Celebrating World Animal Day today

 

Dear Readers,

Today is World Animal Day.

Over the past century, a number of animal species have gone extinct or are on the verge of extinction. The reason in most cases is human activity that results in deforestation and other ways in which man disturbs the natural equilibrium of ecosystem.

We humans need to remember that we are also part of the ecosystem and not above it. We are all part of the same family that is Mother Nature and have a specific role to play to ensure that a healthy balance is maintained.

Let us take a pledge to remember our roots and treat our animal brethren with the respect and compassion that they richly deserve.

“All life deserves respect, dignity, and compassion. All life”

                                                                               - A.D. Williams.

Click here to read all my Nature related posts.

Image Source: Themetapicture.com

 

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Celebrating World Environment Day 2021

 

Dear Readers,

Close on the heels of Earth Day, today marks yet another effort to recognize the peril that the world is in. Every year, June 05 is recognized as World Environment Day.

Let us stop paying lip service and start taking small steps to protect our planet. Every individual has the power to make a difference. It is up to each one of us to choose to act responsibly.

Click here to read all my Nature related posts.

 

Image Source: Nature vector created by freepik - www.freepik.com

 

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Celebrating Earth Day 2021

  

Dear Readers,

Today is Earth Day. Even as humanity is going through a global pandemic, let us not forget about Mother Nature. Still our planet is getting polluted on a daily basis and we do need to be mindful. We have only one home and we cannot continue to ignore the peril that she faces.

Let us pledge ourselves to take care of Mother Earth and treat her with the respect and care that she deserves.

Click here to read all my Nature related posts.

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Celebrating World Elephant Day today

Elephants are gentle giants. There are 2 species of elephants surviving today: the African Elephant and the Asian Elephant.

Elephants are social beings and lead very emotional lives. Elephants live in herds, led by a matriarch. All the female elephants in the herd work together to care of their young.

Elephants, like most other species of animals, have been hunted down to near extinction. The reason is again, sheer human greed and arrogance: The tusks are used as status symbols in certain parts of the world.

Please visit The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to learn more about Elephant Conservation and how YOU can help save this magnificent species.

Elephants need our help now more than ever.

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Photos were taken at Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.

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Attenborough's Life Stories 

Happy Birthday, David Attenborough!

David Attenborough was born on this day in 1926.

He has been an extraordinary natural historian for over half a century and his name is synonymous with several pathbreaking documentaries.

From critically endangered Mountain Gorillas in the Virunga Mountains to Lemurs in Madagascar to the largest animal ever on the planet, Blue Whale, David has seen and studied them all. A living legend, in every sense of the word.

Wishing him many happy returns of the day and a long and healthy life ahead!

To learn more about David, please visit his website.

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Image Source: PBS Nature

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Happy Birthday, Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall was born on this day in 1934. She has been studying chimpanzees for nearly half a century. She is one of Leakey's Angels along with Dian Fossey (Mountain Gorillas) and Birute Galdikas (Orangutans).

Please visit her website, Jane Goodall Institute to learn more about her work.

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Image Sources: PBS Nature, Wikipedia

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Save the Mountain Gorillas – Part II

A Mother Gorilla with her baby

Please click here to read the first part of this blog series.

Mountain Gorillas face a variety of threats in their day-to-day lives. When two mountain gorilla groups cross paths, there is a chance for confrontations as Silverbacks try to acquire females from the other group. The same happens when an adult Silverback tries to overthrow the reigning Silverback to take over his group. But, in most of the instances, gorillas indulge in chest-beating and bluff charges, at which point, the confrontation is called off. Gorillas are very gentle by nature, quite contrary to movies like ‘King Kong’ and always try to avoid violent confrontation as much as possible.

Gorillas also face danger from leopards, which often prey on them.

But the Mountain Gorillas face their biggest danger from Man himself.

• Poaching – Gorillas often fall victim to traps, intended NOT for them but other animals like pigs. In addition, baby gorillas are sought by poachers for the illegal pet trade and this leads to the entire Gorilla family getting massacred. 
• Civil Wars – The Civil Wars have led to mines being placed in the forests, leading to heavy fatalities among the Mountain Gorillas
•  Loss of Habitat – Right next to the forests frequented by Gorillas, there are human settlements. As humans take up more and more land for cultivation and other purposes, this leads to habitat loss and gorillas end up raiding the crops for food, leading to retaliation and further gorilla deaths.
•  Close contact with human beings – Gorillas are highly susceptible to human diseases. This means that in addition to the poachers, gorillas are at a very high risk even from volunteers and conservationists, who are dedicated to protecting the lives of Gorillas.

Senkwekwe's family of Mountain Gorillas was massacred by poachers in 2007

To counter these challenges, many organizations and individuals are putting in their best efforts to save this magnificent species. Despite increased patrolling against the poachers and regularly removing the snares/traps, expanding the national park areas to prevent habitat loss and educating school children about the importance and need to save the Gorillas, the current situation looks very grim.

A Silverback Gorilla ponders his grim future

Today, only 786 Mountain Gorillas survive in the wild.

ACT NOW. For more on how YOU can help save Mountain Gorillas, please visit the following sites:

Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Inc

Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, Inc 

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog by clicking here. 

Image Sources: The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, igorilla.org

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Save the Mountain Gorillas - Part I

A Baby Mountain Gorilla

Mountain Gorillas have captivated humans all over the world. Gorillas share more than 95% of our DNA and are one of our closest relatives.

Today, only 786 Mountain Gorillas survive in the wild.

My aim in this series of blog posts is to make people aware of the dire situation of this critically endangered species.

Introduction 

• The scientific name of Mountain Gorilla is Gorilla beringei beringei, in honor of Captain von Beringe, who discovered the species in 1902.

