Life with Dylan

Category: animals

  • Always more to learn about helping endangered species

    One of my favorite places to learn more about helping endangered species is the public library. I started taking Dylan to the library when he was just a toddler and he always went right to the animal books. As he has grown, his love for animals continued to grow too and now the library is a place we visit on a regular basis.

    Sure, there is plenty of information at my fingertips on the internet, but I love the way a library smells. The books that line the shelves for as far as the eye can see and the quiet atmosphere.

    The more I read about helping endangered species, the more I want to learn. A friend once told my son, never stop learning. Keep learning more and you will be one step ahead of the others. This advice was given in a conversation about going to college and becoming a zookeeper, but it can be applied to almost anything.

    Whether you want to learn more about your job, your hobby, or just go sit someplace quiet – the public library is the perfect spot. Sometimes just sitting there I can feel the knowledge calling to me. Sounds weird I know, but it’s true. Sometimes just walking up and down the rows of books and looking at the subjects will spark a new interest.

    Our last visit to the library was right after a visit to the San Diego Zoo. On this visit, Dylan had spent almost an hour talking with one of the volunteers at the orangutan exhibit. He wanted to learn more about the New World and Old World monkeys, so that is what he did. He pulled books on chimps, orangutans, and gorillas. Learning all he can about the animals and soaking up the data like a sponge soaks up water.

    He has also recently taken an interest in photography, so he checked out a book on photography.

    I may be too old to start a new career as a zookeeper, but I can always learn more about helping endangered species. The more I learn, the more I can help and the more I can share with my readers. These are the books that I chose to take home.

    As Rick Schwartz says, “Always explore, Always learn more”

    What do you want to learn more about?

    When was the last time you visited the public library?

  • Summer Safari is still going strong at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

    You don’t need to travel far to enjoy a Summer Safari with the animals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Enjoy the sights and sounds of Africa as you are greeted by African Chief Kahle and the beating of an African drum circle. The children can make an African bead bracelet and get their very own safari hat for free at Safari Base Camp.

    The Summer Safari entertainment is awesome. You can plan your day ahead of time when you view the show schedule on the San Diego Zoo Safari Park website – and make sure to save some time to see the Animal Encounters at Safari Base Camp.

    Your Summer Safari won’t be complete without taking part in the African Extravaganza that occurs on the Summer Safari Stage. It is filled with music, dancing, drums, and more. Check the map for exact show times.

    Even though we visit the Safari Park on a regular basis, Summer Safari is always something we look forward to. There are so many great photo opportunities and you really feel like you are on safari with the authentic Summer Safari entertainment.

    Along with the sights and sounds of Summer Safari, you can enjoy what the park has to offer year-round. Take a ride on the Africa Tram to see rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, and wildebeest or maybe you want to book one of the many Behind the Scenes Safaris to get a closer look at the park wildlife. Walking the park is a favorite of mine – Gorilla Forest, African Outpost, Lion Camp, Elephant Valley, Condor Ridge, and of course Tiger Territory.

    This annual event is still going strong, so get there before it ends on August 19.

    Summer Safari hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. so there is lots of time to see everything and enjoy a day with your family at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. You can also follow the San Diego Zoo Safari Park on twitter and Facebook to get details of new events and my favorite, new animals births at the park.

  • Panda Love

    The last few days have been nothing but panda talk at my house … not to mention the various media outlets. Bai Yun made history on Monday when she gave birth to her 6th cub at the San Diego Zoo. This was a high risk pregnancy because of her age and ever since learning that she was showing signs of pregnancy, my son and I have been keeping our fingers crossed that all went well.

    We have spent hours watching the Panda Cam trying to catch a glimpse of the cub, but Bai Yun has been holding the cub very close. It amazes me that such big animal can hold something so small and not harm it.

    Today a video was released by the San Diego Zoo showing Bai Yun leave her cub for a brief moment to get a drink of water and the squeals were non-stop from my home. I am sure they could be heard down the block. The baby is just too cute.

    More than just a successful high risk pregnancy, this panda birth makes the San Diego Zoo the most successful Panda Breeding Center outside of China. That is some pretty big conservation news to brag about. Way to go San Diego Zoo and congratulations to Bai Yun and Gao Gao.

    I took the above photo of Gao Gao on July 4, 2012

  • ZooBorns New Interactive App brings animals and children together

    If your children love animals and you have an iPad or an iPhone, then you need this new app from ZooBorns. Using three of the five senses – sight, sound, and touch – children can interact with some of the cutest baby animals from zoos and aquariums all around the world.


    Just like the ZooBorns website, the ABC ZooBorns app has pictures and videos, but also includes age-appropriate spoken animal facts and interactive scenes. Children can enjoy exploring so many animals from Aardvark to Zebra and learn something about animal conservation at the same time.


    The app includes over 50 interactive scenes with touch activities and over 100 videos where children can see and hear real baby animals. The word association is also great because it will help the younger ones associate letters with the animals and get a jump start on their vocabulary. (The pictures to the left are screen shots from the app)


    According to the information in the App Store, all videos have been screened and approved by parents. So no need to worry about what your child be be seeing. It’s all G-rated.


    The app only costs $2.99, which I think is a bargain because the app not only entertains, but it educates. I was so excited when I found this app the other day – My only wish is that they had this app when Dylan was younger. He would have loved it!


