Life with Dylan

Category: animals

  • The day Dylan saved the caterpillar

    On a recent visit to the San Diego Zoo my son did the unthinkable – well, at least to a parent. He ran out into the street just as one of those big tour buses was coming up the hill. Why would he do such a thing? He knows better. I knew the bus would slow down, or even stop because they don’t go that fast anyway, so I proceeded to run after him. I know, not smart.

    Before I could grab his arm, he was kneeling down on the ground. What on earth … and then I saw it.

    Of course. The only reason my son would run out in front of a moving vehicle was to save some sort of creature. How he saw it is still a question I can’t answer, but right there in the middle of the pavement was a beautiful caterpillar.

    One who was sure to meet his fate against the tires of the bus if Dylan hadn’t run after him.

    Lucky for us (and the caterpillar) some other people were still in the street by the Polar Bears and the bus had to slow down. Dylan gently picked up the caterpillar and we walked back to the sidewalk. Now that we were all out of harms way it was time to introduce ourselves to this little creature. This was the softest caterpillar I have ever touched and at the moment when Dylan let me hold him, I realized the reason he ran out in the street. 



    Once you hold nature in your hands, you are forever connected and the desire to preserve and protect becomes second nature. 



  • Goodbye Lonesome George

    You’ve heard it said before … Extinction is forever, Endangered means we still have time … and sadly today this quote has a new meaning to the world.

    Lonesome George passed away today. He was the last Galapagos tortoise of his species.

    Although many breeding attempts were made, the conservation efforts were unsuccessful. Galapagos National Park rangers estimate that Lonesome George was about 100 years old.

    Lonesome George became known as a conservation icon and will always be remembered to me and Dylan as the one we never got to meet. So many other species are critically endangered and need our help. Don’t let them be the last one like Lonesome George.

    Goodbye Lonesome George.

    Photo courtesy of putneymark under the Creative Commons License.

  • Wordless Wednesday – Koala Kisses

    If this isn’t love between a mother and child, then I don’t know what is.

    So honored to have my photograph featured on the San Diego Zoo’s Tumblr page alongside so many amazing photographers.

  • If I can make one person aware, then I have accomplished my goal

    When someone tells me I can’t do something, that what I am doing doesn’t matter in the big picture – well, that just makes me do it even more.

    People told me I was crazy to change my blog and stop doing the “blogger” thing. That nobody wanted to read about animals, conservation, the environment, or my beliefs toward these issues. I have been told that I am alienating my “friends”. Well, if these so called friends respected me and my beliefs, then they wouldn’t feel this way. Rather, they would support me.

    A little over a week ago, I tweeted this picture of Nola and Angalifu from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park with the caption “This picture shows 1/4 of the world’s Northern White Rhino population. Warning it may shock you”

    Yes, you did the math correctly. There are only 7 Northern White Rhinos left living in the world. These animals are critically endangered and will be disappear in your lifetime if something is not done to stop the poachers.

    Between my tweet, the re-tweets, my posting on Facebook, and the Facebook shares – over 20,000 people saw this picture. In fact, someone just re-tweeted this yesterday so that number has increased.

    That my friends is called creating awareness and making a difference. 

    I entered a contest and created a board on Pinterest called Pin It For Tigers to show how beautiful these animals are and bring attention to the drastically declining numbers in the wild. I became an advocate for the tigers. Once my board was named as one of the finalist, I had 20 new followers of that board and several re-pins.

    That my friends is called creating awareness and making a difference.

    When my 8-year old son decided to raise money for the tigers at San Diego Zoo Safari Park in lieu of birthday presents and a party, his friends began asking him how they could help. Third graders wanted to know about the plight of the tigers – and you know that they went home and told their parents about what Dylan said in his class.

    That my friends is called creating awareness and making a difference.

