wild animals
Animals the way nature intended it; explore the world of wild animals and the controversies surrounding domestication and hunting of feral beasts.
Morgan, a Rescued Killer Whale Gives Birth at Loro Parque
Morgan, an 11-year-old killer whale who resides at Loro Parque has kicked off the first day of fall by giving birth to her first calf yesterday morning (Spain's local time). According to her trainers and veterinarians, the newborn calf healthy, but are having trouble determining its gender, due to Morgan being very protective of it. This is because the second the calf came into the world, Morgan proved herself to be an excellent mother by attending to her newborn. However, the animal care staff at Loro Parque will continue to monitor the pair in case they need to intervene if things are to go wrong between mother and calf.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
Will an Agreement to Save Wild Salmon Be Enough to Save Wild Orcas?
In some of my previous articles, I have discussed the plight of the Southern Resident orca community and how the loss of their major food source, the Chinook salmon, is linked to their potential extinction. In addition, I have also discussed the tragic fate of one of these animals in question. A juvenile orca by the name of J50, who was also known as Scarlet. However, with all efforts to save Scarlet from becoming another mass extinction casualty having to have since failed, all eyes have now been turned on preventing future deaths relating to starvation which now means, focusing on saving the salmon that the whales depend on for their survival.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
Obituary: J50, Also Known as Scarlet
J50, also known as Scarlet, is now believed to have died from an illness relating to malnutrition after researchers off the coast of Washington state were unable to find her among a super pod gathering of all the whales from the Southern Resident community on Thursday. All search efforts to find the animal by boat, plane, and from shore came up with no sight of the four-year-old orca. She was last sighted on September 7th, but the search still continues.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
When Whales Get Sick, Activists Show Their True Colors
Earlier last month, I wrote about how the Southern Resident orca population off the coast of Washington state had been placed on the international spotlight when an adult female known as Tahlequah, also known as J35, spent seventeen days carrying around her calf, who died shortly after birth. Around the same time, her cousin, J50, also known as Scarlet, began to battle malnutrition as a result of not being able to feed on Chinook salmon, the primary food source of this endangered orca population. After several attempts to feed her live fish and darting her with medications as a way to treat a possible infection, the US National Marine Fisheries Service has now suggested a plan that might be the only thing that could save her life-capturing Scarlet by locating her to a sea pen where she would be rehabilitated until she is healthy enough to rejoin her pod. Sounds like a simple idea to a complicated issue right? While it seems so ideal, there is one group of people who are in the way of this: the animal rights movement.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
Six Facts About the Sperm Whale
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), made famous by Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, is the largest species of toothed whale in the world. At around 60 feet in length and weighing in at around 120,000 pounds, these predatory mammals are found throughout all of the world’s deep oceans and are regarded as one of the most extreme animals on the planets, due to being able to dive down to such great depths. So, here are some six facts about the sperm whale.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
Six Facts About the North Atlantic Right Whale
The North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is regarded as one of the most endangered species of baleen whales in the world. The species has a very long history of being subjected to human exploitation until the 1930s when laws were finally passed to protect the slow-moving marine mammals from the whaling industry. Yet, despite these efforts, the population in the North Atlantic shows very little to no signs of recovery. So, here are six things to know about these endangered mammals.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
10 Animals We Wish We Could Keep as Pets (But Really Can't)
Many, but not all, states in the US have laws prohibiting adoption of many wild or exotic animals. The popularity of adopting wild animals among people living in these states, or other parts of the world where wild animals can be legally kept, has increased dramatically in recent years. Unfortunately, the decision to adopt these animals is often short-sighted. Adopting a wild animal is not the same as having a pet, and as a result, these animals are often mishandled or abandoned once the adopter realizes how substantial the responsibility is. There are also many instances of adopted wild animals harming humans, either directly or unknowingly through the diseases they carry. With that in mind, here is a list of some of the many animals we wish we could keep as pets.
By Robby Bernstein8 years ago in Petlife
Don’t Feed Wild Marine Mammals
In a previous article, I discussed how one California woman attempted to stop a group of beach-goers from harassing a colony of wild sea lions. Although I did talk about how it's illegal to play with, touch, or even feed a wild marine mammal, I did not mention how it can inflict potential harm. Word of caution, what I am about to describe may be a little upsetting to some readers, but at the same time, it’s critical to be very cautious when watching marine mammals out in the wild.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
Hippos: Giant Chubby Death Machines
It should come as no surprise to any fan of African wildlife: the hippopotamus remains one of the deadliest land-based animals. This giant semi-aquatic creature defends its territory ruthlessly, and many safari experts warn to keep distance and never get into the water near a hippo. Often described as ‘the most dangerous animal in all of Africa,’ the massive beast reported as being surprisingly agile with various speeds of 14-20+ mph, meaning it will chase you down, and it will nom on you.
By Justin A. Legare8 years ago in Petlife
Six Facts About the Whale Shark
The largest shark to ever be alive today, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) feeds on plankton and travels very long distances in order to find enough food to sustain their large size and breed. These sharks can grow up to 40 feet long and weight up to about 11 tons. They are found in all of the world’s tropical oceans and are regarded as gentle giants. Here are some Six facts about these magnificent sharks (Disclaimer: Despite the name, whale sharks are not related to whales in any shape or form).
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
A Monk Seal Called KP2 (Or Hō’ailona by Some)
They say that not all human-seal conflicts end in death in Hawaii, which is the case for KP2 who, at only a few days old, was rescued by a NOAA veterinarian after seeing he was alone, attempting to nurse from some rocks and calling out for his mother, RK22, who was nowhere in sight. Because RK22 had a history of rejecting her pups shortly after birth, a decision was made to rescue and rehabilitate him in the hopes of, not only preventing a potential death of a rejected pup, but also ensuring the survival of a critically endangered mammal, whose numbers were only around 1,100. From there, he was taken to the Kewalo Research Facility in Oahu.
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
