Lion Eating a Tourist in Angola.

Dog Muzzle.

Fuente: El Veterinario en Casa; Mathew Hoffman.

NESTLÉ gives a Rest to the Orang-Outangs.

Last drop pumping up of a bottle.

Task for the Secretary of Ecology of the Mexican Government.

PETA... what you think?

Via: Online Schools

The Day of the Earth.

In this Day of the Earth and what better homage than to learn to recycle one of the most wonderful elements created by the man. The periodic paper. YES, that same one that serves to the malefactors as  the films hide-and-seek to them it's weapon, and that same that mature the fruits magically in a matter of hours. It is very easy to recycle it and of step to contribute a little to our Earth, that needs as much it.

THE IDEAL GIFT TO SURPRISE. It does not concern which is the occasion, always each section of the newspapercan serve to surround a special gift, for example: for a boy the comic strips, a young person the musical section or of cinema, for an adult the sports and an executive economic section.

THE MESS ATTENDANT. The heat that emanates the periodic paper is ideal... to surround the fruits and vegetables, and thus to help them to that they mature and they reach its ideal state quickly.

THE PROTECTOR OF THE ACCSESSORIES. If we kept fillings the purses (portfolios) with periodic paper, these accessories will conserve the original form and the leather not it will break and damage with time.

THE PROFESOR OF THE CHILDREN. In the newspaper we found printed all the necessary typographies and images so that the children can trim, beat and to remove excellent note in all tasks.

THE CUPID OF THE LOVE. Pretty flowers to cover in periodic paper, give a romantic and very original touch him that wants to surprise with this charmer and natural gift.

THE ALLY OF THE CLEANING. In order to clean to the surfaces and the glass windows, there is no a better material than the periodic paper, at the time of removing brightness and to want to leave all impeccable one.

THE TERROR OF THE MASCOTS AND THE TINY BEASTS. The newspaper is the best bat against the annoying rockets and an impeccable educator of the mascots. On the one hand mascots learn to make their needs in these leaves, and on the other, when producing as much noise, the animal obey instructions of its master with greater facility.

THE PROTECTOR OF THE FRAGILE PIECES. When the change begins, the periodic paper is the protagonist at the time of transporting the glasswork, the set of dishes and all those sensible elements to the blows.

Another uses of the periodic paper.

- To make little paper boat and hats of painter.

- To make maché paper.

- To protect the floor of the oil of the automobile.

- To help to set the fire in the grill.

- To protect all the home at the time of painting.

- To camouflage themselves and not to let themselves see.

- To put floor to the cages of the small birds.

- To make level the legs of the unstable furniture.

- To enlarge the shoes.

- For which it turns it to the magician into container and it disappears the water.

- For which the malefactors in the films hide the weapon.

- To make molds of fashion.

- To gather sweepings with he sweeps.

- To make small balls and to play dunk.

AND TO INQUIRE ON A DAILY BASIS THAN IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD!

Buying a puppy or a dog.

Here are many important things to consider when purchasing or to adopt a puppy dog, I give you the principal to help you find your new best friend.

Before buying a puppy or a dog, ask yourself:
    * Can I afford to have a dog, taking into account not only the initial cost of purchasing the dog, but also the ongoing expenses       such as food, veterinary fees and medecines?. For this, you do a calculation for dog can cost!.
    * Can I make a lifelong commitment to a dog? - A dog’s average life span is 12-15 years.
    * Is my home big enough to house a dog?
    * Do I really want to exercise a dog every day?
    * Will there be someone at home for a dog? - dogs get lonely just like humans.
    * Will I find time to train, groom and generally care for a dog?
    * Will I be able to answer YES to these questions every day of the year?

If you have answered ‘no’ to any of the above, you should think again before buying a dog.
If you have been able to answer ‘yes’ to all the questions you can follow the steps below to assist you in finding your perfect companion.

BUYING

Finding the right dog breeder.
When sourcing a healthy pedigree puppy it is the breeder that is the most important consideration - buying a pedigree dog should not be done ‘on the cheap’ nor should it come from a disreputable source. By going to a responsible dog breeder you stand the best chance of getting a dog that will enjoy a happy and healthy life.

What to expect from a breeder.

