Where Have All the Polar Bears Gone? By Cheryl Hanna

Scientists estimate that 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears live in areas in the Northern Hemisphere that are covered by sea ice. Evolving from brown bears, polar bears are the largest of the bear family with males commonly 8 to 9 feet in height and weighing 1320 pounds while the females grow to 6 to 7 feet weighing in at half the amount of their male counterparts. Their pale coloration acts as a camouflage, their outer coats are water repellent and their black skin absorbs warmth while the suction cups on their huge paws help to navigate and steady them on the slippery ice and their carnivorous teeth equip them to rip at the hides of seals, beluga whales and walrus.

Over the past century the temperatures have increased an average of one degree Fahrenheit and scientists conclude that the Arctic has warmed 10 times more. In Alaska the temperatures have risen four to seven degrees Fahrenheit within the past half century, home of two-thirds of the world's polar bears possibly causing the disappearance of them by 2050 as well as the fate of other animals and humans alike.

Five years ago when the polar ice caps had retreated 160 miles, ten polar bears had been observed swimming 60 miles off shore during a violent storm, but after just a few days, when the scientists returned, four of the bears had drowned. A change in their habits, because of the thinning of sea ice which could shrink to half or disappear completely by the end of the century many have determined the fate of those 4 polar bears.

Bears need sea ice to hunt for seals. Seals periodically pop up through breathing holes in the ice. From 1979 to 1981, 87% of the bears were found on ice slabs, but from 1992 to 2004, only 33% were on the ice. During the summer, as the ice melts off, the bears must come ashore and face food shortages before they have had enough time to store enough fat to last until the next winter season. Often they are seen eating dead carcasses. Luckily for the bears, enzymes in their livers let them digest even rotting meat making it unlikely that a polar bear can be poisoned. As ringed seals become more scarce and their offspring numbers greatly reduced, the bears have little choice but to come on land more frequently and hunt caribou. As bears have less food to eat, and they lose weight, females polar bears now weighing as much as 55 pounds less than they did 30 years ago, are also less likely to reproduce.

Skeptics have criticized environmentalists who insist stricter curbs on greenhouse gas emissions most likely are linked to this global warming. Curbs on carbon emissions will have to be monitored more closely, however on May 8, 2009, Internal Secretary Ken Salazar decided to retain a Bush regulation limited the protection of polar bears under the Endangered Species Act. Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska and previous vice presidential candidate lauded Salazar's decision not to further protect the polar bears, however Senator Barbara Boxer, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works criticized the decision.

There are nearly 7 billion people on this planet; climate changes and global warming affects each and every species. If we aren't proactive, there won't be any polar bears left, but that is only a hint of what's to come. The degrading environmental habits of all mankind needs to be addressed so that future generations can marvel at Mother Nature's most expressive art.

Cheryl Hanna is a freelance writer living in South Florida. A passionate horse owner and advocate, Cheryl primarily writes about animals, fashion, and current events. For more information, email cdh732 {at} gmail.com (make replacements as necessary) or visit http://ac4h.com

How to Choose the Best Binoculars For Birding By Bruce Victor

Birding as an activity is very satisfying as it gives you a great way to enjoy the best of the nature. Those small birds perched on the branch of a tree are what we all dream to see and enjoy in all its glory. The main challenge lies in getting to see the bird from close quarters. To overcome that challenge there have been various options that have been invented by the scientists over the last few decades.

On such major invention has been the magnifying glass which in turn has been used successfully to make the binoculars. As far as binoculars are concerned there have been a thousand varieties of binoculars with each having a different specification.

If you are in the market for the birding binoculars then you should know what kind of specifications you are looking for. In fact you should know what specification stands for. There are a few that I would say are more important as far as birding needs are concerned. This is the opposite of a few specifications that you need to look for if you are in the market for the hunting binoculars.

Birding binoculars need one single most quality which is very important and that is the field of view or which is referred to as FOV. This FOV is the span of area that you can see from one end to the other from a distance of 1000 yards.

In a typical birding scenario you would be required to observe the entire area where the birds will fly in and rest. Most of the bird sanctuaries or even their natural habitats are marshy land or dense forests that you just cannot venture into those.

The best way you to then observe them is to use the binoculars with a good field of view from a far distance. The bigger FOV will give you that ability to view the entire area and the gradually focus on a few birds.

Magnification as well as the objective lens is also very important but those for hunting or birding can be either of the 8x42 or 10x42 range.

