Choosing a Pet Reptiles

Maintaining the reptiles no longer a strange thing, although in some societies are still considered taboo. If you want to adopt animals from species of reptiles, there are several things to consider, among others:

* Avoid Impulsive adoptions, do not adopt just because of lust immediately without considering the various matters relating to long-term commitment between you and the pet.
* Learn about the ins and outs first animal you want to adopt, this will make it easier for you and your pet.
* Prepare the first cage and all the necessities pet before you bring it home, so the pet will make it easier to adapt to her new place.
* Who will take care of an intensive
* The cost of feed and health
* Acceptance of your environment against animal reptile. As mentioned above, some people strongly condemn the animals reptiles like snakes. Check carefully whether your environment allows.

Pet reptiles are perfect for a live person within the scope of a residential apartment building or a small type, because:

* Not a lot of moves, so does not require the extensive
* Not a lot of noise sometimes even completely silent, so as not to disturb your neighbors.
* No need of "the streets" like a dog.
* Having a character as a cool and quiet

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."

Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park-For the first time in more than a year, mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Virunga National Park have been seen by park rangers, and are reported to be doing well.

Thanks to successful negotiations led by the park’s director, Emmanuel de Merode, the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) has been allowed to reenter and work in the southern part of the park.


“We were very worried about the mountain gorillas as we had not any contact with them for over a year, but ICCN rangers have already seen many of the mountain gorilla families and we are happy to report that most of them seem to be doing well,” said de Merode. “We are continuing our census of the gorillas and are reinstating our antipoaching operations.”

Last September rebels took control of several park sectors – including those with mountain gorillas – forcing park rangers and their families to evacuate the area. Since that time, the ICCN had not been able to monitor the gorillas. WWF has been providing equipment and logistical support to the ICCN, the government agency tasked with safeguarding the DRC’s protected areas.

While this is good news for the southern sector, the central and eastern areas remain very unstable. Because of the fighting over half of the ICCN’s staff and their families – more than 2,000 people – who work in Virunga National Park are now living in temporary sites.

Here, a WWF staffer supplies a Virunga park ranger with a fuel-efficient stove. These stoves ease the burden of survivors living in sites for internally displaced peoples because they reach higher temperatures and require less fuelwood. The rangers are close partners, and WWF is working with these colleagues to ease their family’s transition to temporary shelter.
© WWF

The armed conflict in the region has forced thousands of others to flee their homes, and there are now an estimated 145,000 displaced people living in six sites just outside of the national park. The people living in these sites are in desperate need of food, shelter and fuelwood.

WWF is partnering with the United Nations and other organizations to provide firewood from sustainable sources to alleviate pressure on Virunga National Park’s forests. Established in 1987, the WWF-supported Virunga Environmental Program (PEVi) in the DRC contributes to the long-term health of Virunga's ecosystem and surrounding community. Among other activities, the project promotes privately or community-owned plantations that encourage economic development and the creation of alternative wood sources outside of Virunga National Park. PEVi also develops community-based management for the sustainable use of natural forests outside of the park.

In coordination with the United Nations, WWF is purchasing wood from these community plantations to supply wood for cooking and shelter to people fleeing the war zone who have settled near Virunga National Park. WWF has also been distributing fuel-efficient cooking stoves, which use half the amount of wood as a normal stove.

“WWF is working with humanitarian organizations responding to the conflict to help them adopt environmentally-friendly practices. Virunga National Park and the surrounding landscape are important sources of food and income for local communities. ‘Green’ disaster response provides better service for survivors and preserves their natural resources,” says Dr. Richard Carroll, managing director of WWF’s Congo Basin program.

WWF’s work in the Congo Basin’s Virunga landscape builds on more than 20 years of supporting Virunga National Park and its surrounding communities. In that time, WWF has helped promote sustainable livelihoods, provided environmental education and increased protection of critically endangered species like the mountain gorilla.