Universities for Tigers Challenge

Universities for Tigers Challenge-Just in time for college football bowl season, the University of Missouri, Auburn University and Clemson University have squared off in another battle: to stop tiger farming and the illegal trade in tiger parts. The three major universities---all with famous tiger mascots---have joined forces with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and initiated a friendly competition to see which school and its alumni can raise the most money to aid real-world tigers around the globe.

The joint effort to stop tiger farming and the illegal trade in tiger parts is one of more than 100 individual conservation projects and programs in need of support and is featured in WWF's "Extraordinary Gifts Catalog." Launched in the fall of 2007, WWF's Extraordinary Gifts Catalog is a first-of-its-kind guide featuring unique opportunities - ranging from $1,000 to $3.5 million-- for individuals and organizations to support WWF's conservation efforts around the world.

Beginning December 13, 2007, and running through December 13, 2008; students, faculty and alumni from all three schools are encouraged to turn their legendary tiger pride into action by making donations in their schools' name to a special Web site created by WWF for the "Tigers for Tigers Challenge" at www.worldwildlife.org/tigersfortigers.

Visitors to the program site will be able to view the progressive donation amounts from supporters of each school to help gauge the level of school spirit demonstrated by each university community. As part of the program, participating universities will help raise awareness of the challenge to their extensive community of alumni, students, staff and faculty.

"The 'Tigers for Tigers Challenge' takes competition between these rivals to a new level. Students, alumni and fans of Missouri, Auburn and Clemson Universities can show their true stripes by helping to end tiger farming and the illegal trade in tiger parts," said John Donoghue, senior vice president of World Wildlife Fund. "No matter which school comes out on top, the ultimate winners will be the magnificent tigers living in the wild that these donations will help protect."

An Urgent Need
While this challenge is being launched as a good-hearted, friendly competition between rival schools, the threat facing the world's tiger population is deadly serious. In 1993, the world celebrated China's domestic ban on trading tiger bones, flesh and skins. But when the cheering stopped, a sickening new enterprise began: tiger farms-where over 4,000 tigers are currently being bred for their body parts.

Today, a few Chinese businessmen are pushing the government to repeal its domestic trade ban, to open up the market for farm-bred tiger parts. With a revitalized market will come an increase in poaching, threatening dwindling populations of wild tigers across Asia. Donations from this program will help set up an enforcement network in priority places such as the Eastern Himalayas and the Mekong to keep tigers in the wild and off the market.

"Reversing the domestic trade ban on tiger parts in China will mean the sure road to destruction of many isolated populations of tigers across Asia, and an even stronger pressure on the last 5,000 tigers in the wild," said Sybille Klenzendorf, director, species conservation, World Wildlife Fund. "This program helps to address a critical conservation need to protect these threatened species-- before it's too late."

WWF works around the globe preserving a diverse selection of natural areas. Of these areas, WWF has identified 19 specific places that are of highest priority and in greater need of immediate attention. These 19 spectacular places include the world's largest and most intact tropical rain forests, the most diverse freshwater systems, the most varied coral reefs, the most biologically significant deserts, and the most productive fishing grounds.

"It is clear that without our help, tigers will be lost from the wild. The University of Missouri, Clemson, and Auburn each have existing conservation programs to help save our mascot," said Dana Morris, coordinator, Mizzou Tigers for Tigers. "The 'Tigers for Tigers Challenge' is an exciting opportunity for us to unite our efforts and engage broad support to raise awareness and funds to protect them. We have all gained by having the tiger as our mascot, and now it is our turn to give something back to tigers."

Polar Bears

Polar Bears-An aerial survey by government scientists in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea this week found at least nine polar bears swimming in open water – with one at least 60 miles from shore – raising concern among wildlife experts about their survival. A World Wildlife Fund (WWF) polar bear expert said the bears could have difficulty making it safely to shore and risk drowning, particularly if a storm arises.

“To find so many polar bears at sea at one time is extremely worrisome because it could be an indication that as the sea ice on which they live and hunt continues to melt, many more bears may be out there facing similar risk,” said Geoff York, a polar bear biologist with WWF. “As climate change continues to dramatically disrupt the Arctic, polar bears and their cubs are being forced to swim longer distances to find food and habitat.”

Scientists say the Arctic is changing more rapidly and acutely than anywhere on the planet, noting that 2007 witnessed the lowest sea ice coverage in recorded history. Satellite images indicate that ice was absent in most of the region where the bears were found on August 16, 2008 and some experts predict this year’s sea ice loss could meet or exceed the record set last year

The discovery of the nine bears at sea came as the U.S. Minerals Management Service was conducting marine surveys in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas in advance of potential offshore oil development.

WWF polar bear experts on the ground in Alaska are assessing the situation and will provide updates to the media as more details unfold.

In May, the U.S. Department of Interior listed polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne cited the strong body of science pointing to the significant loss of Arctic sea ice habitat as the primary reason for protecting the bear with federal legislation. The State of Alaska has opposed the listing and has sued the federal government over its decision to list the bear.