    When I share pictures of new babies born at zoos and aquariums, they make people smile. Who doesn’t melt when they see a picture like this? These people will then want to visit the zoos and aquariums, which are mostly non-profit organizations, in turn helping to support the animals and the conservation efforts made for them.

    Photo courtesy of Terri Haines, Aquarium of the Pacific



    That my friends is called creating awareness and making a difference.

    No matter what your passion is …

    No matter what your cause is …

    Regardless of your age …

    Never.

    Ever.

    Underestimate the power you have to create awareness and make a difference in the world.

  • Dylan’s Birthday Wish for the Tigers

    Dylan has always loved animals and over the past year his love has become more of a way of life. He would rather watch documentaries about animals than cartoons and has been collecting animal reference books since before he could even read. Adopting animals is second nature to him and he wants to be a zookeeper when he grows up.

    Knowing this about him, it should not have surprised me when he told me what he wanted for his 9th birthday – yet what he said took my breath away and was probably the proudest moment in my life as his mother. On a recent visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for Endangered Species Day, we had the opportunity to meet Joan Embery and hear her speak about the wonderful conservation efforts that have been made over the past 40 years.

    Dylan listened so intently to every word said. I do believe he stopped breathing for a moment when she announced that an anonymous donation was being made to the new Tiger Trail in the amount of $9 million. However, there was a catch. They must raise $2 million by the end of 2012 to get the $9 million. He turned to me and said, “Mom, I want to help too”

    At this moment there was no doubt in my mind that he was sincere. After reading about the new Tiger Trail and seeing sketches of what the exhibit would look like when completed, it was time to start planning. When Dylan learned that making a $1,000 donation would allow him to have his name inscribed along with other Tiger Trail Sponsors on a recognition plaque at the entrance to the new exhibit his eyes lit up.

    I explained this was a lot of money – then he surprised me again. “Mom, I don’t want birthday presents or a party. I just want money to help the tigers” …
    Wow! Did this just come out of an 8-year old child’s mouth?

    I told him if he was going to ask people for donations to help him reach his goal that they would want to know why this was so important to him. So I asked him a few questions.

    Why do you want to help build Tiger Trail?
    “Because the tigers need a safe home to live. They can’t do anything about the poachers who want to kill them in the wild. Tiger Trail will give them more freedom and more room to play and interact with others.”

    What will it mean to you to have your name inscribed on a plaque at the new exhibit?
    “Everything! It will mean everything to me. It will make me very, very happy and proud because it means that I helped the tigers and made a difference in their lives.”

    So there you have it. Dylan’s birthday wish is to donate $1,000 to Tiger Trail. 

    I contacted the Zoological Society of San Diego to see what could be done. An honorarium has been established in Dylan’s name and all donations made through this link, with the information entered as explained below, will be credited to him. By selecting Dylan Fryer as the honoree and making a donation through this link, you will be helping Dylan and the tigers, plus your donation to the Zoological Society of San Diego is tax-deductible.

    Dylan will only receive credit for your donation if his name is entered as the honoree and Tiger Trail is selected as the gift designation. 

    Here is a screen shot of the donation page with instructions for the Honorary donation.

    Honoree: Dylan Fryer
    Send notification to: Michelle Fryer

    Dylan’s birthday is in July and his goal is to raise the $1,000 by July 31st.

    As a special thank you, Dylan will be sending a set of tiger note cards (handmade from pictures I took of the tigers at the San Diego Zoo) to everyone who donates $25 or more.

    In order to protect the privacy of the donors, the Zoological Society of San Diego is unable to release any personal information to me; including donation amount, email address, and mailing address. If you have made a donation of $25 or more and would like the note cards, please email me your name and mailing address to mlynnfryer@gmail.com

    Thank you for helping make a birthday wish come true for Dylan and for the Tigers of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

    I would like give special thanks to Liane, from the Zoological Society of San Diego, for all of her help in setting up the donations and tracking the donations made in Dylan’s honor.




    *Update*
    Dylan’s story appeared on the front page of the Newport Beach Independent on June 22, 2012.