    * The breeder should give you the opportunity to see the puppy with its mother and the rest of litter. This is very important       because it will not only give you an opportunity to see the temperament of the mother, but may also give you an idea of       the future characteristics and size of the puppy.
    * Have the opportunity to see all the puppies and be able to handle them, rather than just seeing the puppy being offered to        you.

Where NOT to buy a puppy or a dog.

Never go to a pet shop as their breeding stock may have come from puppy farmers – breeders out to make a quick profit often at the expense of the health and welfare of the puppies.

Puppy farms, puppy dealers and pet shops.

Puppy farms are like factory farms where dogs are bred purely for profit.  The dogs are normally bred too often, many are unhealthy, and often live in unbearably poor conditions.  The puppies are generally removed from their mothers far too early and sent by rail or van to ‘dealers’ or pet shops in the big cities to satisfy the public’s demands.  Many are severely traumatised by the transition, and some do not make it alive.  Do not buy a puppy or a dog from these sources, as they will have had the worst possible start in life, and are far more likely to have health and temperament problems.

A pedigree in itself, is not necessarily an indication of quality ‘Dealers’ are agents for puppy farms.  They buy puppies and sell them on, advertising them in newspapers and magazines, often masquerading as breeders.  If an advert lists more than one breed of puppy for sale, then the person placing it is probably a dealer (but not always).  Ask if you can see the mother with the puppies, and if they make an excuse about why the mother cannot be seen, do not buy a puppy from them.  Never buy a dog from the back of a van at a motorway service station or from an airport car park, as this is how many dealers operate.

Do not buy a puppy or a dog from a pet shop as it is likely to have originated from a puppy farm.
Good breeders would never sell their puppies via a pet shop, despite what you may be told.

CHOOSING A RESCUE DOG

Consider giving a home to a rescue dog as long as you are prepared to put in extra work if it is needed but it can be an immensely rewarding experience.  Do not consider adopting a rescue dog if you have a busy life, or very young children, as they often need special care and the people re-homing it can give you a full history.

Considerations for a Rescue Dog.

Rescued dogs are usually more than six months old, are housetrained, and mainly past the ‘chewing-everything’ stage, they are normally happy to be placed in a loving home. Many have been precipitously uprooted from a loving family by some misfortune, and some have been abused or neglected and need lots of patience and care, to get past the trauma in their short lives.

Rescue dogs may be neutered, and should be vaccinated and at least relatively healthy before purchase. A dog on medication for an ear infection or arthritis can easily go to a new home; a dog with heartworm or an active respiratory or intestinal infection should stay put until the disease is cured to avoid the stress of relocation while under treatment.

Most rescue dogs have had at least one home and sometimes many homes. They may come with behavioural ‘baggage’ and some problems due to the fact that they may have been rejected at least once and, in some cases, a number of times.

Some will have been in kennels or the rescue centre for some considerable time. This will have an effect on dogs, especially those that are normally used to family life and constant attention. The dog may have been put in a rescue centre because of behavioural problems, which could include toileting indoors, excessive barking, destructive tendencies etc.

The initial adjustment can be difficult as the dog may need to learn to trust again or even for the first time. Separation anxiety, fear of noises, and attempts to run away are common. But once past the first few months, when the dog learns to depend on the kindness of his new owners, then the bond is forged.

Rescue Societies.

Rescue societies come in all shapes and sizes and with a variety of policies. Some rescue groups have no facilities to keep dogs; they make referrals from the current owners to potential adopters. Others have foster homes – particularly with people who know the breed well.

All try to help owners find new homes for their dogs, give advice for solving problems, maintain a list of available dogs, and screen potential owners. Most rescue organisations are anxious to place dogs in good homes.

Good rescuers try to match each applicant with an appropriate dog. They know if a particular dog likes children, can get along with other pets, needs lots of exercise, plays rough, is easy to train, is afraid of adults, jumps fences and so on.  They cannot make a good match if they don't ask questions about the type of home the adopter will provide. So be prepared for the following types of questions:

    * Why do you want this breed?
    * Do you have enough time and energy for a Border Collie (or a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Labrador Retriever etc?
    * Do you have a fenced garden?
    * Do you plan to walk the dog a mile or more every day?
    * Will the dog live indoors or outside?
    * Do you have children? How old?
    * Do you have other pets?
    * Do you plan to visit your vet at least once a year?

KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CHOOSING A DOG

Male or Female, Puppy or Adult

This depends on many things.  Discuss your options with experienced dog owners, your prospective veterinary surgeon and breeders from whom you may consider purchasing a puppy (who will be informative but might be hugely biased!), and those involved with rescue organisations (who are normally grittily realistic).  These people will usually be happy to share their experiences and opinions with you, and should give you a good range of opinions to consider.

Please read the information given below to help you with your choice:

Size.

Does your choice of dog, in relation to its size, suit your home, car, children and exercise plans, and suit friends or family that might look after it during the holidays?  Large dogs generally have a shorter life span, and cost more to feed, kennel, insure and medically treat than smaller ones.

Coat length and type.

Do you mind spending hours grooming and cleaning your dog and your house, or do you want a low-maintenance breed?  Some dog breeds have a strong smell; others dribble a great deal!  Can you live with these things?

Health.

There are no naturally unhealthy pedigree dog breeds – but there are breeds in which certain conditions tend to surface more. It will inevitably take time for these conditions to be eliminated but where there are known health problems, which can be tested.Tests such as hip and elbow scoring enable potential owners to have a good idea about the future health of their puppy. Pedigree dogs also carry a breed standard which is an indication of their likely care needs.

Temperament.

Some dogs are bred for looks, others for their working ability, and the result is that you get a whole range of temperaments in between.  Which one is right for you depends on many variables so get expert help on your intended pedigree dog breed and be very careful about where you buy your puppy.

Pedigree/Crossbreed.

A pedigree dog is the offspring of two dogs of the same breed whose lineage is recorded with a recognised club. Pedigree dogs carry a breed standard which is a blueprint for their likely character and health needs.
In addition to pedigree dogs there are also crossbreeds to consider.  These dogs often display a mixture of their ancestors traits.  So it is important to take this into account.  If you know the mix of breeds this may help but otherwise find out what you can about the parents.

Buying two dogs together is a bad idea.

Whereas it may be true that they will keep each other company, they will do so at the cost of your relationship with them.  The tendency is for them to bond with each other, rather than with you and your family.  Rearing two puppies successfully takes an enormous amount of work, as you have to rear them separately, and give them each individual quality time, space, exercise and training, so it is not for the faint hearted or busy dog owner.

Existing dogs.

If you have an existing dog and would like to buy a companion for it, consider the fact that many dogs prefer being the only dog in the family, and resent sharing their space, humans, attention, toys and treats with other dogs.  If you do want another dog, a good age gap is about four or five years.  If you are not sure how your dog will feel about it, ‘borrow’ a friend’s dog for a few days to get a rough idea.

How to choose?

Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme, responsible dog ownership and in turn is enhance our relationship with our pets and to make the community aware of the benefits associated with dog ownership.
Use the list below to help you consider your choice of breed or type of dog:

    * Energetic and lively or couch-potatoes.
    * Strong-willed and ambitious or easy-going and indulgent.
    * Friendly with humans or reserved with strangers.
    * Playful or disinterested in toys.
    * Friendly to other dogs or disinterested or incompatible.
    * Friendly to cats and other pets or disinterested or incompatible.
    * Affectionate or aloof.

Monarch Butterfly

Las mariposas monarca emigran 3.000 millas cada año.

The rapid degradation of monarch habitats in both Mexico and the United States is now too compelling to ignore. We must act.
Earlier this month, Lincoln Brower, Dan Slayback, Robert Simmon, and Isabel Ramirez published NASA photos showing deforestation within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. At the time of publication, we were in Mexico buying recovered tags as part of our program to assess the dynamics of the monarch migration. We visited four monarch colonies and witnessed first-hand the impact of deforestation. The rapid degradation of monarch habitats in both Mexico and the United States is now too compelling to ignore. We must act. In this communication, I’ll summarize my views on the effects of habitat loss in Mexico and the United States and will reflect on what needs to be done to conserve the monarch migration.

