Life and premature death for seals

The 15th November 2008 saw the start of Canada's seal hunting season. In recent years this official sanction which sounds as though it's there so that the Inuit and other indigenous peoples can hunt for their own food has allowed the mass slaughter of seal pups for commercial reasons. The killings are brutal and surely can't be justified as a cull. The slaughterings have been captured for public viewing by Humane Society International (HSI).


On the same day, protestors from HSI demonstrated against the cull outside the Canadian Embassy in Washington. World-famous fashion photographer Nigel Barker was there to speak out against the trade in seal fur. Read more about HSI's protest and its ongoing campaign at http://www.hsicanada.ca/seals/seals-news/2009_hunt_season_begins.html

Far from the screams of seals pups that will echo across the Canadian Arctic next spring, thousands of Atlantic Grey seals come in to breed in south-west Wales. The main pupping season begins in late August, and the seals, who are allowed to breed here in relative peace, have scores of rocky coves and tiny beaches to choose from. They have started to produce their young a month or so earlier than they did a decade ago, and on some of the outlying islands seal births have been recorded much earlier still, between January and April. The 'haul out' is one of our main tourist attractions.

Fearing some dire cause connected with global warming, I wonder why this is, since the grey seals that live close to Britain's North Sea coast on the east side of the country seem to start producing their pups from late September. Like the dolphins, puffins and shearwaters and many other forms of marine life the seals bring masses of visitors to this area but my favourite occupation is looking for seals on a summer's evening. Just walking along the coastal path is enough to banish most cares and spotting seals is a bonus.

As the visitors flock to our coastal paths for a slice of paradise, it is more than ironic to know that a few thousand miles away, far from the world's gaze, men can get away with murdering young animals without a thought for their suffering and for reasons of pure financial gain. In fact it makes me feel quite sick.


Inspired by their versatile shapes (they can be chunky and sylph-like, as slow as slugs and as dashing as dervishes), I make stone carvings and resin casts of seals. Some of them are modelled on pups rescued by the seal hospital in Milford Haven, others by sketches and photographs but the best of my figures come from visions of their lumbering gracefulness and sensual agility.

How To Care For Your Pet Fox

For most people foxes are wild animals that are best left alone in their natural habitants. However there are some people who have discovered the joys of keeping a fox as a pet. It may surprising to some, but caring for a fox as an exotic pet may not be as difficult as it seems.

Knowing Foxes

Foxes can be like dogs. They require attention and a lot of socialization. They are quite energetic, active, and curious. These intelligent creatures are also cunning, and flexible. They can easily escape, and thus it is important to see that they are secure wherever they maybe to avoid losing them.

Foxes have characteristic odors caused by oil and sweat glands. To prevent them from smelling, it is important to keep them cool and well ventilated so that they won't secret oils excessively. Occasional bathing may also be advisable but too much bathing can cause dryness that exacerbates the secretion of odor-causing oils.

Making a Home for a Fox

Foxes can be very much treated like dogs; however they should be put in secure cages when they are not being watched since they can easily escape. A dog crate is sufficient to secure them indoors, escape-proof pens may be used outdoors. When walking foxes, it is important to leash them securely enough so they can't escape.

Feeding a Fox

Foxes are omnivorous animals, they can eat almost anything. Thus it is important for them to have a balanced diet. There are commercial dry foods available on the market, specifically made for wild animals. These make great bases for their diet. Foxes may also be fed with premium cat or dog food. To make the fox's diet varied, fruits, vegetables, eggs, mice, mealworms, and crickets may be added.

Potty Training

Many fox species can be trained to use the litter box. It is advisable to use a covered box because foxes dig in the wild when they excrete. Potty training is pretty much like the same with dogs. Give rewards and praise for each time they use the litter box, but punishments should be avoided when they defecate elsewhere. When the fox is on the verge of defecating or urinating, it should simply be moved to the litter box.

