The Ocean Connection: Saving Ourselves

An entire dock from Japan's Tsunami washed ashore on the coast of Oregon today. If this isn't proof that we are all connected by our oceans, I don't know what is. BBC News reports that the 160 ton dock traveled some 5000 miles across the Pacific over the past fifteen months to wash ashore today. It is part of an estimated 20 million tons of debris that was washed out to sea during Japan's Tsunami, much of which is still likely to be floating to points around the globe if this enormous dock made of concrete and steel is any indication.

I have to say what I find most disturbing from the BBC report was the news that "authorities" who are trying to decide what to do with the dock, now that they know it's radiation free, are thinking of towing it back out to sea. Like the ocean is every one's free dumping zone. Isn't it about time we stopped thinking this way? Perhaps I'd be okay if they were thinking of sinking it someplace that needs coral reef growth, if corals will even grow on it. But, I don't think this is the case off the coast of Oregon. What would be mag, though I'm not sure it's possible, would be if they could somehow recycle some of it's steel and concrete. There may be reasons that isn't feasible. I'll admit I'm no expert on concrete and steel waste. But, thinking along the lines of "we'll simply tow it back out to sea and dump it," cannot possibly be the best plan of action. When will we stop purposely trashing our oceans?

Maybe you live inland like me, where it's easy to think this isn't your problem. After all, you aren't the one putting junk into our oceans, right?And see, that's where you'd be wrong. Lots of the trash and debris that ends up in our oceans is washed there from all the inland waterways, carried via our creeks, rivers, streams, and canals. So, the trashing of the ocean is every one's problem. We are all culpable, and we are all affected in more ways than you might at first suppose.

The Nature Conservancy gives some good examples of how we are all connected to the oceans. First and foremost, oceans absorb nearly one-third of the human caused carbon-dioxide emissions on earth. Plus, oceans provide us with kelp which is used to make a ton of stuff from dairy products to shampoo to frozen foods to pharmaceuticals. In fact, the ocean provides us with $21 trillion dollars in goods and services, 70% more than what we get from land. And here's a good one. Compounds from coral reef plants and animals are used to help treat cancer, Alzheimer's, arthritis, heart disease, viruses, and more. So, it's not just the turtles, the dolphins and whales you'd be saving if you work to clean our waterways, our beaches, and help to stop pollution. The fact is, you may very well be helping to save yourself. What better reason is there to get involved than that?

Head on over to The Nature Conservancy to find out what you can do to help clean up our oceans. There are all kinds of ways to get involved.

Birthing a Six Foot Baby

A friend just called today with the fantastic news that one of her giraffes is in labor. Well, it's actually the zoo's giraffe, but when you take care of the animals every day, they begin to feel like yours. I have no doubt she's as proud as any soon-to-be gramma could be.

The news immediately took me back to watching my first giraffe birth many years ago at the Dallas Zoo. The poor female walked around with hooves protruding from her for hours. We were all really worried the baby would suffocate after so long in the birth canal. But some six hours after it all began, the baby's head and neck began to emerge. It didn't take much longer for the baby to come falling out. I covered my eyes, thinking surely the fall would injure the not so little guy. But, the vet on call that day assured me that hitting the ground actually helps clear their air passages and get them breathing.

What was really astounding was how huge the baby was. When she stood, she was six feet tall and weighed something like 150 lbs. That's quite a baby. She was up and walking around like she'd been born to it within the hour, too. The whole thing was truly amazing. Here's hoping my friend's giraffe birth goes off without a hitch. May momma giraffe and her fairly ginormous baby be happy and healthy. In honor of the impending birth, I thought I'd share some photos I took of a couple of my young giraffe friends.

All photos by Amanda Corlies Sandos.

Elephant Contacts and Baby Lemurs

There has been some fantastic zoo news to hit my inbox, today. First, I'm sending out three cheers for C'Sar, the bull African Elephant at the NC Zoo. He came through his second cataract surgery successfully today. His vision has been declining rapidly for some time, now. The first surgical procedure to attempt a replacement lens was not fully successful, because his cornea was too damaged to support the specially designed lenses, according to the surgeon, Dr. Richard McMullen. The cataract removal did, however, improve C'sar's vision. Now, the second surgery is complete and the old man should be returning to his exhibit again soon. It appears there are possible contact lenses in the works for C'sar, as well. These specially-made lenses, if they are needed once the staff assesses C'sar's post-surgery vision, and they work, will help the elephant improve his lost near-sighted vision. Either way, I'm thrilled to hear that the old boy is on the mend. Congrats to C'sar and to my friends on the NC Zoo staff!

This image of C'sar was taken recently. He's being fed a peanut butter sandwich by Angus Mercer, the man who donated the money to purchase him from the Toledo Zoo back when C'sar was just 4 feet tall at the shoulder. He's grown quite a bit since then, wouldn't you say? Mr. Mercer paid a visit to C'sar for the first time in 35 years.

In bonus news, at another zoo I've known and loved, the red-ruffed lemurs at the Sante Fe Community College Teaching Zoo (where I got my zoology degree) have a baby. Woot! As my friend's daugher "Chibi-tan" would say, "Isn't she cute?"

Remembering Those We've Lost

Here I am feeding Moja treats.

