I am always fascinated with the frogs when we visit the Aquarium of the Pacific. Particularly these Amazon milk frogs. I am drawn to them and will stand next to their exhibit for what I’m sure seems like hours to my son.
These two remind me of old men sitting on the porch talking about the good old days.
I wonder what they are thinking.
They are probably wondering who the crazy lady with the camera is.
They can call me crazy … I don’t mind.
Happy Earth Day! A day to celebrate the Earth and ways that we can show her respect and keep her looking beautiful a little longer.
I’m not going to tell you how you should celebrate Earth Day, or which Earth Day events were the best over the weekend. Instead I am going to tell you how simple it is to make every day Earth Day.
While this may all seem too small to make a difference, it does. Every little thing that you can do will snowball with what others do to help fight climate change and make the Earth a happier place for humans and wildlife to live.
Most people associate vultures with darkness and death because that is how movies, television, and books have portrayed them for so long. Yes, they do feed on carcasses of other animals, but this doesn’t make them bad. On the contrary, vultures are a very important part of the food chain and in turn the ecosystem as a whole. Try to imagine a land filled with rotting animals carcasses … it’s not a pretty picture is it?
The California condor is in the vulture family and at one time, not too long ago, was teetering on the brink of extinction. Once widely spread throughout the western United States and Mexico, in 1982 the number of California condors dwindled down to only 22 in the wild.
Destruction of habitat played a big part in the loss of birds, but an even bigger role was played by lead poisoning. Lead bullets used for hunting were being ingested by the California condors, which resulted in lead poisoning and ultimately their demise. So once again, the carelessness of humans was to blame for another species fighting to stay alive.
In 1982, San Diego Zoo Global was given permission to start the very first captive breeding program for the California condor. At the time, this was quite controversial because eggs were being removed from the wild. Well, all controversy aside the captive breeding program was put into motion.
Just this week, three of the four original eggs that were the first to be hatched celebrated their 30th birthday at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. These three condors, Saspe, Sisquoc, and Almiyi helped form the foundation of what we know as the condor recovery program.
Dylan and I have a great appreciation for the California condor. They are powerful and majestic animals who deserve just as much love and respect as the cute and cuddly animals. On a recent visit to the San Diego Zoo, we had the opportunity to see these birds up close at their exhibit. Unlike other visits when the birds were perched high atop the branches, they were right up at the glass. As we watched them and admired the beauty of the black feathers cloaking their necks and the different shades of pink and varying degrees of baldness; we overheard some things that were not very nice. In fact, they were pretty upsetting to us.
“What ugly buzzards”
“Freaks!”
And my personal favorite …
“Why would anybody want to have this at a zoo?”
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| Dylan having a conversation with the California condors at the San Diego Zoo |
Obviously these people are uneducated and unable to see the beauty of these birds. Rather than put down the California condor for its appearance and the folklore that has given them a bad name, these people should be thankful. Thankful to San Diego Zoo Global for starting the condor breeding program. Thankful that they are able to see a California condor in real life instead of just a picture in a book listing extinct animals.
San Diego Zoo Global stated that the Safari Park has hatched over 170 chicks and released more than 80 birds in the wild. Currently there are now more than 400 condors, more than half of which are flying free in California, Arizona, and Baja California, Mexico. That is a far cry from the 22 California condors in 1982.
A prime example of how together, we can make a difference and bring a species back from the brink of extinction.
To learn more about the California condor and the condor recovery program you can visit the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy Success Stories page.
It has been a little over a month since the last update, but if you have been following along on Facebook or Instagram then you know that on day 66 of the I READ for Wildlife challenge Dylan reached his goal of $500 in sponsors.
This was a great day for Dylan because the hardest part was now done. He had reached his fundraising goal and from here on out all Dylan had to do was continue reading.
Now on his third and final book – the end was in sight. The goal of reading 15 pages per day increased to 20 pages per day. The boy was on a mission and there was no slowing him down.
Today is day 89 of the 100 day challenge and I am happy to report that Dylan has read all 1500 pages of fascinating animal facts.
When I asked Dylan to describe this experience in one word he said … Awesome!
Dylan was able to combine his love of reading with his love of animals and raise $500 for endangered wildlife across the globe.
Dylan and I are so grateful that San Diego Zoo Global asked him to be part of this special team. Not only were we able to test and help improve a program that will launch to the public soon, but we made new friends and were able to share our journey with others. I truly believe that the new I _____ for Wildlife program will be a huge success.
Doing something you love has got to be one of the most rewarding ways to raise awareness and in the end raise money for a wonderful cause. Be sure to check out the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy website and start your own journey … What will you do for wildlife?
I would like to thank everyone who supported Dylan along the way. Whether you gave money and were a sponsor or were one of the many who commented/liked his videos and fascinating animal fact updates on Facebook … he couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you!
Visit our YouTube channel to see more of Dylan’s video clips from his Reading for Wildlife journey.
We enjoyed out first visit so much that we just had to go back to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for a second visit before butterfly jungle fluttered away until next year.
I wouldn’t say our second visit was better or worse than the first, but rather different.
A whole new experience – with some new butterflies not seen before.
More butterfly pictures from our second visit are in my Butterfly Jungle Flickr album.
Some of life’s big events we are prepared for, while others take us by surprise. Not surprised like you didn’t know it was going to happen, but surprised by how the event effected you. I have known that my parents were selling their house for over a year now. This was something that had been talked about over and over.