Caring for the Foxes' Health

It is important to bring the fox to the vet regularly. Their health care is pretty much similar to dogs, and thus can be quite easy to manage. Having an fox as an exotic pet can be rewarding. These little critters may prove to be a great companion and perhaps a best friend as well.



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About the Author: Read about lizard habitat and pet lizards at the Lizard Care website.

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Some Facts Regarding Cheetahs

Following are some interesting facts regarding Cheetahs.

1. Cheetahs are the fastest of all land mammals.

2. Cheetahs are in fact capable of generating great bursts of speed, reaching from zero to hundred kilometers per hour in under three seconds.

3. Often considered as the smallest of the big cats, Cheetahs are distinct since they can only purr and not roar like the other great cats.

4. Another unique feature of the Cheetah is presence of semi-retractable claws that enable them to maintain their grip on earth in high speed pursuits.

5. Cheetahs also have distinguishing markings on their cheeks, resembling 'tears', that reflect sunlight and enable the cat to see clearly for long distances during a chase.

6.Essentially built for the kill, Cheetahs have long streamlined bodies and a rudder like tail, that assist the cat in its movement and balance during quick turns in a chase.

7. Yet other adaptations exist that have enabled the Cheetah to evolve into great hunters. These include big heart, lungs and adrenals and wide nostrils - all assisting the felid in making cardiorespiratory adjustments for their stressful charge.

8. Owing to the significant effort that Cheetahs put in their hunting approach, they tire easily. Their body temperature reaches very high levels following their sprint and thus they must rest afterwards. It is at this point in time that they are most vulnerable and often lose their hard-earned kills to other opportunistic predators.

9. Due to competition, Cheetahs hunt during day instead of night and eat quickly after taking down the prey.

10. Cheetahs normally prey upon gazelles, springboks and impalas, employing the throat bite to crush the victim's windpipe. With a success rate of nearly fifty percent, Cheetahs are amongst the most industrious of all hunting felines.

11. Cheetahs have a defined social structure, with females leading a solitary life after rearing of the cubs and males often bonding and hunting in groups to lead a territorial existence.

12. Even though Cheetahs have a large litter size, lack of genetic variability and conflicts with larger predators including lions, leopards and hyenas mean that only a fraction of Cheetah cubs reach adulthood.

13. Unique from leopards and jaguars due to the presence of spots instead of rosettes, and a lighter body, Cheetahs are placed into a separate genus for taxonomic purposes, Acinonyx Jubatus.

About the author:
The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on cheetah facts. Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com/author/11353

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What''s Faster Than a Speeding Cheetah? If you want to win races, never race a cheetah--no animal on earth can run faster! A peregrine falcon can swoop faster than a cheetah can run, but that can''t even compare to an airplane, a rocket, ...

What do you call a deer with no eyes? No idea!

When you sit behind the wheel of your off-roader, there's so much metal around you. It's easy to think nothing can ever go wrong. Who needs auto insurance? But then you meet someone like Jack and suddenly you aren't as sure anymore. Jack was driving down from Eureka to Frisco.

"It was early in the day so we decided to take off into the Lost Coast trails." He smiled and talked for a while about his family's love for nature. "We stopped a couple of times and mooched around. When the kids got hungry, we ate the food we'd bought along. It was all cool until I came round a redwood and hit a deer head on. We just sat there, stunned with airbags pinning us to our seats, a dead deer hanging off the hood and wreckage everywhere." He seemed calm talking about it now. Back then, it was different. "We climbed out of the car and tried calling for roadside assistance, but there was no signal. We were stranded in a wilderness, miles from anywhere.

