U.S. Government Participates at the Tiger summit in Russia

U.S. State Department's strong engagement at the Tiger summit.

Let me express my heartfelt gratitude to the U.S. Government for their participation at the tiger summit in Russia and take the next major step in in the process of protecting wild tigers.

I am thrilled to post here about the participation of the America Government in the tiger summit at Russia. In November, 2010 the Undersecretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero had joined the International Tiger Conservation Forum. The first summit of heads of state ever convened for the purpose of protecting wild tigers from extinction. Senator John Kerry and Congresswoman Madeline Bordallo have recently introduced resolutions in the U.S. Senate and House to support the goals agreed upon at the tiger summit held at Russia and to support the efforts of Asian countries not only to protect, but also to raise the current tiger populations.

An incredibly fewer number of only 3,200 tigers left in the wild. It is already too late, but still something can be done! This tiger summit acted as a platform for the countries with remaining wild tiger populations, like some countries of Asia and donor countries, like the U.S., to agree on concrete measures to resist the alarming trend directed toward the complete annihilation of the species. The fight begins here! The tiger range states have agreed upon a common target of multiplying two times the number of wild tigers by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022. The United States has been consistently supporting the international tiger conservation, and continued support from the US Government will be helpful to fulfill the target.

Sign up for the WWF Conservation Action Network

Paul – the Football World Cup 2010 Phenomenon Passes Away

Here’s again another news that stirred up sparks again across the world. Paul – the Football World Cup 2010 hero died on October 26, 2010. He was around 2 years and 6 months old. Sad news indeed, although he lived his whole life!

"Management and staff at the Oberhausen Sea Life Centre were devastated to discover that oracle octopus Paul, who achieved global renown during the recent World Cup, had passed away overnight," the aquarium said in a statement. Paul died in sleep, which means he probably had a painless death.

Very recently, during the Football World Cup 2010, Paul the octopus created a buzz across the web. The octopus, Paul was the first winner of 2010 Football World Cup as declares the before actually the match happened. The incidence of Paul’s revealing the winner beforehand had buzzed up the World Wide Web – especially the sports lovers’ community. Paul had attracted huge volume of fan base with his predictions. Octopus Paul predictions became true in every game of 2010 Football World Cup. Paul the Octopus was hatched on January 2008 in England and shifted to Germany. Paul predicts the winner of Germany’s seven football matches in 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Paul’s prediction had been correct throughout the tenure of Football World Cup, 2010, except two. Before the final happened he declared Spain as the winner of 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain had encountered with Germany – the home team of Paul. The result of the final match was apparent to the world; Germany lost against Spain. Germany turned out to be quite serious about the Paul’s predictions. Spain requested Germany for Paul, but Germany refused to give Paul to Spain. Finally Spain honored Paul the Octopus grandly in Germany.

It is certainly hard to ascertain the facts about Paul's life. However, he was believed to be born at Weymouth Sea Life Park in the year 2008. Of the genus Octopus vulgaris, there wasn’t anything vulgar about Paul as a young octopus. "He didn't show any special abilities while he was here for his eight weeks of quarantine, but that's probably because we didn't have a chance to give him the opportunity," senior aquarist Matthew Fuller told the BBC in a summer profile of Paul, while at the height of his fame.

"His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself," Stefan Porwoll, manager at Oberhausen. He also said, "We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds and erect a modest permanent shrine."

"He appears to have passed away peacefully during the night, of natural causes," said Oberhausen Sea Life manager Stefan Porwoll. "His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself... We had all naturally grown very fond of him and he will be sorely missed." Within two hours of his death, more than 250 messages of condolence were posted on Paul's "official" Facebook page. "Paul, we will never forget you. We love you," wrote one. One user of micro blogging site Twitter wrote: "Paul the octopus is dead. Bet he didn't see that coming."

Paul’s body is now in cold storage while Sea Life management decide how best to mark his passing, though it is thought he will be buried within the grounds and a permanent shrine erected.

Here are some of video clips related to Paul the Octopus:

Defiance In Japan -- serious dolphin hunts at Taiji

Sadly, even after repeated campaigns related to anti-cruelty to animals, country like Japan still seems to be staying quite aloof and carrying out their own inhuman acts of animal cruelty. The Japanese government is defiant and has allowed the first dolphin kill of this season at Taiji. A school of 15 Risso's dolphins had been chopped brutally and transferred to the slaughterhouse.

RIC O'BARRY, on behalf of “EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE INC” in his message said, “I can't tell you how angry this makes me. And I know it makes you angry, too. Many of you will be frustrated, but I don’t want you to lose hope. I am more convinced than ever that our campaign to generate worldwide pressure for an end to the slaughter is right and must succeed. We must be vigilant and turn up the heat. The Japanese government's defiance must not be allowed to stand. Change does not happen overnight, and we have only just started to get the word out to the Japanese people.” He also said, “we are working to keep people on the ground in Taiji to monitor the Cove and report back to the world.”