  • Wordless Wednesday – Slow and Steady

    Happy World Turtle Day!

    These gentle animals have roamed the earth for almost 200 million years and it is estimated that they will disappear within the next 50 years due to habitat destruction, cruel pet trade, and the exotic food industry.

    Giant sea turtles and desert tortoises may be slow, but we all remember the story of the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady always wins the race.

  • Creating memories at the San Diego Zoo

    Yes, as you know Dylan and I spend lots of time in San Diego. Starting to think we should just move down there – but that is another story. Over the Mother’s Day weekend we had the opportunity to attend a VIP tweet-up during the Garden Festival at the San Diego Zoo – so I figured we could make a weekend out of it and have some fun. Together, we shared some amazing experiences and created memories that will last a lifetime. Of course I documented the 20+ hours spent at the zoo with over 500 pictures … don’t worry, I’m not going to post all of them. 

    Day 1 started bright and early leaving home at 7 a.m. so we could get to the San Diego Zoo in time to see the macaw fly over and be one of the first people in the zoo. The Garden Fest tweet-up started promptly at 9:30 a.m. and Dylan didn’t want to be late. We were treated to a behind the scenes look at some creepy crawlies in the Insect House. One of Dylan’s favorite places to visit at the zoo – and one that took me some getting use to a few years ago. 
    Dylan was always front and center asking Kelli and Paige a million questions. He was in his element. Thanks for being so patient with him ladies – and fellow tweeps 🙂 
    Since it was the Garden Festival I took my time looking at all the beautiful flowers on display and at the various exhibits. Sometimes I get so caught up with the animals that I forget the San Diego Zoo is considered a world-class botanical garden. 
    After making our usual route through the zoo, we decided to make one more stop at the tigers in hopes of seeing them. When we went by earlier, the tigers were way up at the top and we like seeing them up close. Boy were we in for a treat! 
    Not only did we get to see the tigers, but we were front and center for play time in the water. After 20 minutes and taking close to 50 pictures, we peeled ourselves away from the glass so others could get a look.

  • Happy Endangered Species Day!

    Whether you have a favorite endangered species or not, today is a day to create awareness worldwide about the animals that may be extinct sooner than you think. Sure, many of these animals can be seen in zoos, but what about in the wild? Species need to thrive in their natural habitat and reproduce to ensure their survival for many years to come.

    Many species are listed as endangered and even more as vulnerable. Although I wish all animals were off the endangered species list, I have a soft spot for the tigers.

    Extinction is forever, Endangered means we still have time.

    Believe it or not, poaching and smuggling of animals does exist and is more common than you think. A recent story of illegal exotic animal carcases found near Bangkok is just another reason that I feel it important to bring awareness to people about conservation.

    Dylan and I will be spending today at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to celebrate Endangered Species Day and the 40th anniversary of the park. For 40 years, the park has been making a difference, raising awareness, and inspiring others to do the same. There is no other place I would rather be on this special day.

    While one person can’t save all the animals, one person can make a difference. Get involved and join a group of others who want the same – San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is working together to bring these animals back from the brink of extinction. Some species like the tigers and rhinos have a long way to go, but others have had great success.

  • I have a new found love for tigers

    Sure, I have always liked tigers. They rank high on my list of favorite cats with leopards, jaguars, and lions. The size and strength of these animals alone amazes me and their eyes always seem to tell a story. I knew that tigers were an endangered species, but it wasn’t until I started a board on Pinterest that I realized how critical their fate was.

    The board started as a simple contest sponsored by the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. As part of the 40th anniversary celebration, people can start a tiger-themed board on Pinterest called Pin It For Tigers for a chance to win a Behind-the-Scenes Safari for two and meet some of these big cats up close. I thought this would be a great surprise for Dylan if I actually won.  It started as simply pinning pictures of tigers – then I started really looking at the pictures, the amazing photography, and how beautiful these animals actually are.

