Wildlife and Sport Hunting

Almost everyone in America seems to profess a love of wildlife in one form or another. However, it is very important to understand that just saying that you love wildlife is not enough to ensure the continuation of the various species.
Instead, an understanding of wildlife management and just what it is, is necessary to creating a healthy wildlife population.
Wildlife management is the science of managing the environment for the benefit of all of the kinds of wildlife in a given area. This management includes the management of human activities because everything that people do will affect the environment in one way or another.
Creation of proper habitat is critical to a healthy wildlife population because, without habitat, wildlife cannot survive and it is just as simple as that. Consequently, the wildlife manager of today is concerned constantly with the state of the habitat in a given area for the benefit of the wild population that the manager is trying to sustain or expand.
Like a carpenter building a house with his tools, so also does a wildlife manager have specific tools to build his wildlife population. Regulated sport hunting is one of the managers most important tools. To many people, this sounds like a contradiction, however, in our capitalist society, everything revolves around the dollar. So too, does wildlife management. It takes a lot of money to develop wildlife habitat.
In every state, a hunter is required to purchase hunting permits and wildlife stamps. It is this money that is used to develop critical habitat for wildlife. Almost always, state taxes are not used for direct wildlife management programs. Rather it is the licensed hunter that is the critical tool for habitat and consequently wildlife development.
Additionally, the licensed sport hunter pays a federal excise tax on the hunting equipment that he/she purchases. This money is then funneled back to the various state game departments for additional habitat development.
It is only because of the monies supplied by licensed hunters that America has any wildlife of note. Today, every state has thousands of acres of wildlife management areas that provide home for hundreds of species of wild birds and mammals. These species consist of both game and nongame wildlife. None of these areas would have been possible without the funding supplied by the hunters dollars.
When people profess a love of wildlife, that is a good thing, however, if one really does have a sincere interest in the wild creatures that share our planet with us, one of the best things that one could do to ensure the survival of wildlife is to simply purchase a hunting permit and wildlife stamp in the state where one lives. If people fail to do this over time, wildlife as we know it today will disappear.
Rick Seward is a veteran game warden for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. He has an intense love for the wild creatures that he protects. Rick maintains a website that will showcase many types of engravings that he creates in his of duty time and invites everyone to look at http://www.rickseward.net/ His passion for being a game warden his love of wildlife comes out in every piece that he creates. People may email Rick at the address listed on the website.
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The following is a statement by the World Wildlife Fund on their web site: WWF safeguards hundreds of species around the world, but we focus special attention on our flagship species: giant pandas, tigers, endangered whales and dolphins, rhinos, elephants, marine turtles and great apes. These species not only need special measures and extra protection in order to survive, they also serve as umbrella species: helping them helps numerous other species that live in the same habitats.
The truth of the matter is that the disappearance is wildlife is of great concern. Here is one species that the WWF might add to their special list of flagship species: Homo sapiens. Perhaps we fit under the current umbrella.
We humans fit into the picture as mammals. That is we have mammary glands and give birth to live critters rather than lay eggs. We are also vertebrates having back ache when we get old or we lift too much. We are fragile and disruption of the environment of other animals disrupts our environment. Species now extinct can not be resurrected by man. The endangered species MUST be preserved.
Giant Panda
WWF is trying to save the giant panda because they are so cute. They have been working with China for some time. WWF says there are only about 1600 pandas in the wild. The rest are in the Washington Zoo.
I visited the pandas at the Washington Zoo back when they were first loaned to us by China. I have not seen the current pair loaned to us for 10 years by China, Mei Xiang, now 6, and Tian Tian, 7, who arrived from China in 2000. See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25057-2005Mar10.html?nav=rss_metro.
The pandas have had trouble breeding, as reported in the URL above, the males are particularly dumb. Artificial insemination doesn’t work too well either. Read about the rash of panda births last year at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/NewsEvents/babyboom.cfm. The survival rate is not high.
It seems that pandas do better in the wild then in zoos. China has made major advances on how to feed them and breed them. Let’s hope that progress continues. The real solution is to preserve the panda’s habitat. One note: The cute little buggers can be dangerous. They are not all that cuddly. Got pepper spray?
Tigers
WWF says that tigers are mean but pretty. Not many more than 7500 now exist in the world, mostly in India. They are scarce or extinct in many areas of previous habitat. The encroachment of large populations and loss of habitat are major contributors to their demise. I know from experience in Korea that the fantastic Siberian tiger is not resistant to 30 caliber machinegun fire. They shouldn’t rattle those cans in the bobbed wire.
One thing about tigers is that they fit in nicely in zoos. Unlike the panda that can’t seem to reproduce when fertility experts are watching, the tiger does quite well. A tiger will even mate with a lion creating a tiglion or liger, depending on who is daddy. We had a liger at the Salt Lake City Zoo years back. I think the male was the lion.
WWF is fighting a battle against poachers and traders in “tiger parts.” This is true of other animals endangered by mankind. Read about the WWF efforts at http://www.worldwildlife.org/tigers/.
Whales and Dolphins
We want to keep our whales and dolphins. They are very smart and fun to watch. Their language contains many more bits of information than ours so we can’t understand them when they describe their great voyages of thousands of miles under the sea. We can only guess at what they are saying. Whales sing like birds and better than some people. They sing and sing and sing.
Hunting is still a hazard to whales, especially if they are being shot at by harpoon cannon from a big floating butcher shop. Swimming around in waters infested by fast moving ships is bad enough.
Our ship hit a whale when it was on its way to Korea. We knew because the ship’s crew told us so. It was on the crossing before our crossing. They said it made a big THUMP.
WFF says that fishing nets are a big problem for dolphins. I can’t imagine a Blue whale getting into that kind of fix, but maybe a small whale could. You better read about that at http://www.worldwildlife.org/cetaceans/.
We need those whales. When the petroleum gives out, what are we going to use for lamp oil? (Just Kidding! Don’t write in. Surmising: If we had not discovered petroleum would there be any whales swimming in our oceans today?)
I’m going to quit here. I can’t think about what has happened and is happening to elephants, rhinos, and the big apes.
Each of us should take an interest in wildlife and its preservation. Cough up a little dough to WWF. It will make a difference to those critters we all love. Just get a signed statement from WWF that they won’t be out there tromping down the flora and scaring the hell out of the fauna.
I’m glad the Ivory Billed Woodpecker is back. I knew he was out there somewhere.
John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine. He is Executive Representative of IWS sellers of Tyler Hicks wealth-success books and kits. He also sells TopFlight flagpoles. He calls himself "Taylor Jones, the hack writer."
More info: http://www.tjbooks.com/
Business web site: http://www.aaaflagpoles.com/
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Liger