You will want light binoculars for birding and that will happen if you have an optimum size of the lens. The greater the objective lens means better viewability but heavier binoculars. And if you are selecting the binoculars while you walk into a bird sanctuary then select some light weight binoculars. If you are planning on using a tripod then you can easily go for the heavier binoculars.

The writer is keen hunting person and has advice on hunting binoculars specifications

Endangered Mammals of India By Jolly Mazumdar

India is endowed by some of nature's best gifts. It is a land of rich biodiversity which is unmatched to other regions of world. It is blessed with a tropical rain forest to dry deciduous forests and snowy Himalayas which are embellished with rare wildlife species of world. India has a wide range of mammal species, amphibians, reptiles and birds.

These natural treasures of our country are gradually declining in population. They are at an immediate risk of extinction due to deforestation, urbanization, habitat destruction, paucity of prey, poaching and changing environmental scenario. In the year 2004, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has classified the wildlife species of India under four main categories such as the Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU) and Threatened.

Endangered species can be defined as those which are less in number and are on the verge of extinction. Such species need special protection for their survival.

Some of the endangered species of India are as follows:

Asiatic Lion:

Asiatic lions are famously called as the "Lord of Beasts". Asiatic lion(Panthera leo persica) is one of the seven sub- species of Lion. Their sole habitat in India is the Gir national park of Gujrat. They are slightly smaller in size from their African cousin. Their population has drastically reduced mainly due to excessive hunting, scarcity of prey, pollution of water at their natural habitat.

Royal Bengal Tiger:

The Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris ) is the second largest sub-species of Tiger. It is the national animal of India. According to the Government of India's National Tiger Conservation Authority, India has a population of 1,411 Royal tigers. Their main habitat are grasslands, subtropical and tropical rain forests, scrub forests, wet and dry deciduous forests,and mangrove forest. They are mostly found in the Sunderban national park of West Bengal. They are under the constant threat of extinction due to reduction of natural habitat, paucity of prey and poaching for their beautiful skin.

Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros:

The tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas are the main abode of the Indian One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) . They are mostly found in the Kaziranga, having a population not more than 1200 , Manas and Orang national park of Assam. Even in two reserve forests of Assam such as Pobitora reserve forest (having the highest Indian rhino density in the world) and Laokhowa reserve forest. The One horned rhinoceros are hunted mostly for their horn.

Indian Elephant:

The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) are one of the subspecies of the Asiatic elephant. Indian Elephants looks like the African elephants but have short tusk and ears. They are considered as an endangered species and their total strength in India ranges from 20,000 to 25, 000. They live in or near scrub-forested areas in the terai region of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Karnataka. Although they have a tendency to change their habitat because they are nomadic in nature. They are in danger due to excessive poaching for the ivory of their tusks, loss of habitat and loss of genetic diversity.

Snow Leopard:

The snow leopards (Uncea uncea) are found in areas with an altitude of above 3200 m (10,500 feet) in the Himalayan regions of North India such as Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and the North Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. These animals are hunted for their beautiful fur and its bones are used in oriental medicines. They are also killed as they are considered as the predators of the live stocks.

Wild Water Buffalo:

The wild water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is a bovine animal. These are one of the endangered species of India and their total strength is assumed to be only 4000. They are mainly found in Assam's Kaziranga national park and Chattisgarh. At time, you could also locate them at some of the sites of Meghalaya and Maharashtra. They are in danger due to cross breeding with the domestic buffaloes and the destruction of their natural habitat.

Hoolock Gibbon:

Hoolock gibbon ( Bunopithecus hoolock) are the only ape found in India. They are also called as the White Browed Gibbon because of their white brows. Their main habitats includes tropical evergreen forest, semi and sub tropical forests and mountain forests. They are mostly found in the Kaziranga National Park, Assam and Manas wildlife sanctuaries and the Borajan reserve forest and in the Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland. They are under threat due to hunting for their flesh, jhum ( shifting and burning) cultivation, and timber cutting.

Ganges River Dolphin:

In India, the river dolphins (Platanista gangetica) are found in the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. It is an aquatic mammal. In Ganges region they are commonly known as "Susu" whereas in Brahmaputra region they are called as "Hihu". These are also an endangered species with only 2000 river dolphins estimated in India. The major reasons behind their decrease in population are fishing (gillnetting), poaching, damming (Farakka barrage) in Ganges and other dams, sand mining (in Kulsi river of Assam) deforestation and oil extraction. ( Their oil are used as medicine for rheumatism and for the preparation of bait for the catfishes, Clupisoma garua.)