    Before I knew it, I was spending hours each night reading blogs and websites about how the tigers are vanishing at increasing rates. Some of the pictures I saw actually brought me to tears.

    How could a human being do this to an animal. An animal that has done nothing wrong. The tigers are not killed in self-defense. The tigers are not killed because they are attacking people. They are killed for their skins, fur, and bones because some cultures actually believe that tigers can provide medicinal healing. Tigers are not medicine.

    Tigers are not shot, they are trapped in snares so not to damage the pelt. Aside from stopping the poachers and illegal trading of tiger parts, you can do something to help save the tigers. You can stop buying products that are made by destroying the tigers natural habitat. Buy sustainable coffee that is certified Fair Trade and does not destroy the rain forests. Buy the Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamps and create awareness.You can donate to local zoos who support conservation and help in their efforts to save the tigers.

    Photograph I took of a Malayan tiger at the San Diego Zoo last month

    Awareness is what it really boils down to. Making people aware of something will cause a reaction. To think that the beautiful Malayan tigers I see at the San Diego Zoo are a rare sight (there are only about 500 Malayan tigers left in the wild) and that future generations may never have the chance to see these animals, or photographs of these animals in the wild breaks my heart. The Safari Park has Sumatran tigers and there are only about 400 of these tigers left in the wild. According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild. That’s not a lot – considering the size of the planet.

    So sure, I would love to win the contest and take Dylan on a Behind-the-Scenes Safari to see the tigers up close – but I can always pay for a Behind-the-Scenes Tour. More importantly, I would love to create a spark of hope within you, a little inspiration to share what I have shared with you. Conservation is the key to saving tigers and all endangered species – and conservation starts with awareness. You can make a difference. 


                         http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1635268009 

  • Redefining who I am

    I have spent the past three nights doing pretty much nothing. Well, not nothing because I have enjoyed spending time with Dylan and catching up on reading some magazines that seemed to pile up faster than I thought possible. I have been able to get a good nights sleep and noticed things in my surroundings that have always been there, but that I was just too preoccupied to notice.

    I have had time to reflect on my choices and my decisions that I have made for myself. Time to redefine who I am and what I want. Mid-life changes, coming of age, who knows … I will be 42 years old next month and started thinking what have I done with my life? What legacy will I leave behind for my child, and hopefully one day, my grandchildren? Have I really done anything that spectacular? No, not really.
    I didn’t lose as many followers as I thought I would when I changed the blog last week. However, there is one more change that I wanted to make. A change that would really force me to redefine who I am. This decision took me a while to make. 
    For almost 14 years I have been a makeup artist or worked in the beauty industry. My focus has been cosmetics, beauty, and skin care. People have come to know me as this. However, what  I discovered is that this was not my passion in life – rather it was my obsession. Does that make sense? It was something I was good at, and still am, yet it’s not who I am. For those of you have been following Beautyisms, you may have noticed the Facebook page is gone and no tweets have been going out. Well, this is because I am stepping away from my obsession. I am ending that part of my life. I am moving on.
    My real passion in life has always been animals and the environment. During high school I became active in Greenpeace and drove an hour just to be part of a dolphin movement called Don’t Say Goodbye. The decor of my home has always been nature and ocean inspired and now with my son we are adding more animal inspirations. This is who I am and what I want to be known for.
    I remember how scared I was when I told my parents that I was pregnant – especially considering I was single and knew the guy wouldn’t be around. Something that my Dad told me has always stuck with me. He said, God does things for a reason. 
    I believe that now more than ever because my son, through his love of animals, reminded me of my true passion. The passion that inspires me to see the world as a better place than I did before. 
    The passion that brings me to tears when I see pictures of animals being killed for their body parts. 
    The passion that gives me such a sense of calmness and peace when I see the ocean. 
    The passion that comes with such enthusiasm and sincerity to share – To inspire others.