It looks like I'm not the only one who is hot!
This is a photo of our squirrel friend Bird. She is having a lazy afternoon.
For more information about Bird, check our March 22 and February 8 posts.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Lazy Bird
It looks like I'm not the only one who is hot!
This is a photo of our squirrel friend Bird. She is having a lazy afternoon.
For more information about Bird, check our March 22 and February 8 posts.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Water Dog
It's starting to get hot in Texas. I think that the best way to keep cool is to get wet!
Every few days, Mom changes out the water containers in our yard. We have two bird baths, a bucket, and a bowl for our wildlife friends. They enjoy the fresh water. So do I!
Yesterday, Mom let me play in the water while she emptied the water bowl. I LOVE to play in the water. After all.... I AM a water dog!
I just need a bigger bucket so that I can get wet all over!
Friday, May 7, 2010
A Cool Drink of Water
This is a video of our squirrel friend Bird, taking a drink of water this morning. A drink of water... animals need it, whether we live on the ground, in air, or in sea. Water is necessary for life.
This week's news has shown us the danger we face if we don't protect our waters. We must work together to protect this precious natural resource.
Today's post will look at the beauty of water. Water covers two thirds of our planet. Water is one of the most important reasons there is life on earth. Water circulates through our land, nourishing it and carrying away waste material.
Water has a wonderful cycle. Water evaporates from the sea. When conditions are just right, the evaporation becomes rain. It falls to the earth and runs back into the sea.
Enjoy this fun activity about our wonderful water cycle at http://www.ci.tucson.az.us/water/docs/swabfg02.pdf
NASA also has a fun online game. It is called "Droplet and the Water Cycle." Just go to http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/droplet.html
To learn more about earth's water cycle, go to http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/educators/cloudsat_web.pdf
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Can You Help?
Our oceans make life on earth possible. We must do everything that we can to keep them clean.
Our oceans give us food. They are home to most of earth's creatures.
Our oceans help control earth's weather. They provide rain. They provide half of our earth's oxygen. They also help to control our temperatures.
The oceans also are highways to move many of the world’s goods. More than 90% of the world’s trade comes from ships.
It doesn't matter if you live near the ocean or not, you can help to keep our oceans clean. To learn more about what you can do to save our oceans, check out these sites:
http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/outreach/pdfs/ProtOceans.pdf
http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/outreach/pdfs/101ActivBk_hi.pdf
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/pdfs/ogab.pdf (for grades k-3)
w.worldwildlife.org/waveforward/wffas.pdf
http://www.sbert.org/plugged_in/August%202008-LO.pdf
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Rescuing Marine Mammals
Planes are flying over the Gulf of Mexico, looking for injured marine animals from the oil spill. When an injured mammal or sea turtle is spotted, boats will be sent to attempt rescue.
Gulfport's Institute of Marine Mammals is leading the effort to save mammals and turtles injured and oiled. Other networks from Texas to Florida have joined them.
No one knows how many animals will be treated. Twenty-eight different marine mammals call the Gulf of Mexico home, including dolphins, manatees, killer whales, and even sperm whales. Five of the seven varieties of sea turtles can be found in the Gulf.
IF YOU SEE AN INJURED DOLPHIN, CALL
1-888-SOS-DOLPHIN (1-888-767-3657).
To learn about the different species of whales and dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico, go to http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/marmam/Cetacean.pdf
To learn about the different sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, go to http://www.nps.gov/pais/planyourvisit/upload/turtles%20in%20the%20gulf.pdf
To learn about the protected fish and marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico, go to http://www.offshoreoperators.com/marinedebris/Protected-Species-In-GOM-NOAA.pdf
The Institute of Marine Mammals has some educational and fun activities for you to use.