A cat of huge size and power, Liger is an extraordinary feline. It is an amazing animal that has rarely occurred through history and is a true marvel in appearance. So great is the muscularity and strength of Liger that if it ever existed in the wild, it would have been capable of taking down every animal on earth!
The largest specie of cat to have ever existed - Liger - is not even a specie at all ~ it is a hybrid ~ a cross between a male lion and a female tiger that is given a scientific denotation of Panthera leo × Panthera tigris. The name is derivate of its heritage: 'Li' from lion and 'ger' from tiger. The appearance is indicative of the huge cat's origin ~ a tawny coat is marked by diffuse stripes and rosettes with a rudimentary mane. The attributes are also inherited from either parents and is a mix of the two species ~ Liger likes to swim like tigers and is sociable like lions. The roar is more like that of a lion and so is the frequent laid back nature of the cat, in contrast to the ferocious and active lifestyle of the male tiger.
Hybrids have always existed in the wild and in captivity and numerous attempts at interspecies breeding of big cats have always been made throughout history. The hallmark of the Liger are its massive physical proportions - with a weight over a thousand pounds and length greater than twelve feet, Liger dwarfs the biggest lion and tiger in existence. The reason behind this is believed to be genetic - the male tiger and female lion both have a growth inhibiting gene that restricts the growth of their respective offsprings to an extent - the concept behind Liger bypasses this condition by mating a male lion and a female tiger ~ the resulting cub can grow lifelong to become twice as big as either of its parents.
Withstanding all its magnificence - when I look at a Liger I feel awe and I feel...sorry! Yes it is true (bear me out for a while) ~ I feel sorry because I see a creature that is not meant to be in nature. I see an animal that has never existed in the wild and has never been created by conscientious breeders. An organism that is not a specie in itself since it is unable to produce fertile offsprings (male Ligers are sterile!). An animal that lives most of its life in solitude, created for attracting audience or for Hollywood. A creature marred in its small population by low lifespan, genetic aberrations and neurological defects (head shakes in cubs!).
Experts worldwide condemn the breeding of Ligers as an unhealthy practice. All responsible animal captivity programs and zoos around the globe never try to mate lions with tigers.
To me the Liger depicts the opposite sides of human nature - the side that craves beauty and ignores everything else and the side that honors the laws of morality and nature. The side that searches for lion tiger fight videos on YouTube and the side that condemns them as barbaric practices after having seen them ~ yes to me the Liger is indicative of the fickle nature of our own specie. It is for us to decide which side do we want to take...!
The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on liger.
Learn more about cats here: http://ailurophiles.blogspot.com/
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Correspondence Courses in Animal Care