Deforestation is already contributing to the mortality of overwintering monarchs. In the winter of 2006-2007 a small monarch colony formed at a site known locally as Aseradero on the northwest aspect of Cerro Pelon, one of the most deforested areas in the region. The trees at this location were relatively small (4-10 meters) and offered little protection from winds and cold weather. A large proportion of the monarchs died at this site when the temperature dropped below freezing in January 2007. No surviving monarchs were present when we visited this location in March 2007. The degradation of the forest surrounding the Aseradero colony can be seen in satellite photos of the area. This year at Cerro Pelon, the El Capulin colony formed in a relatively degraded forest near the top of a ridge. Monarch colonies typically move during the winter and tend to progress down southwesterly-facing slopes. In this case, the monarchs moved progressively down-slope to the northwest across a badly degraded area and settled in the Las Canoas arroyo where we saw them on the 6th of March. There is one large tree in the arroyo and it was covered with monarchs.

The surrounding trees were also covered with monarchs but there was little in the way of canopy to protect the butterflies from freezing temperatures. I was shocked to see how exposed this colony was at this time but now realize that it has been exposed through most of the winter, resulting in the death of millions of monarchs. Typically, 10-20% of the monarchs at each colony die of various causes during the winter, though rainfall followed by freezing temperatures can be devastating as it was in January of 2002 and January and February of 2004. Excessive mortality due to exposure throughout the winter is not the norm for monarch colonies. Evidence of greater mortality for the El Capulin colony this year comes from eyewitness accounts and is also reflected in the number of tag recoveries. In years without catastrophic mortality due to winter storms, we recover an average of twenty-two tags from the residents of communities on Cerro Pelon. The tags are usually found on dead butterflies beneath the clusters and the numbers recovered from most of the colonies appear to be proportional to the overwintering mortality. Ninety-two tags were recovered at Cerro Pelon this season – more than four times the typical rate of recovery.The rate of deforestation in the Monarch Biosphere Reserve exceeds the rate of natural forest replacement and the current efforts at reforestation. It is simply not sustainable and must be reduced. Estimates of the rate of deforestation vary depending on the time period, the authorities involved, and perhaps the methodologies used to make the estimates. Nevertheless, it is clear that the average annual rate of deforestation (2-5%) is devastating the monarch overwintering habitat and destroying the forests that sustain the water supplies supporting the people in the region. Nearly all of the old growth forests with >200 year-old oyamel fir trees are gone from the monarch reserve and for decades monarchs have overwintered in areas with trees ranging from 40 to 80 years of age. In the last two years, possibly due to the lack of more mature forests, monarchs have attempted to overwinter at three sites at which
most of the trees were less than 15 years old. Such forests do not protect the monarchs from periodic freezes and monarch mortality is known to have been high at two of these sites. Ilegal logging persists in spite of President Calderon’s attempts to crack down on these activities and it seems certain to continue. Local residents at Cerro Pelon told me that 2-3 loaded logging trucks leave the core zone on that mountain each night - with the knowledge of local officials. In their view, the only way to control illegal logging is to station rotating units of the Mexican army in areas where illegal logging is extensive. Stopping illegal logging may be impossible, but reducing these activities to manageable levels through enforcement and incentives is needed to slow the rate of degradation of these forests.