To learn more about the danger of oil spills, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/teachers/The_Danger_of_Oil_Spills.pdf
To understand more about the Institute of Marine Mammals, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/CMEREducationBooklet_v2.pdf
To make an origami dolphin, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/DolphinOrigami.pdf
To make a 3-D fish bowl, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/3-DFishBowl.pdf
To make an origami sea turtle, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/SeaTurtleOrigami.pdf
Gulfport's Institute of Marine Mammals is leading the effort to save mammals and turtles injured and oiled. Other networks from Texas to Florida have joined them.
No one knows how many animals will be treated. Twenty-eight different marine mammals call the Gulf of Mexico home, including dolphins, manatees, killer whales, and even sperm whales. Five of the seven varieties of sea turtles can be found in the Gulf.
IF YOU SEE AN INJURED DOLPHIN, CALL
1-888-SOS-DOLPHIN (1-888-767-3657).
To learn about the different species of whales and dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico, go to http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/marmam/Cetacean.pdf
To learn about the different sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, go to http://www.nps.gov/pais/planyourvisit/upload/turtles%20in%20the%20gulf.pdf
To learn about the protected fish and marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico, go to http://www.offshoreoperators.com/marinedebris/Protected-Species-In-GOM-NOAA.pdf
The Institute of Marine Mammals has some educational and fun activities for you to use.
To learn more about the danger of oil spills, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/teachers/The_Danger_of_Oil_Spills.pdf
To understand more about the Institute of Marine Mammals, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/CMEREducationBooklet_v2.pdf
To make an origami dolphin, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/DolphinOrigami.pdf
To make a 3-D fish bowl, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/3-DFishBowl.pdf
To make an origami sea turtle, go to http://www.imms.org/downloads/SeaTurtleOrigami.pdf
Cleaning Oiled Birds
Birds covered in oil from the big spill are already being found. They are rushed to special cleaning stations around the Gulf Coast.
An oiled bird must be cleaned in a very special way. Only a trained volunteer knows how to save an oiled bird.
First the bird must be given a special liquid mix. This liquid helps to rehydrate the bird. It also has special medicine in it to break up any oil that the bird may have eaten. The bird will rest about 24 hours.
Once the bird is healthy enough to be cleaned, volunteers begin washing the bird. It is a very long process. The bird's body is put in water mixed with a little Dawn dishwashing liquid.
Each of the bird's feathers must be cleaned. When the water becomes dirty, the bird is put into another tub of warm water. Sometimes the bird needs to be put in 10 to 15 tubs of clean water. It may take four people over 45 minutes to clean one bird.
After it is cleaned, a bird must wait to become strong again. It usually takes two weeks before the bird is released back into the wild.
Here's an interesting article about cleaning oiled birds:
http://www.ibrrc.org/pdfs/IBRRC-How-oil-affects-birds.pdf
The good news is that volunteers do a wonderful job saving oiled birds. In June, 2000, there was a big oil spill off the coast of South Africa. Thousands of pelicans were in danger from the spill. Volunteers were able to save 90% of the pelicans!
REMEMBER... IF YOU FIND AN OILED BIRD, PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO CLEAN IT BY YOURSELF! YOU MAY FURTHER INJURE THE BIRD AND HARM YOURSELF!!!
IF YOU FIND ANY OILED OR INJURED BIRD OR ANIMAL,
PLEASE CALL (866) 557-1401.
PLEASE REPORT THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF BIRDS OR ANIMALS, THE DATE AND TIME THEY WERE SEEN, THEIR LOCATION, AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANIMAL'S BEHAVIOR.
An oiled bird must be cleaned in a very special way. Only a trained volunteer knows how to save an oiled bird.
First the bird must be given a special liquid mix. This liquid helps to rehydrate the bird. It also has special medicine in it to break up any oil that the bird may have eaten. The bird will rest about 24 hours.
Once the bird is healthy enough to be cleaned, volunteers begin washing the bird. It is a very long process. The bird's body is put in water mixed with a little Dawn dishwashing liquid.
Each of the bird's feathers must be cleaned. When the water becomes dirty, the bird is put into another tub of warm water. Sometimes the bird needs to be put in 10 to 15 tubs of clean water. It may take four people over 45 minutes to clean one bird.