Physical Characteristics

•  Mountain Gorillas have the thickest fur among all the gorillas, as part of their adaptation to the severe cold climates high up in the altitudes.
•  Gorillas are identified by their nose prints, similar to how each human being has a unique fingerprint.
• Adult Male Gorillas are called Silverbacks, as silver-colored hair develops on their back as they age.
• Silverbacks can weigh around 400 pounds and are twice the size of females.

A Silverback Gorilla

Family and Social Lives

• Gorillas live in big groups, led by the dominant Silverback.
• Silverbacks are very protective of their family and will make the ultimate sacrifice (if needed) to defend their group. They are supported by other silverbacks and blackbacks (sexually immature male gorillas) in defending the group.
• Gorillas are shy, gentle and highly intelligent. They live emotionally rich lives and form complex social bonds. Scientists have also discovered that Gorillas laugh when tickled.
• Male Gorillas usually leave their natal group on reaching sexual maturity, to form their own groups. They do this by acquiring females from their other groups.
• Female Gorillas leave their natal group once they reach sexual maturity to avoid inbreeding.
• The gestation period for a female gorilla is approximately 9 months, very similar to humans.
• Mother Gorillas take care of their newborns for up to 5 years.
• Baby Gorillas are extremely playful and curious, similar to human babies.
• Silverbacks form very close bonds with the young members of their group and spend lot of time with them.
• Grooming is an important part in the lives of Gorillas and helps form close relationships.
• Gorillas sleep in nests built on trees.

Gorillas are social animals

Food

• Led by the dominant Silverback, Gorillas spend a considerable time foraging for food.
• Gorillas mainly feed on plant leaves, shoots and stems.
• They get most of their water from their food itself.

Please click here to read the next blog post, where I discuss the challenges and the threats they face today.

Mountain Gorillas need our active support. For more on how YOU can help save Mountain Gorillas, please visit the following sites:

Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Inc

Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, Inc

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Image Sources: The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Virunga National Park

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The Edge of Eden: Living with the Grizzlies

The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

Grizzly Bears at The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, Montana

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have visited The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, situated at West Yellowstone, Montana. 

This is a paradise for all Grizzly lovers. As I entered the Center, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that 2 huge forms were lounging around in the hot sun. The size and magnificence of these creatures was truly jaw-dropping. To see a pair of immensely powerful creatures indulge in casual play is truly a sight to behold! I discovered these bears to be Sam and Illie, the twin brother-sister pair. Sam, weighing more than 1000 pounds and Illie, at 800 pounds, are truly giants in every sense of the word. 

In addition to Sam and illie, there were couple more set of bears that frequented the display enclosures. While I do not remember the names of the other bears, I do remember their playfulness and the amazing intelligence that makes these bears so curious about their surroundings. I remember the bears using their well-documented sense of smell to explore and analyze the world around them. 

It is a testament to the charisma of the Grizzly bear that I was so overwhelmed with awe at the sight of these magnificent creatures that I do not remember most of what I saw about their neighbors at the center: The wolves. 

My visit to The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center remains one of the cornerstones of my life-long fascination with Nature, as I discovered for the first time in person one of the most magnificent animals on Earth: Grizzly Bear. 

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Charlie Russell, The Bear Man of Kamchatka

Charlie Russell is a Canadian naturalist, who has had a lifelong fascination with Grizzly Bears. His father, Andy Russell was himself a renowned conservationist and author of many books, including Grizzly Country.

Charlie believes that man can peacefully co-exist with Grizzly Bears. In addition to using an electric fence around his house in the wilderness, Charlie uses just pepper spray to prevent any untoward encounter with the bears. To quote Charlie: “...they are not unpredictable..they are predictable..it's just that we just do not know how to predict them...”.

The documentary is shot in South Kamchatka Sanctuary, one of Russia's protected habitats and a true spectacle to behold. Misty mountains surround beautiful lakes and Charlie has set up his study center right in the middle of this beautiful oasis.

Charlie's study center

After the end of Cold War in Russia, hunters and poachers killed bears indiscriminately, resulting in lot of orphaned cubs. Charlie decided to launch a pioneering project to recover orphaned cubs in the wild.

The documentary focuses on the two five month old male cubs adopted by Charlie. His typical day starts with preparing their breakfast (mixture of sunflower seeds and sugar). This is followed by Charlie taking the cubs out to explore and indulge in some fun time. Charlie is an expert fisherman and teaches them the crucial skill of fishing that they need to master in order to be successful in the wild.

Charlie and his adopted cub sport fishing

Charlie’s love for these bears is evident in the way he patiently guides them to catch fish and protects them from dangers such as aggressive adult bears. Adult bears are a particular danger to the cubs and Charlie needs to be on his toes all the time to come to their rescue. This can be quite tough for Charlie, considering his advanced age.

What differentiates Charlie’s work with the bears from a Timothy Treadwell is the amount of respect and understanding, Charlie has for these giants. Charlie cares for his cubs, as a surrogate mother would for her offspring. He never takes the bears for granted and treats them with the necessary care, always having pepper spray handy, should things go out of hand. The documentary even contains an example of Charlie using the pepper spray to save his adopted cubs from an aggressive adult male bear.

Charlie Russell with one of his adopted cubs

Charlie's efforts have helped turned the South Kamchatka Sanctuary into a World Heritage Site. I am currently reading Charlie’s book Grizzly Heart. The book documents the efforts of Charlie in setting up his study center. I will post a separate entry to review the book.

Here’s wishing many more years of healthy life to Charlie Russell, as he continues his exemplary work with one of my most favorite animals on the planet: Grizzly Bear.

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Image Source: ARD

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