    Here is a video that lets you see a little bit of what the ABC ZooBorns app has to offer.

       

    For more information on the ABC ZooBorns app visit the ZooBorns website. 



  • Why conservation is important to me

    Everyone has something they hold close to their heart. Something they are passionate about and that somehow connects with them on a personal level. As you have probably figured out, I am passionate about conservation and preserving what the earth has to offer for our future generations. 

    We recently lost an animal known as Lonesome George. He was the last of his species and now my family will never get to see this La Pinta Island giant tortoise. When my son and I read about this loss, we cried. Some may think crying over an animal you’ve never met is ridiculous. Others may think there are hundreds of other Galapagos tortoises – you see them at the zoo. These are the people that don’t get it. They don’t get the big picture and I would say that only a third of them ever will.

    I will probably live longer than the Northern White Rhino species. My sons children will probably never get a chance to see a Northern White Rhino. Why? Because these animals are hunted and killed … Just as the tigers and elephants are hunted and killed. When I read stories about this in the news, like the one I read today, it makes me sad and angry. I sit here racking my brain trying to figure out how I can help. These animals can’t talk. They can’t ask for help. So it is up to people like me, people who call themselves conservationist, to bring awareness to others about the plight of these animals and the importance of keeping them alive. Not just for our children and grandchildren to see, but for the survival of the animal world.

    When I see a picture of an endangered animal or one at the zoo or read a sign at the zoo that says only 39 left in the wild, I literally stop and catch my breath. These animals are so beautiful and I fear that too many people take them for granted.

    Don’t assume that because you can see an animal at a zoo today it will still be there in 20 years. Zoos educate us about the animals and let us see them up close, but the best way to ensure a species survival is for the species to thrive in the wild.

    Once you come face to face with an endangered animal, you will do whatever it takes to save them. I am proud to call myself a conservationist. I will continue to be an advocate for the environment and wildlife because one person can and does make a difference.

    Con·ser·va·tion·ist
    Noun: A person who advocates or acts for the protection and preservation of the environment and wildlife.

  • Baby jaguars love to play

    We have watched these two grow up and each time we visit the San Diego Zoo they just get cuter and cuter. In this video clip, Tikal and Maderas play with their mom Nindiri and at times seem to be fighting for her attention. It’s hard to believe they will be 3 months old next week. Too cute!

    You can learn more about the jaguar cubs on the San Diego Zoo’s blog.

  • Wordless Wednesday – You’re invading my space

    I gave Dylan my old camera to use at the zoo last week and I think he may have annoyed this Golden Bellied Mangabey. The monkey came leaping from the tree and jumped at the window numerous times.

    At first Dylan was scared, although he would never admit that, and then he began to show his teeth to the monkey. This went on for a few minutes and my only regret is that I didn’t get it on video.   

  • The art of drawing and being creative

    I am a firm believer in nurturing a child’s creativity and supplying the tools needed for a child to express their creativity. A few months ago when Dylan showed interest in drawing I thought great, maybe he got my creative gene.

    Sure, he has made some pretty good things in school, but what mom doesn’t love what their kids bring home from school. It often requires the obligatory You made that for me? I love it.

    So when Dylan wanted to draw on his own and asked if he could start using my art pencils and sketch book I knew it was something he had a real interest in.

    What started as simple drawings have turned into actual sketches with detail and shading. He sits for hours at a time trying to get each one just right.

    Last week we made a trip to Michaels and purchased a real artist book. One that would teach him step by step how to draw. What? You thought he would draw something other than animals?

    Not a bad start for a 9-year-old – I love having something in common that he and I can enjoy together. 


    What do you do with your child that sparks creativity and imagination?

  • Nutty is a little nutty …

    Yes, we have urban wildlife at our home. His name is Nutty.

    What? You don’t see this every morning at your house?

  • Our long awaited walk with the reptiles at San Diego Zoo

    When most people think of the 4th of the July, they think of BBQ’s, picnics, homemade desserts and fireworks with friends and family. Well, we spent the 4th a little differently this year. Still with friends and family, just not the human kind.

    After what seemed like a year of construction, the San Diego Zoo had its grand opening of the new Reptile Walk on July 4, 2012 – we had to be there. Dylan and I had both missed seeing the frogs and especially the Galapagos tortoises. The new long awaited Reptile Walk is amazing and definitely worth the wait.

    Still located behind the Reptile House, the Reptile Walk is a beautiful stroll down planked pathways that are lined with trees and lush landscaping.

    Once  through the entrance, you enter the first building which houses the amphibians and California native species.

    The new open-air design allows for better public viewing and the enclosures are much bigger. You still have to look around to find those tiny frogs, but the glass is now a good 4-5 times larger than before. Here you will see poison dart frogs, tree frogs, mossy frogs, king snakes, giant horned lizards, a green tree boa, and more. 

    I’m not sure if it was the new habitats or if it was too early in the morning (9 a.m.), but there were about five animals that we couldn’t find in their enclosures. We did go back at night and see a few more, but then it was too dark for pictures.

    Next, another pathway takes you to the new Chinese Alligators. These reptiles are critically endangered and most now live only in breeding centers like the San Diego Zoo.

    One of things I love most about the San Diego Zoo is the informative signs throughout the zoo like this one. Every trip is a learning experience for me and Dylan.

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