Extinction is FOREVER!

Throughout recorded history a cheetah pelt was a badge of wealth for its human owner. The animal was killed for its skin by some and captured for its hunting skills by others. But most recently, human excess is probably the major factor dramatically pushing the cheetah toward extinction. As human populations disproportionately increase in size other species are "squeezed out" - their living space becomes more limited as does their food supply. Many animals feel the pinch and are at great risk of disappearing forever. In 1900 there were only about 100,000 cheetah worldwide - present estimates place their number at 10 to 15 thousand with about 1/10 of those living in captivity. Namibia has the largest population of wild cheetah - about 2500. Smaller populations exist in Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania while 19 other countries have even fewer.

info from here.

The manatee population was probably more abundant in the 18th or 19th century than today. Initial population decreases probably resulted from overharvesting for meat, oil, and leather. Today, hunting is prohibited and is not considered a problem, although there is an occasional incidence of poaching. Heavy mortality does occur, however, from accidental collisions with boats and barges, and from canal lock operations. Manatee population trends are poorly known, but deaths have increased steadily (6.1 percent a year, exponential regression, 1976 to 1991). Mortalities from collisions with watercraft are up 10.3 percent a year from 21 percent of all deaths in 1976 to 1980 to 29 percent in 1986 to 1991. Deaths of dependent calves are up 12 percent a year from 14 to 24 percent of all deaths. The combination of high mortality rates and low reproductive rates have led to serious doubts about the species' ability to survive in the United States.

info from here.

The Florida panther (Felis concolor coryi), like most other endangered species, is threatened by a number of problems. Habitat loss or fragmentation, environmental contaminants, automobile collisions, reduced prey availability, and human disturbance have all taken a toll. Many scientists also believe that the panther likely suffers from a compromised immune system. But perhaps the most serious threat to the Florida panther is that of genetic viability.

Reduced to a single population of 30-50 adults, the Florida panther has been isolated from genetic interchange with other populations for a century or longer. Biologists believe that close inbreeding and erosion of the gene pool account for such medical problems as reduced fertility, cardiac abnormalities, and infectious diseases in the Florida panther population.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) approved the first recovery plan for this severely endangered animal in 1981. That same year, the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission launched a radio-tracking effort with FWS funding. Panther recovery activities initially were directed toward 1) protecting and enhancing the remaining animals and habitats and 2) research on biological, demographic, and genetic data needed to carry out the recovery program. A significant boost in the recovery effort came in 1986 with formation of the Florida Panther Interagency Committee, which coordinates recovery activities among the various Federal and State agencies cooperating in the effort. The recovery plan was revised in 1987 and again in early 1995 to incorporate genetic restoration as part of the recovery program.

By early 1989, biologists had captured and radio-collared 29 panthers, enough to provide the data needed for a population viability analysis. That year, at a 1989 workshop sponsored by the FWS, computer-modeled demographic projections indicated that 1) the panther population was continuing to decline, 2) the population was losing genetic diversity at a rate of 3-7 percent each generation, 3) genetic diversity would continue to erode even if the population was stabilized, and 4) a reduction in fitness may have already occurred as reflected in the high incidence of infertility. The conclusion was that, under existing demographic and genetic conditions, the Florida panther would likely become extinct in 25-40 years..

info from here.

What can YOU do?
I'm Glad you asked!

Sign this petition to help get more funding for our National Parks!!
Sign here

And/or sign this one to help protect the Grey Wolf
Save Wolves

Sign this one to protect the Dolphins from the tuna fishermen
Save Dolphins

AND:
Track Down Dolphin-Deadly Tuna
Canned tuna from Mexico's largest cannery, which purchases tuna caught with dolphin-harming nets, has slipped into the United States with an "Amigo del Delfin" (dolphin friendly) label. That's illegal in the U.S., and we need your help to stop it.
The tuna is sold under the "Dolores" brand in supermarkets from California to Chicago to Washington, D.C. -- see photo below. If you spot one of these cans of dolphin-deadly tuna, contact Defenders at denlines@den.defenders.org immediately.

Here Are More Petitions

Stop Canned Hunts

Save Humpbacks from Japan

Trophy hunter shouldn't head U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service




Did you know?

By using pesticides and fertilizers on our lawns and gardens, we are responsible for almost 10 percent of our common water pollution. Pesticides are poisons designed to ward off pests. Unfortunately, pesticides also harm beneficial insects, fish, and birds. Run off from chemical fertilizers and pesticides soaks into groundwater and washes into streams, lakes, and oceans. This can kill whole lakes and ponds as well as all the wildlife and fish that depend on these water sources. Instead
of harmful pesticides, cultivating natural predators such as Praying Mantis, Ladybugs, and Green Lacewings are much better in my own humble opinion!!!!!!!!!

Click Here for an article from Care2.com you may find interesting.

