Poaching is a serious and growing concern all across the African continent that affects the survival of not only individual animals but entire populations. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy serves as a refuge for elephants, endangered black rhinos, Grevy’s zebra and multitudes of other species.
In Kenya, innovative technology is being used to help track elephants by cell phone, which due to the intersecting living spaces of humans and animals, helps to minimize conflict between locals and these amazing, yet potentially dangerous animals.
As India's population explodes, intense pressure is placed on the rainforests of the Western Ghats, potentially putting the magnificent King Cobra in danger. This area is one of only 34 global "biodiversity hotspots" left on earth and a new program through the University of Arizona has taken on the mission of protecting this splendid species. They’re working to establish the first-ever protected area set aside for snakes.
Only one breed of bear calls the dense jungles of South America home – the Spectacled Bear. These shy creatures are rarely seen and have become listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. Although population data is sketchy, some estimates suggest that fewer than 3,000 spectacled bears may remain in the wild today. The reasons for their disappearance are many – poaching, destruction of their habitat, and being killed by farmers as agricultural pests.
The formal-looking Penguin has captured the public’s attention for ages, but now this beloved species is a facing a growing problem. Since the end of November 2010 a growing number of African Penguin chicks have been abandoned and are in need of urgent help.
Meet Clyde….not the silly sea lion that you’re all familiar with, but Clyde the Asian water monitor (also known as a Malayan water monitor). You can see him at SeaWorld San Diego’s Animal Connections, where trainers occasionally walk him around for guests to meet up-close.
Deep in the forests of Vietnam, an amazing array of diverse wildlife –Asian elephants, gibbons, langurs, wild cattle, and deer – roam freely. While this area (The Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve) is supposed to provide a safe haven for many endangered species - it seems that illegal hunting and trade still remain a big problem.
Today was our biggest event - we had almost 400 students in this school alone. It was Conservation Day and they took it very seriously. There was a parade with a band, cheerleaders, and an overall excitement from the whole community. Prepping juice boxes, snacks and prizes for all the different contests was challenging - we had to make a few trips from the hotel just to get everything there - luckily, it was the closest school we visited.
Today was a day filled with unforgettable moments! Upon returning to the Wild Life Refuge of Chacocente after another successful school visit, we were greeted by the site of hundreds of sea turtle hatchlings! The park rangers had collected them in bins with warm sand in order to protect them from predators. They planned to bring them back to the refuge that evening and release them. I was invited to come along - but in the meantime, I was so excited – I just wanted to play with every single one of them!
By Anthony Armenia