At current levels of planting, reforestation can’t keep pace with deforestation. Close to half of the 56,259-hectare Monarch Biosphere Reserve is degraded and in need of some degree of reforestation. Two reforestation efforts are underway, one by World Wildlife Fund Mexico (WWFMX), in collaboration with the Mexican government, and the other by the Michoacan Reforestation Fund (MRF). The former has planted more than 2.1 million fir, pine, and cedar trees (mostly in the core of the reserve) over the last 4 years. MRF, using contributions from individuals and grants from American Forests, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service has worked with the La Cruz Habitat Protection Project in Mexico.
to plant more than 2.7 million fir and pine trees (mostly in the buffer zone and areas adjacent to the reserve) over the last 10 years. Although both of these programs are striving to reforest the monarch reserve, more trees need to be planted just to keep pace with the rate of deforestation. Frankly, reforestation efforts need to increase 2-3 fold in the next few years so that areas progressively degraded over the life of the reserve can be replanted. A promising development is the creation of a new tree nursery with the capacity of 800,000 seedlings per year at San Juan Xoconusco by WWFMX and Mexican government agencies. Four additional nurseries are in the planning stages, each with an annual capacity of 50,000 seedlings. MRF is increasing its capacity as well but more money is needed by both of these programs to assure that more seedlings are propagated, planted, and well tended.
The ease of reforestation depends greatly on the type of landscape being planted. Areas that have been selectively logged and contain mature trees reseed and therefore require little planting. Landscapes that were formerly crop lands are easily reforested as secondary growth is readily controlled. Clear-cut areas, which are rapidly invaded by dense 3-4 meter tall weedy vegetation, are particularly challenging to reforest since this vegetation competes for light, space, and nutrients and chokes out the newly planted trees. The north side of Cerro Pelon has been nearly clear-cut and the growth and survival of seedlings planted in the cut over areas appears to be quite low. Reestablishing the forest on this slope will involve many replantings, take a long time, and cost a great deal.Habitat loss in the United States is also a threat to the monarch population. Development consumes 6,000 acres (9.4 square miles) a day, 2.2 million acres per year – this is roughly equivalent to losing an area of habitat the size of the state of Illinois (the 24th largest U.S. state) every sixteen years. In addition, the adoption of Roundup® Ready soybeans and corn has reduced monarch habitat by at least 100 million acres since 1996. Further, the incentives to produce biofuels over the last three years is leading growers to convert monarch habitat in the form of marginal lands and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage to cornfields. In an attempt to compensate for these losses, Monarch Watch initiated the Monarch Waystation program in 2005.

The goals of this program are to create, conserve, and protect monarch habitats and to educate the public about the need to do more to preserve wildlife. To date, 1,900 Monarch Waystations have been certified and registered, but this is not enough. We need to create and protect more habitat for monarchs and other species. It is easy for me to envision the monarch migration as already being on a long slow death spiral – I have worked with monarchs for the last sixteen years and witnessed habitat degradation in both the United States and Mexico. Indeed, the population may be declining already. What a shame it would be to lose this magnificent natural phenomenon – a sad indictment of the quality of human stewardship. This need not happen; all of the problems associated with monarch conservation can be solved. We need the will, cooperation, and dollars (and pesos) to make it happen.




A Mexican colleague wisely pointed out that the monarchs will not be saved unless a way is found to make the living trees more valuable than those that are cut for lumber. This statement makes sense but how can the “collective we” (i.e., all of those interested in monarch conservation including WWFMX and the Mexican government) convince the members of the ninety-one ejidos and indigenous communities in the monarch reserve that it is in their best interests to protect the forests? A possible solution is a system of incentives. To make the living trees more valuable may require paying the local residents to plant, thin, and otherwise maintain the forests rather than paying them not to cut the trees. A system of incentives involving fair compensation for forest management, rather than one of prohibitions, is badly needed. Incentives available to all communities are likely to be more successful than the present scheme in which some of the communities benefit from tourism while others do not receive this source of income. Some progress is being made in providing incentives through funds available from the Monarch Fund. This fund, which is administered by WWFMX, was established from a $5 million grant from the Packard Foundation with an addition of $1 million from the Mexican government and a total of $750,000 from the states of Michoacan and Mexico. The interest from this fund is used to pay cooperating communities. However, these funds (about $224,000/year) are not sufficient to engage the residents of all the communities within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in the level of stewardship required to sustain the forests. Fully funding the incentive program I envision will necessitate an increase in the Monarch Fund’s endowment from the $6.75 million at present to at least $25 million. Endowments are used to sustain many worthwhile programs and could be used effectively to conserve monarchs as well. This incentive program is not the only solution. Complimentary programs such as Alternare are needed to train local residents so they can more efficiently farm their lands and develop alternative sources of income.


Monarch conservation involves international and local politics, inadequate international cooperation, insufficient funding, habitat loss due to legally sanctioned development and illegal exploitation, a group of passionate advocates, and a largely uninformed and indifferent public. Efforts are underway to improve international cooperation but progress is slow. Insufficient funding limits most conservation efforts and that is the case here. More funding is needed to support international cooperation, reforestation, and protection of the existing forest resources.
Further, the planet is changing rapidly and monarchs are certain to be negatively affected by global warming and indirectly affected by increasing levels of carbon dioxide, nitrification, and the increasing unpredictability of rainfall. To effectively protect the monarch migration, we will need to address numerous political, economic, and environmental issues.