Monarch Butterfly

This week, I won't just be talking about a poached animal but a small one that most might not think of, the Monarch butterfly. This little is so fascinating i didn't even realize it all this time. Although I usually talk about poached animals this week I am going to change it up. Monarch butterflies are so beautiful. They migrate every year to the mexican forests from he US and Canada. Their lifespan is is 4-5 weeks, once they reach adulthood. This little less than half a gram guy is nearly threatened. Their population has dropped and it is lower than it has been in the past 20 years. Our current climate change is killing them and our growing use of herbicides and other plant killers and sprays. Donate here to the WWF here to help the butterflies and other animals losing their homes and lives: https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=main_onetime_2013&s_src=AWE1401GD914

Top 10 Poached Animals

Since this is my first post of the year I am going to do a overview of the top 10 most poached animals.

1~ RHINOCEROS: They are being poached for their horns, which can go on the market for $18,000 a pound.

2~ AFRICAN ELEPHANT: Poachers are killing more than 25,000 of these a year, which is leaving a minimum for the future of their reproduction and regrowth of this beautiful animal.

3~ LEOPARDS: Going extinct because of their new high demand of their skins, and more poachers out their. A reduced population by 70% in the last century, at least 4 being killed a week.

4~ BLUEFIN TUNA: Can weigh up to 1,000 pounds and their population is down by 96.4%

5~ TIGERS: Only 3,000 last out in the wild today because of their high demand in their skin.

6~ LION~ Population drop from 50 years ago at 200,000 to now 15,000, now wanted for their bones.

7~ LEATHERBACK TURTLE: Theirs eggs are often taken before they hatch.

8~ PANGOLIN: Wanted for their unique body and meat. ($1,000 for one)

9~ CHINESE GIANT SALAMANDER: Reduced population by 80% in the last 30 years.

10~ SHARKS: One single bowl of shark broth can cost up to $100, already up to 8 species are threatened or endangered.

Blogging Reflection

What I've done:
          Since I have begun blogging I have really enjoyed doing them. It is very fun to me to do research on these different species and I hope to continue to show others what animals are losing their population, and how some are being poached everyday. Writing these blog posts have opened my eyes as well to how it is so interesting to blog. I hope to continue to learn about these species, just as much as my readers have.

My best post and why its good:
          My best post by far I think has been my post "Elephants". This post I believe shows my best writing style and how I explain about the animal and their life, how they help the planet, also how poaching has impacted them, and how we can help to increase populations of them or to help their herds be safer in their countries.

What I'd like to improve on:
          For this upcoming year I hope to improve on how often and possibly more posts, but make them shorter. For my newest blogs I hope to try to reach out more to my readers to comment and share what they would like to see a post of, or share what the think of the post, and what they believe I should change or keep going with.

What I've learned about myself as a learner: 
         This year I have had such a great time blogging and so grateful for all of those who do look at my posts. This year I have learned about myself that I should really start to try and project and find a new species or animal to talk about, a little earlier than just the few days before, but like a week before its actually due.

Where I'd like to go: 
          With this blog it has opened up my eyes to new things. I also saw that I really like blogging, it can occupy me to newer things, and other thoughts on maybe some of my same topics. I really hope that next year I can learn just as much has I did this year, and more. I would also like to start another blog, either after school is out or soon when my time can be put more into my blogging.

Jaguar

A near threatened animal living in South America. These large cats are very beautiful and large, up to 300 pounds. They can reach up to 6 feet in length (which is a bit shorter than me!). Due to the forests and grass lands being torn down human population growth and the need for expansion of city growth and much of their homes gone the life of the jaguar is threatened. Also due to their beautiful coat they are wanted. Jaguars love the tropical forests and they need enough water and tropical forest for them to roam, but their forests and the amazon is decreasing due to human population. Researchers are watching their moves to see how they live and we are trying to talk to Brazil but it is hard to help these animals because they aren't in america. To help donate money to save not only these beautiful cats, but also the wildlife and the amazons to help repopulate the areas with growth. Donate here:  http://gifts.worldwildlife.org/gift-center/gifts/Species-Adoptions/Jaguar.aspx?sc=AWY1302WC900