Professor Richard Steiner of the University of Alaska’s Marine Advisory Program said, “While these bears are swimming around in an ice-free coastal Arctic Ocean, the only thing the State of Alaska is doing is suing the federal government trying to overturn the listing of polar bears. The bottom line here is that polar bears need sea ice, sea ice is decaying, and the bears are in very serious trouble. For any people who are still non-believers in global warming and the impacts it is having in the Arctic, this should answer their doubts once and for all.”

Source from WWf

Gorilla Population

Gorilla Population-The number of mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park has increased despite the war being waged in and around the area, according to the first count in 16 months.

The count showed that the number of gorillas in groups habituated to humans – considered most at risk in the conflict – had increased to 81, compared to a count of 72 in 2007.

Park rangers were kicked out of the Mikeno sector of Virunga National Park, where six groups of habituated mountain gorillas live, in September 2007 by forces loyal to the ex-rebel leader Laurent Nkunda.

Fifteen months passed without any rangers being able to monitor the mountain gorillas but in December 2008 Virunga National Park director, Emmanuel de Merode successfully negotiated with the CNDP rebel group to allow park rangers access the Mikeno sector and resume monitoring of the area.

ICCN, the government institution in charge of protected areas management in Virunga National Park has since been fully operational and ICCN rangers have just completed a census of the habituated mountain gorillas. To their surprise, they discovered that the populations of all of the groups have increased.

“This is a huge relief and a welcome surprise,” said Matthew Lewis, Program Officer for African Species at World Wildlife Fund (WWF). “Habituated mountain gorillas are at particular risk from humans because they aren’t afraid of them.”

While on a five day patrol during which they were looking for and counting mountain gorillas, two ICCN patrols removed more than 500 snares placed by poachers targeting small forest antelopes that can harm and maim gorillas.

“The humanitarian crisis in the region continues and our hearts go out to those residents caught in the middle,” Lewis said. “And despite this good news about the gorillas, we must remain vigilant as they are under constant threat.”

There is currently a cease fire between CNDP and the Congolese Army who have joined up with Rwandan forces to fight FDLR rebels; however, the rangers still have conflict and violence to contend with. On 8 January a ranger was killed during an attack by Maï Maï militia against an ICCN Patrol Post and another ranger was kidnapped.

“The true heroes in this story are the courageous ICCN rangers who worked tirelessly to gain access to the gorillas despite the ongoing violence,” said Dr. Richard Carroll, Director of WWF’s Congo Basin Program. “WWF will continue supporting ICCN and helping reduce the poaching, habitat encroachment and other threats to these magnificent creatures.”

ICCN has been able to keep its operations running during the conflict with financial and technical support from International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), a joint initiative of AWF (African Wildlife Foundation), FFI (Flora and Fauna International), and WWF and other conservation partners on the ground.

Source from WWF

Care Wildlife

Care Wildlife-A Condor children weighing 195.6 grams was born at the Wild Animal Park San Diego, the United States. The incident is evidence of success Presence Recovery Program Condor eggs incubate 100 rare animals outside their natural habitat. Thus disclosed Head Bird Care Wildlife Park San Diego, Tom Levites, recently.

Condor is a rare animal found only in the mountains of California, USA and the Andes of South America. Levites explained, Condor children currently in good health. However, officers are still doing routine maintenance because of the programs they run is very important. You see, about 20 years ago, bald eagles are almost extinct and the remaining 22 to 24 tail alone.

However, efforts Wildlife Park San Diego has developed the number of bird. Today, Condor 45 tail hawk has been in the wild in the area of California and Arizona, USA.

SOURCE:liputan6.com

Orang Utan

Orang Utan term taken from Indonesia and / or the Malay language, which means that the man (person) forest.

They have the body fat and large, big-necked, long arms and strong legs are short and bowed, and did not have any tails.

Orang Utan-sized 1-1,4 m for male, which is approximately 2 / 3 times the size of a gorilla.

Orang Utan body covered brownish red hair. They have a large head with a high position of the mouth.

Orang Utan male has a temple that fat. They have the same senses as humans, namely hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch.

The hands they have 4 fingers plus 1 long thumb. Foot they also have the order of finger-finger that is very similar to humans.

Deer Control

Deer Control-Many deer in the United States, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Caudate white deer or Virginia deer is usually found in most parts of the United States, and in the area of Alaska to Bolivia. Deer or mule deer caudate black only limited presence in the western United States.

Wapiti or red deer can be found in southern Canada, northern United States, Europe, and Asia. Meanwhile, giant deer are found in Europe and throughout the northern United States. Most of the deer live in open land and forests with diverse tree species, although deer also live in swamps, on mountains, or in the northern tundra. There, deer can eat leaves, branches, bark, and bud-bud bushes and young trees. Deer tend to live with the family group into the hind center, while the buck usually walk alone. However stag groups sometimes also, especially during the migration process. In the other groups, such as giant deer, and Chinese water deer, they are generally a pair of life. Caribou, deer of North America, if the forest is usually migrate between groups in the number of about a thousand head or more.

