was very sick, and we were waiting to find out how to help her. They stared at me with big, worried eyes. Then the vet called, saying the news from the X-ray was not good.

She explained that Tallulah's crop -- her chicken stomach -- had exploded. The grit that naturally occupies the crop had moved throughout her body, causing widespread infection. She offered to operate to clean out the grit, but she could already tell there was a great deal of necrotic tissue. ("Did you smell that?" she asked me.) She added that there might not be enough healthy tissue to close the incision. The surgery had a very uncertain outcome.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

The cat in my flat must go back

I recently adopted a young cat from the animal shelter. She's very sweet and loving and is really not all that badly behaved. But she's really clingy and has some annoying habits. She likes to lick me a lot. It's slightly annoying until I go to bed, and then it's really annoying. I can't sleep. And when I try to move her away, she runs back immediately. This can go on for hours. Of course, she also does normal cat stuff at night, like meowing and making noise around the house. I've started putting her in the bathroom and using earplugs, but that really doesn't seem like a solution.

I know I should give it time, but honestly, I want nothing more than to take her back to the shelter. I would feel like a horrible person and know that everyone would think I was terrible, too. I can't imagine physically doing it. I've always looked at people who return animals as heartless and irresponsible. The whole situation is creating a huge anxiety problem for me. I've almost had panic attacks thinking about this cat, and I've nearly cried at work.

I'd been wanting a cat for at least a year, and I had one growing up, so I thought I was prepared. But I feel like I can't handle committing to this cat for the next 15 or so years. I feel like I made a big mistake. I feel trapped. I just feel as though I can't relax or be alone in my apartment anymore. Not just because of her habits, but just having her next to me all the time. When I leave, it feels like a relief. I'm terrified of commitment in general, but I never thought something this small would freak me out so much.

I don't think this is normal. I have had problems with anxiety in the past, though undiagnosed, and have had a few episodes this year where I feel sort of depressed. So, I wonder if maybe I'm having ridiculous reactions because I'm already sort of unbalanced. I tell myself that plenty of people have cats and they don't mind, and that I should feel happy that she's got a safe home now, but it doesn't really make me feel better. I can't imagine facing the shelter people or explaining to my friends and family that I abandoned her, but I think a huge weight would be lifted off me. I just don't know what to do.

Well, now look. You can't just go giving cats back. The cat is saying something to you more than meow. What story is the cat telling you?

I think the cat is telling you a story about abandonment and commitment. Think of yourself as the cat. Think of yourself as having been abandoned, and then having been rescued, and think of how it would feel if, after your rescue, you were abandoned again. If you can conjure up compassion for this lost cat, then in parallel, you will conjure up compassion for the lost parts of yourself. So treat this as a rare chance to find out what lost parts of you are hungry and crying for attention, and then give these parts of yourself the attention they are asking for. That is how to properly deal with this cat.

So trust the cat. Trust the impulse that led you to get the cat.

You chose the cat. The cat did not choose you. Not that it's your fault and you're bad. But the cat is a phone call from you to you. You have to answer the phone and figure out who is calling. You put your finger on it yourself. You have a problem with commitment. What is that about? It's about control. Now, if you do not feel safe, then you feel the need to control every little bit of time, and you can feel that people are wasting your time and interfering with your grand plans for how to spend your Saturday mornings. So you have what we call a control problem, which is at root a spiritual problem: You have no trust in the universe; you have no trust that the universe loves you and is taking care of you.

The cat probably has more trust in the universe than you do. The cat trusted you because to the cat, you are the universe. So think about that cat. That cat is rubbing up against you because the cat knows that you are the universe and you are going to take care of it. If you betray the cat then you are betraying this universal principle: that when things come into our lives we respond to them. We meditate upon them and try to understand their code, what they are telling us.

Sometimes that means admitting that we were wrong about what we thought. We are continually wrong; that is what learning is; learning is discarding what we were wrong about and learning what is actually true.

Part of your motive for getting the cat was to recapture your past. But your past is gone. When we try to recapture the past, all we do is create a new situation in the present that is based on illusion and impossible longing. We do this over and over until we stop trying to recapture the past. So look at the cat in the present. You are not a child and this is not the cat of your childhood. This is a new cat.

So there you are with the cat. The cat is trying to tell you something. I suggest you spend whole days with this cat. Stop doing all the other things you are doing and just spend time with this cat. Look into the cat's eyes and listen to the cat purr and try to understand the cat's language.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Should we forgive Michael Vick?

Last month, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Vick on a conditional basis, saying the 29-year-old quarterback, who last week signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, is free to take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings, as well as to participate in two preseason games. News of Vick's acquisition by the Eagles prompted a harsh reaction from many, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who condemned the signing and questioned what message it sends to young fans. Undoubtedly, the team will face a public-relations nightmare.

Even so, Goodell is justified in lifting the suspension issued in August 2007, after Vick pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges. It's the way of our justice system, the way of civilized societies. Someone commits a crime. He's sentenced. He completes the sentence. Then he's welcomed back. If we can't see fit to toss goodwill Vick's way for these reasons, consider this one: Forgiveness is good for our health.