Whales

Whales are so large, they weigh up to 200 tons, or 33 elephants. They are alike to us in a few ways, one being that they are mammals like us and they can nurse their young. Although you might think they have gills and don't breathe oxygen, but they do, just as we do. But they don't eat the same as we do because they have this thing called baleen, or the bristle like teeth they have to eat food. Baleen acts as a strainer to keep the food they caught in their mouth, but letting out the water. Only the Beluga and Sperm whales do in fact have teeth. Many might say that the whale is in no way able to be endangered, but although they are at the top of the food chain, many are being poached and the environment they are in is unhealthy. There are 13 great whale species and 7 are endangered. Some of the threats would be oil and gas development, commercial whaling, and climate change. Oil and gas development is causing whales to have a loss of hearing because of the loud construction and movement. Also it is disturbing their breeding grounds, migratory paths, and feeding areas. More than 1000 whales are killed a year due to many people in the north, like New Zealand, selling them in their markets. Due to the warming seas and loss of the sea ice in the north, it is taking a toll on the whales lives and internal structure, especially to the North Atlantic whale in the north and they aren't reproducing as well. To "adopt" or help raise money for conservation pleas click the link below: http://gifts.worldwildlife.org/gift-center/gifts/Species-Adoptions/Blue-Whale.aspx?sc=AWY1302WC922

Giant Pandas

Giant Pandas really are giant coming in at 230 pounds fro a 4 ft high panda. They are such beautiful creatures that are being poached for there soft fur. Much of china has a large conservation for them which is good but it isn't enough. In 2004 there were only 1600 in the wild. Pandas love to be in the forests and be free out there climbing trees and doing what they love, which is eating. Pandas can eat 26-34 pounds of food a day of bamboo. They are crucial to our environment, when they eat plants and walk around with them, it causes fertilization and to move the seeds around. Many forests are being cut down due to industrialization in china, but with the help of a donation to WWF they can help those pandas, to put them in a sanctuary or find them a perfect caring zoo where they can be taken care of. Donate here : https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=main_monthly_2013&s_src=AWG1401SS912

Sea Turtles

Sea turtles live in open water and the coasts. There are 7 species of Sea Turtles in the world. Sea Turtles are very important for our oceans ecosystems. Sea turtles travel back to where they were born to travel back and lay their eggs. Most of the sea turtles are endangered, but 2 are critically endangered; the Hawksbill and the Leatherback. Sea Turtles are a huge impact on our ocean marine life and water ecosystems.           The Hawksbill (shown above) is a beautiful endangered creature. Living in mostly tropical or warmer waters, help maintain the ecosystems or the coral reefs and the sea grass. They are named Hawksbill because of their pointed tip on their beak. They eat mostly sponges, sea anemone and sometimes jellyfish.  Because of their beautiful shells they are killed and their shells are sold to tourists. Some things that are being done to help is by using more of a circle shaped hook rather than a J shaped hook. Another thing is satellite tracking so we can view their patterns and try to help them or protect those areas of poachers.
      Leatherback turtles are one of the largest turtle species weighing in at between 600 - 1500 pounds. They are named Leatherback because of their shell which isn't like other shells because its leather. They travel all the way tot the California coasts in summer and fall from their nesting areas to feed on jellyfish. Because of people taking their eggs much of their population has been reduced. They produce a tourist attraction and the shells are sold because they are so big and they are popular for tourists to buy on vacation.
       You can help to buy sending in something or purchasing a product from this site, which is one of the worlds largest animal foundation fundraisers for animals who are endangered or vulnerable. Thanks for reading. New blogs every Monday night.    Donate Here:  https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=monthly_donation&s_src=AWG1200SS912