Ranch deer start to appear in the 1960s, and New Zealand is a country with a lot of deer farm, with about 3,500 farms with a total of 400 thousand deer tails.

Okapia johnstoni visible again in the Virunga National Park

Some of the okapi (Okapia johnstoni) looks back at the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The environmental activists from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) successful track record 17 rare animal tails that are similar to the giraffe.



Some of the okapi (Okapia johnstoni) looks back at the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The environmental activists from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) successful track record 17 rare animal tails that are similar to the giraffe.

"We may be tracking well, recording his impressions, his dirt, and signs that indicate where the animals are," said Peter Stepehenson from the WWF. Animals that live in the forests of Central Africa is last seen in 1959.

"However, we only found 17 different impressions okapi. This shows there are only a few chickens in there - we can not be sure how many there are. For us, the most important evidence that they have in there," said Stephenson.

War and hunting

Life in the wild forests of the Congo civil war because it threatened. Many wild species have decreased drastically because of excessive hunting.

Okapi habitat in the eastern Congo are in the areas of conflict that lasted for many years. The environmental activists in the Congo has been trying hard to maintain forests that are the living okapi.

Okapi recovery after a general election in the country of Africa has become a positive signal. This indicates that sustainable development to protect the forest and local communities terbayarkan already.

Okapi usually grow to as long as 2.5 meters and 2 meters high. Although the lines have a black and white on the legs, such as zebra, okapi closer relationship with its giraffe.

Previously, only animals are suspected of remaining in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the eastern Congo. Some tails okapi also kept in a zoo.

Eclyse, Zebra crossing with Horses

Mixed marriage between a kind of different animal species found more and more. Some of the new type of strange animals such as the liger or tigon contradiction between the tiger and lion. The mule, the horse and donkey tempering, or marriage with the duck goose. Meanwhile, there are also rare that such results with the contradiction between whales dolphins.

This Zoo Safari and Hollywoodpark Stukenbrock, Germany, the results show cross between a zebra with a horse captivating. Zebra-horse named 'Eclyse' was born in 2006 from the original parent zebra safari park with a stallion from Italy.

Eclyse have a good look at her body as the shoulder, chest and front legs feathered white, while the head and neck to the back streaked like zebra. Face itself is a mix between a zebra horse. Unique is not it?

Elephants can also stress

Officials preserve India invited a series of experts, to calm some of the elephants be due to stress. Elke Riesterer, who has worked six years in the Fraser Oakland (California), Wednesday ber mixed for several hours with the elephants at the colony edge River Yamuna. Rivers that zigzag across New Delhi, the capital of India.

Riesterer uses a combination of several techniques to estimate the ordinal level of stress that mammals. This pioneering work''that I do on the elephant. But I feel very confident, there will be a change,''he said.

''Elephant-elephant here is very tense, especially because the atmosphere in which they not be comfortable.''''He uses techniques of healing touch''to handle the elephants and between 15 minutes to one hour. He started with massage foot-paw, then the ear, and face and head. Executive Director of the Foundation Night Markets India Vivek stop Riesterer said the visit is just one step in dealing with all the conditions in India elephant cage. Most of the elephants that used to be working hard in the forest, or jazz up marriage parties.

King Cobra

Cobra snake has a latin name naja sputatrix. Snake is a snake species that has a type of poison neurotoksin and hemotoksin. When a victim of this type of snake it can inject / canine toxic poison through his blood into the vessel to its prey.

Type of result can be toxic when bitten hemotoksin cause pain is incredible, it will feel like a burn hot. Therefore it can be helpful as sinyalemen and help can be done immediately. Unlike the snakes, which only has a type of poison neurotoksin, the victim will not feel any pain at all, and often victims do not even feel bitten. Therefore, usually cobra snake bite victims can still help because most of the speed.

Snake cobra spreading very wide, ranging brush, fields, and rice field, and even into the home. Cobra snake species usually nest in the rat hole that is not used anymore, or after it in the rat by their prey. In the parent's nest and lay eggs cobra to guard hatch.

Food than normal mice in prey are frogs, fish, birds, chick, lizard, and others. Perfuse a cobra snake poison to immobilize it ago a type of poultry to inject its poison through his canine. But the poison in the spray is not as strong with the poison injected directly into the vein.

Cobra snake the neck and body erect when feel threatened and are ready to inject its poison. The target is always the victim's eyes. Can be affected by poison or the human eye will cause temporary blindness and can heal itself when washed with the water flow.

Cobra snake is also used by many medical experts from China for use as drugs. For blood and empedunya usually used as herb medicine in various diseases. Special to the usual meat used for the therapy of skin diseases that are difficult to be cured, such as eczema. Snake meat is usually presented in the form of a serpent abon it's very tasty and delicious.