Correspondence courses in animal care allow students to get the best opportunities in animal care, without spending time in traditional college classes. Today a lot of students approach correspondence courses in animal science. Advanced technologies have presented many chances in distance education and these have positive effects in the field of animal care too.
One can attend a correspondence course while attending to other jobs. Here you access classes through the Internet and telecourses. The telecourses come with video taped lectures and lessons and that can be seen on display devices. This enables students to complete their assignments and forward them to an instructor for feedback.
Nowadays, many colleges and universities offer correspondence programs in animal science. These courses are ideal for a career in veterinarian's practice, horse farm, animal hospital, pet store, wildlife or livestock program, ranch and zoo. In some cases, there are no educational or experience prerequisites to enroll for courses. Apart from short term courses, colleges offer three-year correspondence courses in animal science. The curriculum includes workshops on handling and sexing animals, animal restraint, blood sampling and fecal examination for parasites, and other surgical techniques. The courses are conducted on a semester basis, and each year has two semesters. A written exam is included at the end of each semester and a final exam is held after completion of three years of study. The college sends all the study materials and provides assistance from qualified instructors. The practical is carried out in real-world situations. Seminars on animal care are included for researchers. All these courses are approved by government agencies, and certificates are awarded on the successful completion of courses.
Correspondence courses in animal care are open to anyone aged 18 or above. If you are selecting a correspondence course related to the study of small animals, there are a number of mandatory lessons to be followed. Introduction to laboratory animals, animals used in research, management of laboratory animals, life cycle information, principles of animal health, diseases and control of diseases, as well as the handling, behavior, housing and nutrition information of animals are included.
In short, correspondence courses in animal care are good vocational training and ensure a rewarding career in animal service.
Correspondence Courses provides detailed information on Correspondence Courses, Army Correspondence Courses, Bible Correspondence Courses, College Correspondence Courses and more. Correspondence Courses is affiliated with Graduate Distance Learning Programs.
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Animal Spirits: Power Animals and Guides

We shamans are a strange breed.....often we tend to isolate ourselves from those around us. However, this does not mean we don't have relationships..........in fact we often have too many to handle at any one time. You see, we are connecting to many levels of reality and inter-relating with all of them at the very same time. So while we are in a group of people....we are also talking to the spirit world and often the animal guides all at once. It's a difficult balancing act..to say the least. Often we must decide which is the most important communication at that point in time. Sometimes the animal spirit guides are giving us very critical data, so we choose to stay focused on that for the moment.
Each animal comes to us with it's unique spirit focus and usually shows up when we need their perspective. They may appear in spirit form, in a dream, vision ...or in the flesh!
While surfing the internet I found a site with helpful information about many animal forms. You can get to this site by clicking on this link. http://www.geocities.com/~animalspirits/
Jerry is a professional shaman. He publishes an online magazine and newsletter dealing with shamanism and holism as they apply to life and business. You can reach the magazine at this address: http://www.jeremiahhuck.workzsites.com/


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The Zoo is the Place, and the Animal at the Animal Theme Party is You!

