Apollo astronauts take photos of Earth from space.
Click on the word Vimeo to watch it in full screen.
Did you know that in 1966, British economist and writer, Barbara Mary Ward coined the term “Spaceship Earth?” Read about that here.
If you read this book, it will quite likely not leave you un-changed. I have a beautiful slip-cased copy of the book, illustrated by Tomislav Torianic. It is signed by both the author and the illustrator and is copy number 1173 of a limited run of 3,000 such books. Published in 2007, it consists of 449 pages.
Here is my very own personal review of the novel written by Yann Martel, “The Life of Pi.” Please do not read, unless you really do want to know what I thought about the book upon reading it.
If you are squeamish and want to avoid gory details and even another gruesome twist right at the end of the story, which wasn’t in the movie, then DO NOT read the book.
First, let me say that I eagerly rushed out to watch the movie, directed by Ang Lee, and while I can’t say I really enjoyed watching the movie, because as anyone who knows something about the movie (and the book) it was about survival at sea; I found the movie evocative and amazing. Now, onto the book. I really wanted to read it to see if there was an elaboration of Pi or the author’s connection to God in the book.
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Baloo the bear, Leo the Lion and Shere Khan the tiger have the most unusual and unlikely friendship between them. They were rescued 12 years ago, via police drugs raid in Atlanta, Georgia when they were a few months old only. They had been kept as “pets” and status symbols by drug dealers.
Diane Smith, Assistant Director of the Noah’s Ark animal rescue centre in Locust Grove, reported that they decided to keep the 3 youngsters together.
Surprisingly for three apex predators with the power to kill with a single bite or swipe of their paw, they are very relaxed around each other.
Please go to the link below for more information.
The Telegraph – Tiger, lion and bear form unusual friendships
Estimates made in 2005 put the Bornean population at between 45,000 and 69,000, and the Sumatran population at about 7,300.75 Since 1900, 91 per cent of the Sumatran orang-utans have died, most of these in the past decade. The remaining population lives in fragmented forest areas totalling about 10,000 square miles, much of which is marked for future palm oil development. At the current rates of decline, both species are likely to be extinct in the wild within ten years.
Please go to the website of the WWF Australia (World Wildlife Fund) now, to download a copy of a comprehensive report about palm oil plantations and the socio-economic and environmental impacts at this page here.
The Report was commissioned by the WWF and The Australian Food & Grocery Council and written by an independent researcher, Net Balance Foundation, using an investigation from 2010.
Help yourself by supporting the biodiversity on Earth, and get informed about the important facts, rather than “stick your head in the sand” and ignore this important issue, or leave it to others to follow up. Also, please read the posts on this blog about Orang-utans and Elephants, and read the Action Alert page.
http://www.wwf.org.au/news_resources/resource_library/?6761/palm-oil-in-australia
The U.S. Navy is prepared to kill more than 1,000 whales and other marine mammals during the next five years of testing and training with dangerous sonar and explosives. Tell Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to direct the Navy to adopt common-sense safeguards right away that will protect marine mammals during routine training without sacrificing our national security!
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This is the 100th post on “Fascinating Animals”, since I started this site in March 2012 (due to my appreciation of and love for animals). Thank you to the loyal supporters of Fascinating Animals.
Playamart – Zeebra Designs ( Z )
Johno – Freshwater Fish Fanatics
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a new column by Shandy cat
Dad uses a thing called a Furminator on me now and then. I like it but only in small doses. The FURminator is a deShedding tool or grooming tool that reduces shedding and removes excess hair from cats and dogs. Apparently the FURminator deShedding tool was developed by professional groomer Angie Porter. It has an ergonomic handle and a patented stainless steel blade.
Read more…
This intelligent Bottlenose Dolphin, unfortunately wrapped up in broken fishing line, sees a Diver and seeks help from the human being. Despite the captions on the original video, all of the line and the hook were removed, as Fox News shows at the link below.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
Hover your mouse and click on the little “icon” in the bottom right corner of the video above to go to Full Screen size. When will Homo sapiens learn that the world is for non human beings as well as for them? Yes, some will say this is an example of unavoidable “collateral damage” if we want fresh fish on our dinner plates, BUT I think there is too much “collateral damage”. Luckily for this Dolphin, she/he was smart and brave enough to go to the lead Diver (Diving Instructor) for help.
I like how the Fox News presenter says “Don’t ever under-estimate the animals, it’s the humans we sometimes have to worry about.”
At 100 feet long, the blue whale is believed to be the largest animal to have ever lived on our planet.
So it’s absolutely horrifying that these gentle giants are being struck and killed by commercial ships off the coast of California – especially because there is a simple life-saving solution!
If the Navy opened the waters around its Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station to commercial traffic, then hundreds of cargo ships, oil tankers and cruise liners could bypass the blue whale’s feeding grounds and be much less likely to strike and kill them.
But so far, the Navy has refused.
Tell the Obama Administration to help save some of the world’s last blue whales by opening Naval waters to commercial traffic.
Fewer than 10,000 of these magnificent creatures survive today. So one death from a ship strike is one too many!
Every summer and fall, blue whales migrate to the California coast to feed on the massive blooms of krill, their favorite food.
Unfortunately, these feeding grounds have been invaded by some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, with massive tankers moving millions of tons of cargo to the busy ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The tragic result? Helpless blue whales are rammed by the giant ships or cut to ribbons by the huge propellers.
Even more mind-boggling, the cost of moving these shipping lanes away from the blue whale’s feeding grounds would be relatively small. The Coast Guard knows they should be moved, and the shipping industry has stated it is willing to do so.
Only the Navy stands in the way!
Tell the Obama Administration to end the carnage by opening the Navy’s waters to commercial traffic.
Let’s not wait until hundreds more blue whales have suffered and died. Thank you for make your voice heard in defense of whales.
Sincerely,
Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council
Wild populations of the orangutan, found only in Aceh Province in southern Sumatra, Indonesia, have declined by 80 percent in the past 75 years. Only about 6,600 orangutans were left in Sumatra, according to the “Rarest of the Rare” 2010 report. It really breaks my heart to think that these amazing and wonderful animals could become extinct.
Click on the “Read More” link below to see more photos of the Beanie toy. The time is to ACT NOW, not to stick your head in the sand and ignore matters like this, or to leave them to others to help. Show your appreciation for Life on Earth by signing the Petitions – it only takes a minute of your time. Thank you!