The house was on the market for almost a year with nothing. Then there was an offer – and the next words that took over the conversations were “in escrow”. Everything seemed to be moving along, yet nothing had really changed. Sure, we had a few garage sales and my mom started cleaning out some closets, but the house still looked and felt the same.
The house where I grew up. Where my tree was planted. Where I was picked up for my first date. Where I spent so many holidays with family.
Anniversary parties, wedding receptions, bridal showers, baby showers, and my son’s 1st birthday were all at this house.
This was the home where I lived when my son was born, the home he came home to from the hospital. The home where he learned to crawl and walk.
Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
So many memories – 30 years worth – were suddenly being packed into boxes. One closet at a time. One room at a time. It was all disappearing before my eyes.
The last week of packing was like a whirlwind. So much to do and so little time. I don’t think it really sank in until the final days when the moving trucks arrived.
On the final day we had one last family dinner together and reminisced about growing up in the house. So many of my favorite sunset pictures were taken from the balcony off my parents bedroom that I had to get a few more pictures.
Looking around at the empty rooms and the boxes was unreal to me. Was this really happening? I felt like I was walking in a dream. In fact, I have felt that way for about a week now. Slowly, day by day, it is sinking in that my childhood home is gone. I drive by it and nobody is there. It’s just an empty house. I won’t be walking through the front doors any more yelling “Hello, I’m here … Mom, where are you?”
So here it is. My last sunset picture from the balcony of my childhood home.
I think it is ironic that the final sunset was filled with dark clouds signifying the end of something. Sadness and emptiness. So many memories in that house. So many memories.
A chapter in my life has closed and it is time to start a new chapter. New schedules, new routines, and new responsibilities. Who knows, maybe it was time for a change … I just wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the familiar life I had known for so many years.
In honor of Lion Week …
#LionWeek is a hashtag on G+ and Twitter to spread awareness for protection of Lions in Africa.
You know spring has arrived when the days are a little brighter, the flowers begin to bloom, and the butterflies arrive at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Imagine being Alice when she first enters Wonderland – this is what you feel like when walking through the doors to Butterfly Jungle.
Suddenly everything around you is alive with beauty and vibrant color.
It is the best kind of sensory overload you can have. The sound of birds overhead, the warm feeling of tropical humidity, the smell of sweet nectar from the flowers, and the abundance of little wings fluttering all around you.
It is truly a magical experience. One that must be experienced again and again.
Aside from the breathtaking beauty, Butterfly Jungle also helps bring awareness to the endangered status of the many species of butterflies.
During our first visit to Butterfly Jungle last week, there were over 30 species of butterflies flittering around the exhibit from four parts of the world; Africa, Asia and Central and South America.
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| Leopard Lacewing Butterfly |
These delicate creatures have a great conservation message. The butterflies come to the Safari Park in the pupa stage via Federal Express overnight delivery from countries like El Salvador, Costa Rica and Columbia.
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| Emerging Box |
The pupae are shipped in small cotton trays, carefully unpacked, and then immediately hung in the emerging boxes where they will emerge within a few days to one week. Since the butterflies are endangered and from outside of the United States, the Safari Park is required to have a special USDA permit allowing them to house the butterflies.
While attending a special social media tweetup, we had the opportunity to learn some fascinating things from butterfly keeper Sara Schmitt. We learned that butterfly farming is a sustainable use of the rain forest in countries like Costa Rica, where the first shipment of 500 butterfly pupae came from. By importing thousands of butterfly pupae every spring, the Safari Park is promoting conservation of rain forest habitat in these countries. Butterfly farming allows farmers to leave their land in its pristine natural form and harvest butterflies as a sustainable occupation.
Butterfly Jungle opened March 16th and runs through April 7th. If you havenot had the chance to go, I highly recommend you plan a visit over Spring Break. Be sure to check out the Safari Park’s Butterfly Jungle web page before you go – there are a variety of activities, butterfly I.D. guide, and contests too! My favorite is the Instagram contest. Just tag your Instagram photos with #ButterflyJungle and you are automatically entered.
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| Zebra Longwing |
We enjoyed Butterfly Jungle so much that we are going back this weekend for one more visit before the exhibit closes on April 7, 2013.
… And this time I won’t forget to buy my butterfly coffee mug 😉
To see more pictures from Butterfly Jungle you can view my album on Flickr.
Have you ever gone in a store with one specific item in mind and walked out with something entirely different? You have? Great, then you will understand exactly what happened to me the other day.
You see, a friend at work told me about a store that had shoes for Dylan, so I ran over there on my lunch break to buy a pair. Well, they didn’t have any in his size. I figured I was already there so I would wander the aisles for a few minutes. As I turned the corner, I saw it.
There it was. Just sitting there.
Staring back at me with those eyes.
Those eyes that said take me home.
Dylan would love this! He has been working so hard over the past few months with his Reading for Wildlife and Cans for Critters fundraisers that I thought this would be the perfect gift. The perfect way to show him how proud I am of him.
The only problem was the size – 5 feet wide and 40 inches tall. I drive a Prius. Will this fit in my car?
If I wait, I just know that someone else will buy it.
The canvas was only $40.
Decisions to make. Justifications to make.
Was it in the budget?
No.
Did it fit in my car?
Barely.
Was it worth it to see the look on his face?
Absolutely!
After a little thought and some rearranging to do this weekend, we have found the perfect wall for our new friend. I think it is only fitting that after our tiger encounter last month, we call her Mek – in honor of our friend who moved to the Fresno Zoo.
Life with Dylan 