Guess that was the most frightening thing — being alone. We put up a warning round the tree so no one would plow into the wreck, then set off walking. It was about an hour before another vehicle showed up. They were local and knew a farm with a landline. Folks were really kind that day. Perhaps it was the kids who were all shook up. They got everyone on our side."The police came fairly quickly. A wreck on those unpaved roads is a real hazard. The tow truck had further to come. By then, Jack had contacted the auto insurance company so everything was on track for the rescue. He had a rental car policy but no local garage had cars to rent. So the family piled into a truck owned by a neighbor who took them down to Westport where they got a new set of wheels. "It took a few days for the wreck to be shipped down to the body shop in Frisco. Not a surprise given where we'd abandoned it. The insurance agent was great help and got the claims department going. I guess we got to hear all the deer jokes but it was all sorted out in the end. Next time though, we'll stay on the 101."

About the author:
David Mayer is a professional contributor to sites like http://www.allstatescarinsurance.com/ and covers a wide range of topics, specifically car insurance. To learn more, visit http://www.allstatescarinsurance.com/what-do-you-call-a-deer-with-no-eyes-no-idea.html today. Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com/

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China's Giant Panda

You are probably already aware that one of China's national treasures are their beautiful but endangered Panda Bears. These beautiful bears can be found at the zoos in Shanghai and Beijing, and at places like the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base in Chengdu, or at the Wolong Nature Reserve in the Sichuan Province. In the United States, pandas can be seen at the National Zoo and the San Diego Zoo. Visitors can view the bears eating, sleeping and playing.

Giant Pandas are large, like most bears, but they typically have thick black and white fur with a short tail. The areas around a giant pandas eyes, ears, legs and shoulders and are black, while rest of their body is covered in white fur. The bears have very good eyesight. They also have strong jaws and teeth so that they can chew tough foods like bamboo shoots. Giant pandas have a special bones in their hand that works like an opposable thumb to aid in holding their food.

The pandas are native to only about six small locations in China. They live in the high mountainous areas near the center and southwest of China, among forests full of bamboo.

The weather is mostly cloudy, rainy and misty throughout the year. The famous Chengdu Breeding Giant Panda Research is found on the mountain of Fu Tou. Giant pandas are considered carnivores, but the bears diet in the wild consists of almost all bamboo. It is by far the favorite food of a giant panda. However, bamboo is very low in nutrition, meaning a giant pand will need to eat for 10 to 14 hours a day.
The bears are very shy and prefer to live alone. The females and males only see eachother about twice a year, in the late spring or early summer seasons to breed. A few months later, the female bear will usually give birth to just one or maybe two cubs in a den she has dug in the ground. Usually, only one of the bear cubswill live to maturity. They are very small and helpless when they are born, and cannot see. The newborn pandas are pink with almost no fur on their bodies. The mother panda nurses her nurse for about six months. At about one year old, the panda cubs will be able to live on their own. On average, a giant pandas can live to be between 17 and 20 years in the wild.
Just a little over a hundred years ago there wer thousands of giant pandas in China, but their population has steadily declined because of the destruction of the forests to make way for new homes and businesses. Thankfully, pandas are protected by law and cannot be hunted. They can also live at safe places such as the the Wolong Nature Reserve.

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Say Goodbye to Moles and Voles

Say Goodbye to Moles and Voles Forever!

Getting rid of moles and voles can be a difficult task! However by
following a few simple steps it can be done.

If you are looking for a quick removal of the pesky
vagrants use the Yardiac.com Whole
control. This concentrate is sprayed directly into the areas where
armadillos, moles, voles, gophers, and other burrowing animals are digging.



It is not a poison and will not hurt any animals. Whole Control will leave a
residual in the ground which tastes awful. As invaders dig, they will come
in contact with the bad tasting soil and quickly decide the bad taste is too
strong and prompt them to find food elsewhere.

For a more permanent control we recommend using
the Yardiac.com Mole
and Vole Eradication Program. It requires using all three of
the following products in combination.

1) Whole Control Spray -- Effective immediately

2) Vole Block -- Provides a long term underground barrier

3) Milky Spore--Gets rid of the grubs that moles love to eat for up to 15 years!

To learn more or to purchase the Yardiac.com
Mole & Vole Control program click here