After it is cleaned, a bird must wait to become strong again. It usually takes two weeks before the bird is released back into the wild.
Here's an interesting article about cleaning oiled birds:
http://www.ibrrc.org/pdfs/IBRRC-How-oil-affects-birds.pdf
The good news is that volunteers do a wonderful job saving oiled birds. In June, 2000, there was a big oil spill off the coast of South Africa. Thousands of pelicans were in danger from the spill. Volunteers were able to save 90% of the pelicans!
REMEMBER... IF YOU FIND AN OILED BIRD, PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO CLEAN IT BY YOURSELF! YOU MAY FURTHER INJURE THE BIRD AND HARM YOURSELF!!!
IF YOU FIND ANY OILED OR INJURED BIRD OR ANIMAL,
PLEASE CALL (866) 557-1401.
PLEASE REPORT THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF BIRDS OR ANIMALS, THE DATE AND TIME THEY WERE SEEN, THEIR LOCATION, AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANIMAL'S BEHAVIOR.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Oil Spill
There is a giant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The size of the oil spill has grown to be bigger than the state of Rhode Island. The spill is still growing because workers are having trouble shutting off the underwater oil well. An oil rig explosion started the spill. Sadly, many people were hurt and some are still missing.
The spill is a danger to everything in its path. Marine animals, sea birds, and coastal plants are in danger.
I swim in the Gulf of Mexico. It is one of my favorite places in the whole world. I hope that the Coast Guard and oil workers can stop the oil spill very soon.
There is good news. Volunteers from around the country are coming to Gulfport, Mississippi. The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies has large tanks to clean injured animals. These volunteers will clean manatees, sea turtles, and dolphins. Volunteers from the Save our Seabirds group in Sarasota, Florida, are leading the bird rescue operations.
IF YOU FIND AN OILED OR INJURED ANIMAL,
PLEASE CALL (866)557-1401.
PLEASE REPORT THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF ANIMALS, THE DATE AND TIME THEY WERE SEEN, THEIR LOCATION, AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANIMAL'S BEHAVIOR.
If you would like to volunteer to help injured animals, please check with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana at http://www.crcl.org/ To help injured birds, visit Save our Seabirds at http://www.saveourseabirds.org/
To learn about the problems with oil spills, go to http://www.praguepost.cz/PPEF/02SC020918.pdf
To learn about the 400 species of coastal wildlife in the path of the oil spill, go to http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/education/labook.pdf
You can also check out these books from your library:
Oliver and the Oil Spill by Aruna Chandrasekhar
Oil Spills: Damage, Recovery, and Prevention by Laurence P. Pringle
The spill is a danger to everything in its path. Marine animals, sea birds, and coastal plants are in danger.
I swim in the Gulf of Mexico. It is one of my favorite places in the whole world. I hope that the Coast Guard and oil workers can stop the oil spill very soon.
There is good news. Volunteers from around the country are coming to Gulfport, Mississippi. The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies has large tanks to clean injured animals. These volunteers will clean manatees, sea turtles, and dolphins. Volunteers from the Save our Seabirds group in Sarasota, Florida, are leading the bird rescue operations.
IF YOU FIND AN OILED OR INJURED ANIMAL,
PLEASE CALL (866)557-1401.
PLEASE REPORT THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF ANIMALS, THE DATE AND TIME THEY WERE SEEN, THEIR LOCATION, AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANIMAL'S BEHAVIOR.
If you would like to volunteer to help injured animals, please check with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana at http://www.crcl.org/ To help injured birds, visit Save our Seabirds at http://www.saveourseabirds.org/
To learn about the problems with oil spills, go to http://www.praguepost.cz/PPEF/02SC020918.pdf
To learn about the 400 species of coastal wildlife in the path of the oil spill, go to http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/education/labook.pdf
You can also check out these books from your library:
Oliver and the Oil Spill by Aruna Chandrasekhar
Oil Spills: Damage, Recovery, and Prevention by Laurence P. Pringle
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