Helpful Tips

Throw aways like old pantyhose can be used to tie tall flowers, or climbing vines (or veggies) to stakes or trellises.
Newspapers can be used to eliminate the worst gardening task of all ~ weeding. Place 6 layers of newspaper on the ground between plants and cover with a thin layer of dirt or shredded bark. The papers will rot by the end of season providing compost and no weeds will survive.
Dig coffee grounds, tea bags, and eggshells into the ground around Roses, Azaleas, and rhododendrons to acidify the soil.

* I got these Gardening tips from Flower Gardens magizine.

   Butterfly Gardens   

Attracting butterflies to your garden is really very simple! But beware if you've employed a Mantis as your pest control...they eat flutterbyes! (yeah, I said flutterbyes)

Sunny gardens attract the most butterflies.   

Important details to consider are sunny locations for basking, shelter from wind and rain and sources of fresh water. Mud or sand puddles are used by adult male butterflies to obtain essential salts needed for reproduction.

Pesticides harm butterflies, so avoid using them in a butterfly garden!

Choose plants that will bloom at different times throughout the season. Try experimenting with a variety of plants that appeal to different species.

Nectar plants provide food for a variety of adult butterflies, while different host plants(which supply catepillars with food)attract specific species. Keep in mind that nectar plants may serve as host plants to some species.

Most caterpillars feed only on specific types of host plants, so female adult butterflies deposit their eggs only on those plants their offspring will eat.

Butterflies need rocks for basking in the sun and also to provide shallow crevises to catch rain water which they can drink from without drowning.

    Nectar plants

Milkweed         Gayfeather        Ironweed
Aster       Bee Balm        Verbena
Butterfly Bush        Zinnia         French Marigold
Button Bush        Phlox       Goldenrods
Sweet Pepperbush        Black-eyed Susan        Purple Coneflower
Mountian Mint       Joe-Pye Weed       Rhododendren

Host Plants   

Snapdragon       Aster       Fennel
Milkweed        Mustard       Turtlehead
Thistles        Alfalfa       Catfoot
Pussytoes        Willow       Wild Black Cherry
Sassafras       Stinging Nettle        Violets

I got this helpful information from HERE.

Container Gardens

If it grows in the ground, it probably will florish in a hanging basket, clay pot, window box,or whatever you have on hand. Everything from old wheelbarrows and tin cans to tea cups and baskets can make a groovy growing receptacle!!
The secrets to growing robust plants in containers are good drainage, plenty of water and the right amount of light! * and it wouldn't hurt if you talk (out loud) to them or sing to them!! Excessive heat, lack of moisture, wind, and sun all cause plants to dry out. To control this situation water your plants frequently, but be careful not to overwater, and keep them properly shaded.
Always use containers that have a drainage hole in the bottom. Water-tight pots are hard to care for properly: water tends to collect in the bottom of the pot and injure the plants roots.
When roots of a plant fill the container(sometimes called root-bound) the plant stops growing. For the plant to resume vigorous growth it must be repotted in a larger container with fresh soil. If the plant is as large as you would like it to be instead of repotting it, remove some soil from the top of the pot and replace it with fresh soil at least once a year.
One way to keep plants moist is to bury a wick in the soil that comes through the pots bottom hole and rests in a bed of water. Or place pots in a water tub until they drink up enough water to moisten the soil completely. Avoid overwatering!! Some plants do best if soil is allowed to dry moderately between waterings.
Don't forget to feed your plants! Indoor and outdoor plants both need to be fed regularly. There are many different products available to feed you plants...water soluable fertilizers, spikes, granulars....etc... find the one that is best for you and your plants! Osmacote granular is what we use at the Nursery for a 3 month feed and Miracle gro water soluable for monthly feeding.
Plants that are grown indoors during the Winter months can be moved outdoors for the summer. Be mindful of how much direct sun light they can take. Plants kept outside need more frequent watering than those kept indoors. (or more than they did when they were indoors.) For those with yards, to maintain plants through the summer with a minium of care, sink the pots in the ground up to their rims. Lift or twist the pots once a month to prevent the roots from growing through the drainage hole.

I got some of this information from Gardening magizine, and some of it is personal experience.

You're probably wondering why I'm giving you gardening tips on a Save Us page. Well, Plants and gardens of all shapes and sizes offer food and shelter to a variety of animals. (AND Faeries!!) They also beautify the area, and provide oxygen for us to breathe. Plus I love plants and they needed a little attention! Save the plants too! ~giggle~

More than 50% of American bat species are in severe decline or already listed as endangered. Losses are occurring at alarming rates worldwide.
~ Excerpt taken From here.

Make Your Own Bat Box

Adapted from The Blooming Lawn, Creating a Flower Meadow, by Yvette Verner.

Bats are so threatened by toxic insecticides that they need all the help they can get. A bat box can be made from untreated, preferably rough-sawn timber.

Simple Solution:
Directions for Making a Bat Box