Conservation 101- The Legacy of Steve Irwin

Posted on Sep. 4, 2008 at 3:59 PM in Conservation 101

 Today, of all days, is a grim reminder that the world is without the greatest Wildlife Warrior ever. Sept. 4th, 2006, Steve Irwin was tragically killed when a sting ray barb pierced his heart. My heart wishese he was still alive saving wildlife. I want to see NEW Episodes of Croc Hunter, with his determination and enthusiasm to save wildlife. My ehart aches for his family who I know miss him more than I do. He is my hero, my idol. I want to do everything he did. I want to save wildlife. I want to stand up for whats right. I want to be something in the world of animals.

But I know I cannot possibly be him and do everything he did for wildlife. But I want to hope. I want to know that my dream is not out of reach. You all must think I am silly, but how would you feel if your idol died suddenly? You would be crushed to, and you would grieve for years later. Nobody understands how important I saw him as. There are a few people I know who have lost a loved one, and to me I loved Steve and everything about him, I saw him as a distant uncle. I would watch his show regularly and would always cheer along whenever he caught a snake or a croc. I do not know if he was saved or not, or if he is in heaven or hell. I don't want to think about it. I just hope at some point in his life he was presented with the gospel and maybe I will get to finally meet him in heaven. I can hope can't I? You can never loose hope, not one inch lost.

His legacy of being a wildlife warrior will continue forever.  His Australia Zoo in beerwah, Australia, will forever be an attraction throughout the world. I AM going there someday. His love of crocodiles told the world that they are not mean,ugly creature's but they are magnificient and poweful.  He also was able to purchase Australian land that is now a habitat for crocodiles and everything else to survive in, however that land in under threat of strip mining. I signed  a petition the other day to help save the land in honour of Steve. Go here to help Save Steve's Place.

I didn't know what I was going to do for today's post, so I guess rambling on was good enough. I have this song on my IPod, it's called 'Goodbye Crocodile Hunter' and whenever i need a good dose of crying I listen to this song over and over and over again. I also have a VCR tape (yes they still exsist) full of Crocodile Hunter episodes and I watch that along with listening to the music. Sometimes I think he is still alive and is in the outback of Austalia, hiding from the world, but thats just my imagination. Here are the lyrics to 'Goodbye Crocodile Hunter'

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Conservation 101

Posted on Jul. 1, 2008 at 12:47 AM in Conservation 101

July '08

Conservation 101 is brought to your from the minds of Julia (Cherryblossoms) and Toria (CrocToria)

Conservation 101 for July 2008 is July '08 Organic Living post. 

Please go to the Organic Living post.

-Julia

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Conservation 101

Posted on Apr. 3, 2008 at 3:53 PM in Conservation 101

(Again, it is late. My apology's. I will answer your comments ASAP)

1. Be aware. Without phone calls from the concerned citizens who report cruelty in their neighborhoods, we wouldn't know about most instances of animal abuse. It all comes from the public, it all starts with YOU—that's why it's so important to keep your eyes and ears open. Get to know and look out for the animals in your neighborhood. By being aware, you're more likely to notice, for example, that the dog next door who was once hefty has lost weight rapidly—a possible indicator of abuse.

2. Learn to recognize animal cruelty. Here are some signs and symptoms that we see in many of the cases we investigate:

• Tick or flea infestations. Such a condition, if left untreated by a veterinarian, can lead to an animal's death.
• Wounds on the body.
• Patches of missing hair.
• Extremely thin, starving animals.
• Limping.
• An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal.
• Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food and water, often chained up in a yard.
• Dogs who have been hit by cars-or are showing any of the signs listed above-and have not been taken to a veterinarian.
• Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions.
• Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners.

3. Know who to call to report animal cruelty. We're lucky here at the ASPCA in New York City, because we have Humane Law Enforcement officers who have the power to investigate and arrest perpetrators of animal cruelty in the state of New York. But every state and even every town is different. In some areas, you may have to rely on the police department to investigate animal cruelty; in others, you may have to contact local animal control or another municipal agency. If you aren't sure where to report cruelty visit our Report Animal Cruelty section.

4. Provide as much as information as possible when reporting animal cruelty. The details that you provide can go a long way toward assisting the investigating officer. It helps to write down the type of cruelty that you witnessed, who was involved, the date of the incident and where it took place.

5. Call or write your local law enforcement department and let them know that investigating animal cruelty should be a priority. Animal cruelty is a CRIME—and the police MUST investigate these crimes.

6. Know your state's animal cruelty laws. These vary from state to state, and even from city to city. You can visit the ASPCA's online database of more than 550 animal cruelty laws—and their penalties—in all 50 states.

7. Fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws on federal, state and local levels by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade. It's frustrating when I have built a strong case against someone who has been arrested for cruelty to animals and the judge treats it like a simple violation. But with stronger laws, they'll be more likely to receive tougher penalties. As an ASPCA Advocacy Brigade member, you'll receive emails asking you to write letters encouraging your legislators to pass these laws-and you can send them directly from our website.

8. Set a good example for others. If you have pets, be sure to always show them the love and good care that they deserve. But it's more than just food, water, and adequate shelter. If you think your animal is sick, bring him to the veterinarian. Be responsible and have your animals spayed or neutered. And I always give my own pets lots of hugs when I get home!

9. Talk to your kids about how to treat animals with kindness and respect. I regularly see children in homes where animal abuse has been reported. If a parent isn't treating the family's pets right, I tell kids that their dog or cat would really appreciate fresh water every day, or if they spent some time playing with them. If the animal has been left outside without shelter, I'll say, 'You have a nice house, and if you get cold, you can put a coat on. But your dog can't do that. Don't you think he'd like a nice warm place to go, too?' I know of families who watch Animal Precinct together, and I think this can help children understand that animals are living creatures who have the ability to feel pain, joy and sadness. You can see these emotions on the faces of the animals on the show.

10. Support your local shelter or animal rescue organization. Before I even knew that police for animals existed, I was volunteering at an animal shelter. It's a great way to make a difference. Some of our ASPCA volunteers foster animals who have been abused in their former homes, giving these dogs and cats the chance they deserve to have a good life. You can find a list of shelters and rescue groups in your area in our National Shelter Directory.

Like I said this list is from the ASPCA, so it has many "I used to" , "our volunteers", etc...

There have only been a few occasions where I have seen an animal that was POSSIBLY abused. If I remember correctly one of my family members called the local animal shelter to report it. I do not know what happened beyond that, I was young. But I am always trying to snatch up stray cats to make sure they are okay and help them find a home. Although I have never had to "snatch" up a stray cat I want too :)

Anyways, those are a few things you can do to help during the month of April.  With your parents permission you can click on the "stop the abuse" Icon on my siderbar. I will be adding more to my sidebar and so forth.

-Julia

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Conservation 101

Posted on Mar. 4, 2008 at 3:38 PM in Conservation 101

Conservation 101 is brought to from the minds of Julia (Cherryblossoms) and Croctoria



Coming up on March 21st is Arizona's state Arbor day, unfortunately Bullhead City is not on the 'Tree Cities' list, which is disappointing, but there are other 16 certified "tree Cities". Lake Havasu city being one of them. Total population that participates in Arizona State Arbor day is roughly 2.7 million, with the Pheonix leading with 1.4 million people. Hopefully someday I can make Bullhead City beomce a certified tree city. I'll add that to my 'Conservation to do list' :)

So for AZ's arbor day I shall try to plant trees in my backyard. We have two trees still in their pots on the side of our house. One is a lemon tree, the other a orange tree. They have never given us fruit, possibly because they aren't properly planted in the ground :D I also have other plants planted that I will do a whole post about lol!

Tree's are very important. I just did a brief paper on Urban city pollution and how tree's help eliminate Carbon offsets in urban cities. I will not be posting that paper because it is way to long :) Here is some information about tree's and how they help the Environment:

**Help to settle out, trap and hold particle pollutants (dust, ash, pollen and smoke) that can damage human lungs. 
**Absorb CO₂ and other dangerous gasses and, in turn, replenish the atmosphere with oxygen. 
**Produce enough oxygen on each acre for 18 people every day. 
**Absorb enough CO₂ on each acre, over a year's time, to equal the amount you produce when you drive your car 26,000 miles. 
**Trees remove gaseous pollutants by absorbing them through the pores in the leaf surface. Particulates are trapped and filtered by leaves, stems and twigs, and washed to the ground by rainfall.

Most of us just know the basics of where air pollutants come from. Car's. But there is a whole bunch of different air pollutants in the air and from very different sources.. here are some examples:

***Carbon dioxide: Burning oil, coal, natural gas for energy. Decay and burning of tropical forests.
***Sulfur dioxide: Burning coal to generate electricity.
***Hydrogen floride and silicon tetrafloride: Aluminum and phospate fertilizer production, oil refineries, and steel manufacturing.
***Ozone: Chemical reactions of sunlight on automobile exhaust gases. Ozone is a major pollutant in smog.
***Methane: Burning fossil fuels, livestock waste, landfills and rice production.
***Nitros oxides: Burning fossil fuels and automobile exhausts.
***Chloroflorocarbons: Air conditioners, refrigerators, industrial foam.