Here I am with Isabeau

Memorial Day is about honoring those who have and still do serve
our country. It's an important day in my family and always has been, since so many of my family have served in the armed forces. In fact, I blogged about my grandfather over at amandacorlies.com. But, I also find myself thinking about some of the many animals I've loved and lost today. So, I thought I'd share some images I found of them. I hope you enjoy a lovely holiday with friends and family, today. Thanks so much to all those who have and still do serve our country!

Nita and Teela

I have a tattoo of Grady the leopard on my ankle

Tonto letting me hand feed him browse.

Forest Gump the Puffin who didn't like to swim.

My angel of Mercy, pictured here with Cinco

Sting the Blue-Crowned Hanging Parrot. His partner was Roxanne.

Bambesa, my favorite Okapi and her calf.

Plastic Updates and an NC Zoo Video.

My inbox gets filled with all manner of fantastic things some days. It pays to have friends all over the world who think of me and send me cool stuff. Thanks to all of you who have done so. It's always appreciated, even if I don't end up blogging about it.

One of the tidbits that just came across my computer is an update to the last story posted about banning plastic in the state of Hawaii.  Los Angeles has now joined San Francisco in banning the use of plastic bags city-wide, making them the largest city so far to institute the ban. This makes me deliriously happy. Keep it up people! Let's make non-biodegradable plastic a thing of our past. Well, that will be hard, since it's shelf like is something like 10,000 years, but still, stopping the demand for its production is a serious step in the right direction.

The other bit of news I received is a little news segment for Roanoke Virginia's Daytime Blue Ridge program on channel 10 about the NC Zoo. A good portion of the short video is filmed in the RJ Reynold's Forest Aviary, where I spent ten years taking care of the birds. I really miss working there sometimes, so it was lovely to see some of my old friends, feathered and otherwise, doing what they do. I enjoyed a good chuckle at the narrator who says he loves seeing the "animals and birds" as if they are two separate things. Still, I thought you might enjoy it. If you live "in a day's drive" of Asheboro, North Carolina, or even if you don't, the NC Zoo is worth making time for. It really is one of the best zoos in the world, and the largest zoo in the world in land mass. Don't miss it if you have the chance to visit. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Banning Plastic: Mahalo, Hawaii!

Green Sea Turtle with Plastic Bags

I'd like to say Mahalo (thank you) to Hawaii's chapter of the Sierra Club and all the people who helped in the fight to ban the use of plastic bags at all check outs in the state of Hawaii. This fight has been ongoing for some time. The initial movement tried to ban non-biodegradable plastic bags at a state-wide level. But, when that measure didn't pass, the organizers of the fight didn't give up. Instead, they took on banning plastics at the local level, county by county. Honolulu county's city council announced passing the ban a few days ago, making Hawaii the first state to claim a state-wide ban on plastic bags.

Albatross Carcass, Cause of Death: Eating Plastic

According to Robert Harris, director of the Hawaii chapter of Sierra Club, it was a two-year struggle to make this happen. He calls plastic bags "the modern-day tumbleweed" and says he feels Hawaii's residents finally accepted the need for change because the majority of them spend so much time at the beaches, seeing their local environments being ravaged by the effects of plastic litter. Anyway, it's good to know that persistence at the local level can bring about change. It gives me hope that other states might be able to take on this fight locally and begin working towards a ban on plastics on a national level.

North Pacific Gyre Trash

In case you haven't heard of The North Pacific Gyre and the enormous islands of floating plastic trash gathering in the circling currents there, you really need to read about it. It's being called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Reports have said these islands of debris are at times larger than the continental United States. The currents of the oceans have been carrying the drifting plastic there from all around the world. And it's killing our oceans, which are home to a huge portion of our world-wide food source. It's not just big plastic things like nets and bags and toys that are polluting the waters and killing marine life, but the tiny microscopic pieces, the raw materials of plastics, which incidentally are filled with carcinogens, that the fish and other marine life consume. Then, we catch and eat those fish, if they don't die first. Imagine what these toxins and contaminated foods might be doing to us. This cannot be allowed to continue unchecked. We need change, and change needs to begin locally!

So, what can you do about it? Well, the best thing you can do is stop consuming so much plastic. If you don't demand it, there won't be so much call to supply it. This means making some choices that might not be comfortable at first, but once you get used to the changes, this too will become second nature. You can do things like buying reusable grocery bags for your shopping trips, using non-plastic reusable drinking cups for your drinks. Refraining from purchasing so many bottled beverages in plastics. Buying green products made from recycled materials as much as possible. And recycling is so important. Please be sure you are working toward being part of the solution rather than continuing to be part of the problem. Because change happens at the local level, one person at a time. Your personal choices really do make all the difference!

Cinco Dingo Joins the Fire Department

Okay, not really. Though, she will definitely volunteer to be the Forest Fire Company's new mascot. My little dog is really cute, and seriously smart, and she loves having her picture taken. I fear she's far too much of a diva to rush into anything burning for anyone else, however. Well, except maybe for me. I can see her trying to save me. Cinco's loyal that way. She's probably also a little bit too timid for the job. However, she certainly didn't mind visiting the brand new fire house next door to help me flirt with all the hot fire fighters. The view from our back yard these days is divine. All those sweaty people out washing their fire trucks and carrying big hoses and rushing off to save people. Woot! I digress. The Forest Fire Company is a volunteer fire department. They are in need of contributions to complete their new fire station so they can best serve the people of my community. Visit their website for more information.

Check out Cinco's day as a fire fighter:

Where do I sign up?

 

I'd make a really good mascot!

Gramma and Grampa are so proud!

Off to fight fires! Wish me luck!