For more information on endangered species of India, log into
http://www.ecoindia.com

Doves and Pigeons - Problems at Bird Feeders By Thomas Hays

We are often asked by our customers what can be done about the large flocks of pigeons or doves which come in and wipe out the seed at their bird feeding stations. These birds are much larger in size than most feeder birds and they tend to travel to feeding stations in large numbers. We often have flocks of up to 80 Mourning Doves at our own station during the winter. These birds do not crack or hull their seeds like most other birds. They eat them whole and can eat large amounts in a very short time. Their size, coupled with their feeding habits can certainly make pigeons and doves a big problem at bird feeders.

As large a problem as they are, there are ways to avoid feeding large flocks of pigeons and doves. These birds tend to like certain seeds including white proso millet, milo, oats and cracked corn. By using seed mixes with smaller amounts or none of these seeds you will be helping to discourage them. Pigeons and doves like to feed on the ground or on platform or flat bird feeders. Placing your seed mixture in a tube type bird feeder with short (under 2 inch) perches will deter large numbers of these birds from eating all of your food. Depending on which species of birds you do wish to attract to your feeding station, feeding specialty foods in specialty feeders will also help. Many of the finches (Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Redpolls, House Finches, Purple Finches etc.) are attracted to thistle or Nyjer seed bird feeders. Most often, these feeders do not have perches and the smaller birds simply cling to the sides of the feeder to eat. The feet of doves and pigeons are not made for this type of perching and most will have trouble holding on long enough to feed. There are also specialty feeders for sunflower seed and peanuts available. These also cater to the clinging birds instead of pigeons and doves. We also provide peanut butter, grape jelly and fruit for over 40 species of birds in a recycled oriole feeder and have never observed a pigeon or dove at it. If you suspend your suet bird feeders from a wire or branch and use a tail prop type suet feeder, you will also deter these birds as they have trouble getting a foothold on the feeder. Each of these foods draws its own group of more desirable backyard birds and each limits the availability of food for the large flocks of pigeons and doves.

At our feeding station we love our quail. Unfortunately, the quail have the same feeding habits as the the doves so we end up feeding both. The doves just seem to be a necessary evil with us. If you do not wish to feed large flocks of pigeons and doves you can use the above ideas to enhance your backyard bird feeding experience.

After 35 years as a professional ornithologist and bird bander Thomas Hays now assists others in developing bird and wildlife friendly habitats in their own back yards. Visit me at http://tomsbirdfeeders.com/ to see how I can help you formulate a backyard habitat for the birds in your area. Visit our website for more helpful hints on attracting birds and wildlife to your property.

Whistler Wildlife By Devon O'Malley

With such a profusion of diverse terrain and ecological zones, it is no wonder that many animal species reside in Whistler's vast landscape. From bears, beavers and birds to otters, squirrels and pikas; Whistler is home to an array of critters and crawlers. Summer is mainly the season where these animals can be spotted; this article reveals some of the wildlife inhabitants you may see in Whistler and will give you a little more information about their natural habitat.

Black Bears

The most famed resident of the Whistler woods is the Black Bear. Bears are abundant in the region, approximately eight black bear families are living in Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain alone. Black Bears are omnivores who diet usually consists of plants, meat and insects. Only 10-15% of their diet consists of animal matter, most of their food comes from herbs, nuts and berries. Whistler's natural ecology allows for an abundance of food for black bears and efforts are in progress to increase provisions by sowing bear friendly foliage on ski runs. Black bears also prefer to nest in forested and shrubby areas during the summer and for hibernation in the winter, the Whistler environment is also thus an ideal area for them to settle.

Marmots

Another famous Whistler wildlife inhabitant is the Marmot. Known to live in mountainous areas high up in the alpine, marmots looks a lot like a like giant squirrels. Ironically, the marmot is widely referred to as "Whistler's" because of their characteristic loud warning whistling. These critters are extremely social and also use whistles to communicate with one another. Whistler is also an ideal ecological zone for a marmot diet as they feed primarily on grass, berries, lichens, mosses, roots and flowers. The marmots hibernate in the winter, so the best time to spot them is in the spring and summer time!

Pikas

Pikas, close relative of rabbits, are small chinchilla-like animals that reside primarily in cold climates such as Whistler's. Pikas favour rocky mountain sides as there are many small crevices for them to take shelter in. Since these animals are herbivores, Whistler provides then with a large variety of plant matter to feed on. Unlike the marmots and black bears, Pikas do no hibernate; they rely on bits and pieces of collected hay for warm bedding and nourishment. The best time to spot a Pika is in the fall as they are most active just before the winter season, this may be because they are collecting to store for the winter.