IF everyone could see the icky particles in the air many of us would probably try to rid ourself of breathing the ickiness. I know I get irritated when I am trying to breather and all the air I am getting is nasty car exhaust or the other unknowns.

Tree's contribute alot to helping reduce "Carbon offsets" in the air, like stated above. Not only are tree's helpful to the environment but come on be realistic! They are beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They give us shade in the summer and it's been proven that planting three trees around you home can cool it down and cut your air conditioning bill by 10 to 50 percent. Here is some more information:

***Trees are critical to providing and protecting water. Forests cover nearly one-third of the
nation’s land and supply over 50 percent of freshwater flow in the lower 48 States.
Forests protect water quality by slowing runoff, stabilizing soils, preventing erosion and
floods, and filtering pollutants. It is estimated that some 180 million people depend on
forests for their drinking water.

Are you interested in planting tree's now??? The simplest thing you can do to help the environment, as shown above, is plant trees. I talked to my step dad last night and we both agreed to plant trees to outline our property. Mostly because they are helpful to the envrionment and we would like to shade our house and such. So we are both looking into tree's to plant around our property. But most of all we love tree's and they do help the environment. I hope I can plant our Lemon and Orange tree on March 21st.

-Julia

 Information from TreeHugger and Urban Forests

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Conservation 101

Posted on Feb. 5, 2008 at 2:06 PM in Conservation 101

Conservation 101 is brought to you from the minds of Julia (Cherryblossom) and Croc Toria

                                Ever seen this item around this seagulls neck? If you don't recognize what it is, it's a plastic soda holder  that keep the six packs together. This seagull was probably diving down to the ocean to retrieve fish when this almost invisible plastic holder slid over his head and neck. But the problem is, it stayed there. For days. Maybe months. But only a few. Over time this plastic holder would snag on items, or even get tighter, making it harder and harder for this bird to eat. But who cares? It's just a bird, there's plenty of them around the world. But what if it wasn't "just a bird"? What if it was a Seal? How bout a cat? Or a dog? Would you care then?

   These dangers to wildlife can be avoided by doing the simplest of things. Cutting them up. My mom used to teach me to cut the soda ring holds up because of this. She taught me from a young age. I didn't care at first but the more I thought about it the more I did it. I would feel horrible if I forgot to cut one up and that particular one cause a cat or a dog or a bird to die because of starvation. Wouldn't you? I have done the most simplest of things to teach you that are reading this how to avoid dangers like this. Please follow along.

Step A:
Get plastic holder and scissors
(BTW, this is a three ring holder that held our ketchup we bought from Sam's Club)

Step B:
Cut up all visible "circles" to avoid an animal sticking it's beak through the hole and getting it caught around it's beak/ neck/ body

I believe that is pretty elementary for everyone. What else can you do to help avoid these dangers to wildlife?? Well besides the obvious of recycling we can do several things.

#1- Don't litter

Simple as that may seem if everyone didn't litter then the world would be a whole lot cleaner. Think about it. Would you like someone to come along and throw a dirty diaper on your bed? Well that's the way it is for wildlife. Yes, there are designated places where trash can be disposed of and wildlife doesn't live there. But everytime someone throws a gum wrapper, or a empty Carls Jr cup out the car window that get's deposited into the wild, one way or another. Just think, the wild is the animals pillow.

#2- Pick up trash left in the streets or on the sidewalk

It annoys me to no end when someone throws trash towards a trash can but it doesn't enter the can. Instead it falls several inches to the left or right. Yet that person just walks away even when they do see that there free shot didn't make it into the basket. That just shows me how lazy people are. Like I said that annoys me to no end. But by picking up the trash you ARE helping wildlife and the environment.

#3- Don't feed the wildlife

I know one to many people who place their left over meat outside for the coyotes or wolves or any animal around their area. I would LOVE to put out food for bunny's so I can watch them as they come to feed but giving animals the un natural diet of moldy bread or even store bought lettuce is bad for them. Their natural is the best way to lead to their survival. Now I understand Coyotes around here will actually tip over garbage cans to get at old meat. That is understandable, but purposely putting out food for them could bring several dangers. They loose their fear of humans and eventually will depend on the humans for food, which eventually could lead to them attacking a younger human looking for food. Or if you have a household cat and animals come to feed in your backyard, it won't be to long before they start to go after your cat.

With these simple steps to ensuring the safety of wildlife you to can become a Wildlife Warrior!

-Julia

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