This video was done by one of the dedicated volunteers, Leilani Münter:



According to the officials at the EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE INC are ramping up efforts with their distributor at Japan to get thousands of copies of the Japanese version of “THE COVE” into the hands of general mass at Japan. The situation is seriously grave and can be solved only by the Japanese people themselves. They can only put an end to such cruelty to animals.

A volunteer in Tokyo had interviewed several Japanese regarding “THE COVE” and the dolphin slaughter. According to her all of them had already heard about the mass killing of dolphins at Taiji, and there had been a noticeable change in thoughts from several months ago when nobody was aware of the issue of dolphin hunts.

Good news is the US President Barack Obama is flying off to Japan in November, 2010 in order to urge quick attention to this matter. Thank you and all the best Mr. Barack Obama.

Our keen request to Japanese government... Please stop these types of sports, educate yourselves and be responsible towards nature.

Sasha the Wonder dog

Here is another big news of animal surrogacy. Well, it cannot be called purely surrogacy, I have used the word deliberately, as I hardly find any difference in mothers carrying others’ fetus in their womb and those who do not exactly do that, but give other’s babies a new horizon of life! It’s not about Jasmine - the greyhound this time, but a Rottweiler, Sasha who saved the life of a new born abandoned piglet. Yes, a newly born piglet, who had been abandoned by its mum found her life and a new world, while snuggling down with Sasha and her black-tan puppies. Sasha is indeed a good dog, but more than that she is a great as a mum – a Godmother!

The incidence happened in the farm house of Heidi Rhiann, of Pont Llogel, near Llanfyllin. The Belgian Blue piglet, named Apple Sauce had been abandoned by its mum as a the runt in the litter of 13 piglets. Sasha has changed the way we have been looking into the breed. Rottweilers have earned a great deal of bad fame as being one of the most dangerous dog breed in the world. Some governments have banned keeping Rottweilers. But Sasha has proved things wrong!

Apple sauce was in danger of kissing the dust when her mother rejected her. It’s life was to be decided by Rhiann. She thought Sasha her dog might take on the maternal duties for Apple Sauce, though she wasn’t sure. As a last resort, pig breeder Ms Rhiann was stuck by shrieking surprise to see Apple Sauce was suckling. Sasha, her puppies and Apple Sauce have formed an unlikely bond. Rhiann said, "It was the last chance for the piglet.I wrapped Apple Sauce in a blanket the puppies had been on to try and transfer the scent and left her next to Sasha…. about an hour later I went to see how they were getting along and Apple Sauce was suckling." She also said that the first-time mum Sasha, an 18-month-old, 45-kilo Rottweiler, had been a wonderful mother to Apple Sauce. Said said, Apple Sauce was skin and bone when I handed her over to Sasha and now she's gaining weight and starting to fatten up … Apple Sauce has a poorly trotter at the moment and Sasha knows this and is trying to lick it better. She instinctively knows Apple Sauce isn't in perfect health. We feed Apple Sauce with some supplementary feed and Sasha gives a concerned whine when we pick her up, as much as to say 'what are you doing with my puppy?'."

Mass Death of Hundreds of Sea Animals Brought Wrinkles on the Forehead of WildLife Researchers

More than 500 dead penguins have washed up on Sao Paulo state's shores. Researchers and environmentalists are on a serious investigating session, trying to discover the hidden cause of mass demise of the penguins.

According to the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources 530 penguins, five dolphins, three giant sea turtles PLUS many other sea birds have been found in the coastal towns of Peruibe, Praia Grande and Itanhaem, with more likely on other nearby beaches. A team of researchers at and biologists of Sao Paulo and a wildlife research center have spared serious thoughts on this issues trying to find out the possible reasons for the sudden and strange death of so many animals and birds all at a time.

According to Andrea Maranho, a veterinarian for the Sea Animal Rehabilitation Center in Praia Grande,  one of the most the probable causes for the mass death of the penguins is the sever exhaustion and hunger during their long migration from the waters off Argentina's southern Patagonia region.

Tiger Facts

The grace and beauty of the big cats have earned them a place in the list of world's most talked about animal, but at the same have also made them become one of the most endangered animals, with not even 4000 specimens left in amidst the wild world wide.

2010, being the tiger, stress have been laid down on evaluating the tiger population and strengthening strategies for their conservation. In the Chinese calendar 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, which is a zodiac sign associated with power, passion and courage.

Here is a list of most precious links to know more about tigers...

• ZSL. org
• Top 10 tiger trouble spots, 2010
• Jungle Walk tiger information
• Wildlife Protection Society of India
• Save the tiger fund
• WWF - Year of Tiger
• Indian tiger
• Andymcdermott tiger facts