Forgiving is defined in a recent Mayo Clinic consumer publication as "acknowledging hurt and then letting it go, along with the burden of anger and resentment. " Once achieved, forgiveness results in a decrease of negative thoughts and feelings toward an offender and an increase in positive thoughts and feelings. Studies on forgiveness have proliferated over the past decade, with researchers linking the process to better responses in terms of cardiovascular performance, nervous-system health, and immune function, to name a few.

A central message is that harboring a grudge appears to be detrimental to both psychological and physical well-being. "People who have been able to forgive show clear health benefits, " says Kathleen Lawler-Row, who chairs the psychology department at East Carolina University in Greenville, N. C., and has published her findings in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine and the Journal of Psychophysiological Research. "Whether we're looking at heart rate and blood pressure or whether we're looking at the number of medicines someone is on, their quality of sleep or the number of physical symptoms they report. Almost every way I've thought to measure it, people who have been able to think forgivingly show health benefits. "

Similarly, Charlotte van Oyen Witvliet, a professor of psychology at Hope College in Holland, Mich., monitored physiological responses of 71 college students for a 2001 study in psychological science, first as they mentally rehashed an offense and nursed a grudge, and later as they attempted to focus on the humanity of an offender and extend forgiveness. When focused on unforgiving responses, the participants' blood pressure surged, heart rates increased, brow muscles tensed and negative feelings escalated. By contrast, forgiving responses generated calmer feelings and milder physical responses.

Given such reports, deriding Vick the next time he steps out in public might be something you do at your own risk, says Frederic Luskin, a health psychologist and director of the Stanford Forgiveness Project. "If every time you see Michael Vick take the field you boo and say nasty things at the top of your lungs, you are flooding your system with stress hormones, " he says. "And just think, you caused all that stress yourself when you could have gone out and enjoyed the game. "

Luskin, author of "Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness, " says it's important to remember that forgiving doesn't involve condoning, forgetting or excusing a wrong; nor does it require reconciling with the offender. "What Michael Vick did was a violation against humans' and other species' desire to protect the helpless, " he says. "Maybe he should never be allowed to own a dog or participate in any business that has a dog. But there has got to be a chance for people to return because some people do learn from their mistakes and their punishment. If he had done what he did three times and clearly was not redeemable, that's a different thing. "

Should Goodell continue to receive positive reports from Vick's probation officer and other professionals assigned to work with the athlete, full reinstatement could occur by Week 6 of the regular season. Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy has been mentoring Vick throughout the summer and has agreed to continue in that role. "I think Michael deserves the chance to show people that he has changed and learned from past mistakes, " Dungy wrote in his diary on allprodad.com. "I know the public will be skeptical but, I think, over time, people will find there's a different side to him than what they've seen so far."

Refusing to forgive or to encourage rehabilitation is, in Luskin's view, a reflection of those doing the refusing. "Part of this is about our character, " he says, "including the way we talk about the wrongdoer. Michael Vick has paid his dues. Now, do I keep telling my son he's a bum? That's about character. "

By most accounts, forgiveness demands considerable time and effort. There is no single method, although for many the process is intra-psychic rather than interpersonal, meaning it can be accomplished without engaging the offender.

Forgiveness can occur as the result of talking with a friend, a therapist or an advisor, according to the Mayo Clinic. On his Web site, learningtoforgive.com, Luskin lists nine steps, including: experiencing feelings of anger and hurt then committing to doing what is necessary to feel better, adopting a stress-management technique such as deep breathing to deal with recurring tension, learning not to expect more than others are prepared to give, and finding alternative ways to meet goals rather than replaying an experience that triggers hurt.

But not everyone believes forgiveness is the only healthy solution. "We don't have a word in the language for healthy nonforgiveness, " says Jeanne Safer, a New York psychotherapist and author of "Forgiving and Not Forgiving: Why Sometimes It's Better NOT to Forgive. " Yet Safer contends there is such a concept.

Rather than flat-out forgiving, which may trigger guilt and anxiety in someone who is unable or unwilling to release resentment, Safer recommends revisiting the wrong. "To help yourself feel better you should not have an agenda other than wanting to understand, " Safer says. "That way, you can't fail. "

Someone who attempted understanding is Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, who visited Vick at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas. There, Pacelle learned that Vick's involvement in dogfighting began in childhood, which, Pacelle says, "explains it more as a cultural phenomenon than an entirely aberrational act of cruelty. "

The Humane Society expects Vick to participate in two anti-dogfighting events per month with the first to occur "imminently. " Pacelle declined to provide specifics for security reasons but says he believes it's "in [Vick's] professional interest to help us. "

As to the motivation for Vick's offer to participate, Pacelle says he doesn't know and doesn't care. "I'm really after outcomes, " he says. "If he can help steer kids away from dogfighting then that's an acceptable outcome. " Referring to himself as a "participating skeptic, " Pacelle says he believes in forgiveness but hasn't forgiven Vick. "I'm holding out hope that he'll change and become a better person. If he does change and contribute then I'll be the first person to applaud because I embrace change. I want him to change. "

Despite endorsing a philosophy of "hating the sin and loving the sinner, " Luskin says he doesn't approach forgiveness from a religious standpoint. "There's a deep human quality about it that, when practiced, makes people happier and healthier, " he says. "When you're actively harsh you're part of a human race that keeps harshness going and makes it harder for everyone to heal and move forward. ".

Thursday, September 22, 2011

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