Devon O' Malley is a staff writer for Allura Direct, a vacation rentals website offering powerful search and instant booking features for owners and guests alike. Discover Black Bears, Marmots, Pikas and more Whistler wildlife this summer and book your Whistler vacation rentals today!

Bird Feeders - Correct Placement For Cardinals By Peter Hurley

To encourage Northern Cardinals, sometimes named Red Birds, to feed and remain around your home, setting up a small sized fly through feeder near any good source of cover will work perfectly. It is the protective cover of good dense vegetation that is key to holding cardinals. At my home, I have allowed a large bramble to grow out of control specifically for the birds and it now covers about 400 square feet in the middle of the yard. Fortunately, my wife loves the birds too and approves of the big bramble. In the wintertime it is common to have 6 to 12 pairs of mated cardinals enjoying the protective cover of the bramble. From their protected haven, a small pole mounted fly through feeder is just twenty feet away. Although there are several other feeders located within easy reach of the bramble, the fly through is used in turn all day long by each of the cardinals.

If you do not have or do not wish to have a big messy bramble in your yard, set up a good cardinal feeder close to any kind of vegetative cover. It can be as simple as a large bush or close to a grove of trees. Any type of cover will attract and hold cardinals. The more there is, the dense it is, the messier it is, the better. As in my own case, there is nothing more picturesque than the bramble covered in fresh snow dotted with the beauty of our ever loved Red Birds. Seek good cover for your bird feeder and the cardinals will follow soon.

Peter Hurley has been an active nature lover and wildlife enthusiast his entire life and is the owner of The Hurley-Byrd Bird Feeder Co. His vast experience with wildlife has led him to produce some of the finest bird, deer and wildlife feeders in the world.

Visit http://www.hurleybyrd.com/FlyThroughFeeders.html for more information regarding the Northern Cardinal and how to feed this beautiful bird. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to visit Hurley-Byrd's site and write Mr. Hurley directly. You are also welcome to view some beautiful photos of birds, deer and other creatures from around the country.

Attracting Cardinals to Bird Feeders - Which Feeder is Best? By Peter Hurley

Attracting Northern Cardinals, typically referred to as just Cardinals or Red Birds, to a bird feeder is fairly simple. Considering they reside in the eastern half of the US, this is a popular feeder bird. But, attracting and holding them requires a correctly styled feeder sized appropriately to enhance your success rate of feeding this lovely bird.

We are often asked what feeder is best for Cardinals? Of the feeders we produce, hands down the fly-through is the best choice. Any open platform style feeder placed on the ground, pole mounted or hung from a hanging rope will attract this beautiful bird. Since cardinals are relatively clumsy birds in comparison to others like Chickadees and Nuthatches, they prefer a feeder with an open, flat landing platform. Hence, any open platform feeder will work but the fly through style feeder is positively the most preferred choice.

Fly through bird feeders come is an array of sizes. In essence, they are an open platform feeder with a protective roof typically supported by a set of vertical sides. Any good fly through feeder will work well for cardinals but they tend to gravitate to smaller sized feeders. I personally believe they gain a sense of security in a more confined feeding space. A feeder having a short roof height and vertical roof supports placed close together produces this more confined area. Any wild animal which feels secure in its feeding area will remain in that location and this is what we as birders desire.

Since the cardinal is always the first bird to arrive in the morning and the last to feed before dark, setting up a feeder targeting them is a very worthy endeavor. Their early and late feeding habits will add that much more enjoyment to your birding world and I highly recommend making the effort to attract and hold these beautiful birds within your own yard.

Peter Hurley has been an active nature lover and wildlife enthusiast his entire life and is the owner of The Hurley-Byrd Bird Feeder Co. His vast experience with wildlife has led him to produce some of the finest bird, deer and wildlife feeders in the world.

Visit http://www.hurleybyrd.com/FlyThroughFeeders.html for more information regarding the Northern Cardinal and how to feed this beautiful bird. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to visit Hurley-Byrd's site and write Mr. Hurley directly. You are also welcome to view some beautiful photos of birds, deer and other creatures from around the country.