An Animal theme party is always a hit, especially during off-peak seasons, such as the autumn of the year, when the heat is off. The key a successful animal theme party at the zoo is planning. Consult the zoo administrator, ahead of time to determine what is allowed, confirm that the zoo allows parties, and see if a zoo official can act as tour guide, so you can concentrate on keeping your little animals in line. You will definitely need help, so enlist the aid of several parents, and/or your spouse, to help setting up, keeping track of the guests, and cleaning up after the party. Sometimes teenagers are very good at this, and tend to work pretty inexpensively, if you need to bring in hired hands to corral the ‘wildlife’.
Either hire someone (or find a volunteer) to paint animal faces on the guests as they arrive, and be sure parents know when and where to pick up their little ‘animals’ when the party is over. Have sandwiches, chips, fruity drinks and, of course, cake, available. If the zoo allows it, you can set up the coolers with spouts and throw away paper cups (near trash bins) so that there are plenty of ‘watering holes’ available during the tour.
In respect for animals living in the zoo, I don’t recommend noise makers during the party. Party goers can tour the zoo, while you take Polaroid snapshots for ‘animal’ guests to take back to their own ‘lair’ when they leave the zoo.
Identifying pre recorded animal sounds (if your guests are too young to read and write, you can always have animal photos for them to choose which animal made the sound) with the matching the most animals to their sounds, being named King (or Queen) of the jungle. Party ‘animals’ can be given goodie bags filled with party favors, as their parents pick them up to leave. Some good choices would be animal printed pencils, erasers, animal cards or posters, and the snapshots from your animal theme party.
Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Tons of fun Animal Party Supplies, party favors, decorations, pinatas, free games and ideas to help complete your event.
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Animal Welfare Whistleblowers

If you have ever been a witness to any form of animal abuse, cruelty or a violation of the Animal Welfare Act that takes place in any research laboratory, you are faced with several options. The first would be to stay silent. If you do choose this path, then you can be sure that those cruel activities and violations of the Act will carry on unchecked and might even worsen. The second path that is available to you is to speak up and thus blow the whistle on such malpractices.
Historically, animal research has always been carried out behind the secrecy of closed doors. In turn the federal government has been relying on a policy of that entails institutional self-regulation in order to ensure the adherence to animal welfare laws and regulations. It is but obvious that, animals are incapable of speaking for themselves or advocating their cause. As a result, it is only possible through the acts of brave whistleblowers that such animal abuse has been exposed. A whistleblower can in fact bring to an end such atrocities that occur at animal research laboratories.
The actual act of blowing the whistle can occur in a variety of forms. This could range from reporting internally to an act of confidential whistle blowing with advocacy groups. It could even take the form of an extremely public statement regarding the wrongdoings. Various avenues are thus available to you for addressing animal abuse and Act violations in animal research laboratories.
An important one would be to report the abuse to the committee of Institutional Animal Care and Use. This is a body that by law is in existence at every research facility that utilizes animals. This is a committee that bears the responsibility of acting as the eyes and ears of the federal government. It functions to ensure complete compliance with all the animal welfare regulations and laws. If all else fails alerting the media is a good option to consider. Always remember animals need your intervention in such situations.
Whistleblower provides detailed information on Whistleblower, Whistleblower Laws, Whistleblower Protection Acts, Whistleblower Acts and more. Whistleblower is affiliated with Medical Malpractice Attorney.
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