Life with Dylan

Category: endangered species

  • The conservation efforts of non-profit organizations depend on our help

    The cornerstones of conservation efforts are the numerous non-profit organizations that depend on our donations to survive. We all get the mailings, the emails, see the shares on Facebook, and the tweets on twitter. Save the planet, save the oceans, save the rain forests, save the animals.
    They are all doing good and it can be hard to choose just one. $25 here $10 there … does it really do anything?

    Some may argue and say yes, that $10 does help an organization. However, after many years of spreading my money to a variety of non-profit organizations I decided to make all of my contributions to just one this year. To help conservation efforts on a local level, where I can see what my money is doing, and also on a global level where I can help make a difference for animals across the globe was my goal. There are so many great non-profits and I want my money going to an organization that I can personally relate to.

    Ultimately, my decision was based on the local level. When I saw first hand what my money was doing, there was no doubt in my mind. My monthly contributions would go to San Diego Zoo Global.

    This amazing video shows all that San Diego Zoo Global does for the animals, planet, and the people who come to visit the parks.

    Each month I give a specified amount to San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy as a Wildlife Conservancy Hero.  When extra funds are available, rather than give $10 to another organization, I help out by buying something on the monthly wish list. This is a wonderful way to make $5 – $10 go a long way because the wish list will tell you exactly what the money will buy. Items tend to go quickly, so I always check within the first few days of the month for the best selection – toward the end of the month the items left on the list are a little higher priced than I can afford.

    I have fed a condor for a week, fed a Manchurian brown bear for 3 days, and supplied various enrichment toys for animals. My donations have helped in conservation efforts across the globe. So sure, that $10 does make a difference – but think of the difference hundreds of dollars can make for San Diego Zoo Global.

    Do you make donations to non-profit organizations?  If so, what organization do you support?

  • 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.

  • Birthday wishes really do come true

    Tomorrow is Dylan’s 9th birthday and all he wanted for his birthday was to raise $1,000 for the tigers at San Diego Zoo Safari Park. He wanted to help save the species from extinction and build a new home for them called Tiger Trail.

    As you probably know, Dylan had various fundraisers, recycled cans and bottles, saved all of his allowance money, and many people donated money in his name. Some people I know and some who donated are complete strangers who found Dylan’s story and donated through social media links.

    I am very happy to report that as of today Dylan has raised $1,317 for Tiger Trail.

    (and that’s not including birthday money that I know is coming in the mail still from family)

    Tomorrow we will be spending the day at the Safari Park and meeting some big cats, including the tigers, up close on a Behind the Scenes Safari Tour that we won from the Pin It For Tigers contest last month.  The perfect birthday as far as Dylan is concerned.

    Although Dylan has met his goal, the tigers still need our help. For the Safari Park to receive the anonymous donation of $9 million, they must raise $2 million on their own.

    This is a screen shot from the Safari Parks website showing how much they have raised so far. As you can see, they are almost halfway there.

    Whether you make a donation in Dylan’s name or just go to the Tiger Trail Challenge website makes no difference to me. What matters is that you donate. For every $2 that is donated, the park receives $9 – which means Dylan’s $1,217 is actually $5,476. That is pretty amazing if you ask me.

    The Safari Park has until December 31, 2012 to meet the $2 million goal.

    Dylan and I will continue to send money because this is something that we both believe in.
    For all of you who donated in Dylan’s name and  helped make his birthday wish come true …

    THANK YOU!



  • 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.

    (more…)

  • 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.

  • 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