Lion Conservation at Shamwari Game Reserve By Mark Bottell

Predators Under Threat

Former rulers of the land, African lions are now a dwindling population. With a decrease in numbers by as much as 70% over the last decade, this predator population is on a slippery slope towards eventual extinction. The total lion population for the entire African continent has dropped to 16,500 with the ever increasing human population resulting in fewer available habitat areas for big game, along with a decrease in animals for the lions to prey on.

Humans are also responsible for the number of lions lost as a result of trophy hunting. Each year, about 600 adult lions are legally killed by hunters, a figure demanding urgent attention. Lions now need conservation volunteers to steer some energy in their direction, as their position on the African continent becomes more fragile.

Shamwari's Conservation Efforts

Shamwari Game Reserve is situated just outside Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The reserve is fortunate enough to play host to all the members of the Big 5 - lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. This is one of the few remaining places where the animals can be viewed in their natural environment. It's great for tourists too, because the area is malaria free, so conservation volunteers and holidaymakers can enjoy the environment in safety.

The lions live as they would in the wild, where they prey on smaller animals for food and have free run of the reserve. Part of the job of running the reserve is ensuring that these predators have enough game on which to feed, while still making it necessary for them to hunt for their food.

Shamwari Reserve is dedicated to wildlife conservation. The aim of the reserve's wildlife project is to manage, develop and rehabilitate the environment, creating a sustainable ecosystem in which both animal and plant life can flourish. To this end, the reserve has opened its doors to conservation volunteers, where you could spend some time working with the lions themselves.

Calling for Volunteers

A different way to spend a month or two off work is to travel to South Africa and work with lions. Shamwari Reserve allows volunteers to come and work with the rangers, ecologists, veterinarians and zoologists to help preserve the endangered wildlife. The conservation volunteers help with counting the game, maintaining the reserve, monitoring the animals and patrolling the fences. You really have the opportunity to get involved with the running of the reserve, and to make a difference in preservation of the environment, as well to experience these majestic creatures up close.

Conservation Across the Continent

With conservation volunteers working hard across Africa, many projects have been put into action already. The aim of conservationists is to cultivate lion populations in protected environments, and work towards preventing further damage caused by humans to the already depleted lion populations. From working with lions at the Shamwari Game Reserve, to helping to fund this wildlife conservation cause, plans need to be made to prevent the lion population from decreasing any further.

Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks working with animals at Shamwari Game Reserve and other projects in and around South Africa including gap years for grown-ups.

Coyote Facts By Kevin L Webster

(Canis latrans)

In this article on coyote facts I am going to cover as many facts as possible for you. Coyotes have fascinated me for over 20 years and I have studied them fairly extensively.

Full grown coyotes weigh from 20 to 50 pounds. They measure from 58 to 64 inches long from the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail. Their tail itself usually measures 12 to 16 inches.

Coyotes can live to the ripe old age of 14 years. It is also believed that the population of coyotes in North America is at an all time high.

I don't believe that is the case here in NW Missouri where I live. I can remember as a teenager seeing and hearing coyotes almost on a daily basis on our farm. I do however think the population here is growing once again.

A few years ago I can remember nearly every coyote I called or trapped had mange. I think mange was responsible mainly here for the past 10 year decline in population.

Coyotes are omnivores. Their diet consists of rabbits, fish, frogs, berries and other fruit, deer, snakes, insects, and grass. They have even been known to kill lambs, calves, and small pets.

Coyotes have an exception sense of smell. 100 times better than a human. They also have keen eyesight.

Female coyotes give birth to as few as two, and up to a dozen pups in the spring. Both male and female will protect the pups and their territory. The pups can hunt on their own by fall.

Coyotes can run up to 40 miles an hour.

I know this article will be read by many from both sides of the animal rights world. I am going to tell you right up front that I love coyotes...and I hunt coyotes. Now I don't expect anyone to agree with hunting coyotes. In my opinion, those that disagree with it simply do not have all the facts they need to make an in formed decision. So I am going to list a fact here which is reason enough for me to hunt them and do my part to keep their population in check.

When coyotes become over populated in an area they start venturing to urban communities. They kill pets and they attack small children if left unattended. I just finished reading an article yesterday of a coyote attacking 2 small children in Oregon State. Coyotes fault? No, it's just instinct to them. But the fact that coyotes have become so overpopulated in that area that they are being forced to search for new territory (which in this case includes towns) is reason enough to thin the population there in my opinion.

Kevin Webster is an avid outdoorsman with over 20 years experience hunting coyotes and predators of all kinds. For more Coyote Facts as well as other predator hunting tips and techniques visit his blog at: http://coyotecalling.blogspot.com