Help the Polar Bears!

Help the Polar Bear!

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about helping polar bears. Polar bears are the largest carnivorous mammal living on the earth, meaning that they are the largest mammal that eats meat on lives on land. The polar bear, or Ursus Maritimus, lives in arctic regions of the Earth, including Alaska, Northern Canada, Norway, and the North Pole.

          Polar bears are adapted to such freezing temperatures. These polar bears have tiny ears, which is a benefit because it makes them harder to see in the snow and it’s harder for them to freeze off. They don’t necessarily need to hear for predators, since they’re the highest on the food chain, but they can still sense for other animals because of their keen sense of smell. Their paws have a rough pad underneath them, which helps them hunt more efficiently and swim easily. They also aid these bears spread their weight on ice so they don’t fall in the water, and to grip the ice around them.

          However, these polar bears won’t be seen more often in the future. Because of humans, their environment is disappearing. The burning of fossil fuels caused by people is the main reason why these polar bears are soon to be extinct. The use of automobiles and electricity is why these poor animals are dying away. The greenhouse gases caused warms the Earth’s climate, and the temperatures in the Arctic regions rise. The ice would melt, and polar bears wouldn’t have a place to live anymore.

          There are many ways to help. You could:

1.     Spread the word.

2.    Start a petition and get people to sign it.

3.    Stop using so much fossil fuel. Cars, computers, and light bulbs use fossil fuel. Try walking or biking to short distances for a change.

4.    Plant more trees to spread oxygen instead of more carbon dioxide.

 

Help the polar bears!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Orangutan!

Help the Orangutans!

    Hello, this is IGL and this post is about the orangutan. Kristine, as the writer, is very excited to write about her favorite animal. Orangutans are found in Malaysia and Indonesia, including the island of Sumatra and Borneo. They live in the rainforests’ trees in most of the time in their lives. Their beautiful mahogany-red fur distincts the orangutans’ looks. They are the largest arboreal ape mammal, not monkey. Orangutans are not monkeys because apes have tails, are larger, and have bigger chests. They can carry their 200 pound weight with their large arms. They are highly intelligent and alike humans in so many ways. In fact, it has recently been discovered that orangutans share about 95% of humans’ genes. “Orangutan” (derived from “orang hutan”) means “man of the forest” in the Malay language. They are solitary except for the time females care for their babies. Their diet consists mainly of fruits like durian (a stinky but delicious fruit), wild plum, figs, rambutan (a hairy-like fruit with red on the outside but squishy and white in the inside), mangosteen (a strange-looking whitish fruit), and jackfruit (yellow and large). They also eat certain insects like termites and parts of some plants. Orangutans get their water supply by drinking through holes in the trees and sleep on vegetational made nests in treetops. Most adult males have flanges, which are large cheek pads that rounds their face. However, some males don’t have flanges, looking like an adult female. There are two species of orangutans: the Bornean and the Sumatran. They differ a bit in characteristics and behavior. Borneans have less facial hair than the Sumatran and larger cheek flanges. They also walk down on the forest floor, which is difficult for orangutans to do because of their short legs and incredibly large arms. Sumatrans also have more social bonds.

    Both the Bornean and Sumatran orangutans are declining. The Bornean is endangered and the Sumatran is critically endangered. They matter to the world because when they eat the fruits, they also eat the seeds. In their feces they decompose the seeds, spreading around on the soil. If orangutans disappear, many tree species will disappear too. Their habitat is also being taken away. The demand in the world’s commerce of palm oil has endangered these creatures. In many food products such as certain brands of mayonnaise, some lotions, and some companies of greek yogurt, palm oil is found. Palm oil is one of the most cheapest oils to be developed, and many product companies try to hide the fact by putting in the ingredients something different, like “glyceryl stearate” or “vegetable oil”. Palm oil originates from the plant the oil palm. The oil palm grows the best in rainforests, so the trees are being cut down to make space for oil palm plantations. More and more palm oil plantations are being formed, and less trees are growing to help the orangutans. Note: palm kernels, palm kernel oil, or anything that has the word “palm” is most likely from oil palms. You’d be surprised how much products you have in your house that has the ingredients “palm oil”. Since they’re big and slow, they are shot in retaliation. They are also shot when they come to farms and accidentally damage the crops. Baby orangutans are also taken as exotic pets by shooting the mothers and taking the babies into the exotic pet trade. Even though laws are passed to illegalize exotic pet trade, people still do so secretly in the black market. In Indonesia, orangutan skulls are also traded in the black market. Orangutans are also being hunted as bushmeat, or “gourmet” food.

    You can always help the orangutans. You could:

1. Spread the word. Tell people about the orangutans.
2. Start a petition. Get people to sign it.
3. Donate to organizations that help orangutans.
4. Boycott against the exotic pet trade.
5. Sparingly use paper.
6. Try not to use palm oil or products with ingredients from the oil palm.
7. Boycott skull trading.
8. Go against bushmeat.
9. Support zoo programs that help orangutans.

HELP THE ORANGUTANS!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the American Burying Beetle!

Help the American Burying Beetle!

          Hello, this is IGL, and this post is about the American Burying Beetle. The American Burying Beetle once was very abundant and was present in thirty-five states. However, this species of insect is now only seen in six states of the United States. The beetle was placed in the endangered animals list in August of 1938, which his very sad. The American Burying Beetle is sort of black with orange wings. They are nocturnal and can detect dead carcasses of animals an hour after it dies and two miles away. The beetles group together and carry the carcass to a hole where they bury the body so other insects can’t eat their food.

          The American Burying Beetle was once prosperous, but now is very scarce. According to Endangered American Burying Beetle Update, there are only less than a thousand of these bugs present in population today. The use of pesticides has depleted their population. Less prey also contributes to the loss. Certain species of birds have gone extinct because of land change and the American Burying Beetle preyed on those species of bird in the past.

          You can help the American Burying Beetle. You Could:

1.     Donate to organizations that support this species of insect.

2.    Spread the word.

3.    Make a petition and get people to sign it.

4.    Support the Saint Louis Zoo’s program, which is to reproduce the beetles in captivity then release them into the wild.

5.    Decrease your own use of pesticides.

 

Help the American Burying Beetle!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Komodo dragon!

Help the Komodo dragon!

          Hello, this is IGL and this topic is about helping the Komodo dragon. The Komodo dragon is always killed because of fear of the lizard to attack. The IUCN claims that the Komodo dragon is vulnerable. Their population is decreasing because of habitat loss, natural disasters, and poaching. Trading of the animal and skin is illegal. Although natural disasters could not be stopped, you could stop poaching and habitat loss.

          They are also captured from the wild and brought to zoos for exhibit. They have a short lifespan and they would die early due to the habitat they are not used to. There are many ways to help the Komodo dragon. You could:

1. Donate to a foundation that helps Komodo dragons
2. Avoid products made from Komodo dragon
3. Spread the word
4. Start a petition

Help the Komodo dragon!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Rhinos!

Help the Rhinos!

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about helping the rhinos. The rhinoceros is large animal with a horn on its head. It contains five subspecies: the Sumatra, white, Indian, Javan, and Black. The Javan, Sumatra, and black are critically endangered. The Indian is vulnerable and the white rhino is near threatened.

          The rhino is poached for their horn. Even though countries ban the hunting of rhinos, poachers still sell them in the black market. The horn is used to make daggers and medicine. The population of rhinos is decreasing every year. There are many ways to help the rhinos. You could:

1. Donate to foundations that help rhinos (ex: rhinos.org)
2. Spread the word
3. Start a petition
4. Avoid products made from rhinos

These ways could help the rhino live on this earth!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL