Mystery Animal of the Day

With woeful heart, Mama gnome relates this Mystery Animal is endangered and according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, this animal is "believed to have undergone a decline exceeding 50% over the past 30 years (approximately three generations)."

It is one of the smallest marine mammals and one of the cleverest as well for it is quite adept at using rocks to crack open its favorite meal, the sea urchin.

Unlike other marine mammals which have blubber for protection, this animal relies on its very dense fur for warmth and repelling water.

It is also undoubtedly one of the cutest animals Mama gnome had ever seen up close.

If you guessed sea otter as the Mystery Animal, Mama gnome gives you a big hug and invites you to join her in the annual International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 21, 2013.
 
 photo by : Mike Baird

An adult sea otter can grow up to 1.2 to 1.5 m (3 ft 10 in to 4 ft 10 in) in length and weigh from 22 to 45 kg (49 to 99 lb).

Its fur is usually brown but can also range from yellowish brown to almost black.

The sea otter sheds its fur gradually all year allowing the animal to maintain its thick fur which is vital for survival in the cold ocean waters.

The sea otter has a thick, somewhat flat tail which helps propel it in the water.

The otter can swim up to 5.6 mph or 9 km per hour. When it swims underwater it keeps its body long and streamlined and while above water it usually floats on its back quite easily, thanks to the the trapped air in its thick fur, making it very buoyant.

Besides its power of buoyancy and cuteness, sea otters are vital for maintaining kelp forest ecosystems.

Without sea otters, sea urchins population will grow rampant and what is bad about this?

Sea urchins eat the root systems of kelp forests so if the otters are not there to keep them in check, sea urchins will thrive and eventually kill the kelp forests leading to urchin barrens.

Here is a video of sea otters working hard to save our kelp forests.

 

video by: BBC

Sea otters' population is decreasing. They are threatened by oil spills, predators, disease, and conflict with fisheries.

Mama gnome would like to float in the ocean, buoyed up by her gnomish folds, bang on a rock just for the heck of it, and say, please help our sea otters continue to thrive and live in our kelp forests.

Please help in your own human way every day and stay green.

(c) friendlygnome.blogspot.com

Elephant Killed by CEO

Mama gnome has spoken about the elephants' plight numerous times.

They are threatened by habitat loss and illegal hunting and trade.

Despite the ban on ivory trade, poachers continue to slaughter elephants at terrible rate.

According to this post, Robbie Marsland, director of IFAW UK (International Fund for Animal Welfare), has stated:

"This alarming level of illegal hunting could drive the African elephant to extinction across much of Africa in just 15 years."

So it is quite deplorable to read about GoDAddy CEO Rob Parsons going on an elephant hunt and he proudly showed it off on video.

Mama gnome didn't want to watch the video.

Mama gnome was even more rankled to read that this CEO goes on an elephant killing spree every year!

Mama gnome urges you to close your account with this CEO's company and transfer to another company.

Maybe consider its rival company, which has raised over $20,000 for Save the Elephants.

Please visit Save the Elephants and read statements by Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of Zimbabwe's Conservation Task Force to AOL News.

Here is a photo of an elephant in Namibia.

It is a fortunate animal because it was not the one shot by Bob Parsons.

photo by: Ikiwaner

Please boycott Bob Parsons and his company.

Please help save the elephants and go green.

(c) Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Young gnomelets have kept Mama gnome very occupied.

And it is the older gnomelet who asked, "Mama, how come you don't have a new Mystery Animal?"

And so sheepishly, Mama gnome presents the Mystery Animal of the Day.

This animal has the "strongest bite per unit body mass of any living mammal."

It is a marsupial, a relative of the kangaroo.

But unlike the kangaroo who is a herbivore, this Mystery Animal is carnivorous.

It feeds on carrion and preys on small mammals to a small kangaroo, wombats, birds, fish, frogs, reptiles, fruit.

It's a very noisy eater...so noisy...thus contributing to how it was named...the little devil.

If you've guessed the Mystery Animal of the Day is the Tasmanian Devil, Mama gnome would like to congratulate you and she hopes you will participate in A Billion Acts of Green, Earth Day 2011 on April 22, 2011.

Tasmanian Devil at Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia.

photo by: arndbergmann

The Tasmanian Devil is found in Tasmania, Australia's island and state.

It has a large head and neck. It has black fur and usually white patches on its chest and lower back. It's stocky and muscular.

It has a keen smell and is also described as having a "pungent smell."

The name Tasmanian Devil has a long history.

Mama gnome will not recount all the names but to give you an idea as to how this animal was named Tasmanian Devil...here it goes...

First named in 1807 Didelphis ursina, "meatloving bear."

Then later also renamed Sarcophilus harrisii,"Harris's meat lover."

Then "Beelzebub's pup was an early vernacular name given to it by the explorers of Tasmania, in reference to a religious deity who is a prince of hell and an assistant of Satan."

Other names used were Sarcophilus satanicus "Satanic meatlover" and Diabolus ursinus "diabolical bear."

Mama gnome would like to rename them as "Poor animalus creaturus name-mes just because it likes to eat loud-es and a eat a lot-es."

The Tasmanian Devil is an endangered animal.

According to the IUCN, its population has decreased by more than 60% in the last ten years.

One of the major threats to this animal is a terrible infectious cancer called the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD).

The disease is spread between animals especially during the mating season and when they are feeding because of injurious biting.

DFTD is an "aggressive non-viral transmissible parasitic cancer" and the afflicted animal develops lesions and lumps around the mouth which spread to the rest of its body.

The animal is unable to feed and dies of starvation.

Another threat to the Tasmanian Devil is the red fox which was illegally introduced to Tasmania
for reasons including fox hunting which is another terrible crime. (And Mama gnome talks about fox hunting in detail here, another Mystery Animal.)

According to IUCN, other threats to the Tasmanian Devil is being killed on the roads by vehicles, being killed by dogs, and from persecution.

Persecution according to IUCN:

"Through the 1980s and 1990s, systematic poisoning in many sheep-growing areas (particularly fine-wool with its reliance on merinos) was widespread and probably killed in excess of 5000 devils per year (N. Mooney unpubl., from interviews with landowners). In the 1990s, control permits were occasionally issued to individuals who were able to argue that Tasmanian Devils were pests (e.g. killing valuable lambs)."




video from: NationalGeographic


Please read about the Tasmanian Devil's plight and visit WWF and also Save the Tasmanian Devil Program.

Mama gnome would now screech loudly, change her name to Gnomeus Eat-A-Lot-es-chocolate-us, and nip terrible humans who poison the Tasmanian Devil.

Please be the loud devil-may-care human in the planet and go green.

(c) 2009-2011 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Bad dream? Good dream?

Mama gnome dreams in color, psychedelic colors sometimes and wakes up remembering most of the details.

Last night, Mama gnome had a weird dream.

She dreamt of a baby elephant.

It looked like a baby Asian elephant. The one with smaller ears.

photo from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:SuperJew

Here's a picture of a baby Asian elephant with its mother.


The baby elephant Mama gnome dreamt of was lost in a flooded village.

The water was high. High above the elephant's head.

The poor animal stuck its trunk above the water for air.

Mama gnome walked up to the embankment where an old friend/classmate from college was just watching the wandering elephant.

Mama gnome asked, " Hey, -------(friend's name), why don't you help the elephant?"

But the old classmate/friend just shook her head.

Without wasting another moment, Mama gnome jumped in the water.

She swam towards the elephant.

And just like any dream where Newton's laws or any other physical laws are suspended,

Mama gnome and elephant walked side by side, both submerged in the water.

Mama gnome had no trouble foregoing air.

They made their way around the village until finally they clambered up a path,

out of the water together.

Then Mama gnome woke up.

Was it a good dream or a bad dream?

I think it was good because the baby elephant and Mama gnome made it out of the flood okay.

I think it was a bad dream because in reality Asian elephants are endangered.

According to IUCN:

...an overall population decline of at least 50% over the last three generations (estimated to be 60–75 years, based on a generation time estimated to be 20–25 years) seems realistic.

They are endangered because of the continuing trend of poaching and habitat destruction.

And Mama gnome cannot help them as simply as walking with them up and out of the flood.



video from: www.conservenature.org

Visit elephantconservation.org for more information.

And please, remember, there is no beauty in ivory for an elephant was killed for it.

Go green.

(c) Jenaelha Friendly Gnome's Blog.

Mystery Animal of the Day

Little gnomelet asked me yesterday, "Mama, do you have a new Mystery Animal of the Day?"

And so...

Mama Gnome presents MYSTERY ANIMAL OF THE DAY...

It has a flat, short head, big eyes, long legs and a short tail.

It's the slowest mammal in the world. It moves so minimally algae grows on its fur.

It can hang from tree limbs quite adeptly.

A three-toed species of this animal is critically endangered.


If your guess is Sloth, you win a double high-five and

Mama gnome asks, "Why don't you go volunteer at an animal shelter then?"

Here is a picture of a Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth:
photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bradypus.jpg


Sloths are found in Central and South America.

The pygmy three-toed sloths are critically endangered according to IUCN.

And with continuing loss of habitat and poaching, other species are also threatened.

Sloths are grouped into two families, the three-toed sloths and two-toed sloths.

Here is a picture of a two-toed sloth.


photo from nationalgeographic.com

As you can see the three-toed and two-toed sloths are equally cute and awesome.

The only difference is the two-toed sloths have two fingers. And the three-toed sloths have three fingers.

But all sloths have three toes.

Is that confusing or what?

Never mind.

Just remember the cuteness and awesomeness of both groups are equal as proven by the algebraic formula below:

3 toed-sloth = (100 % cute) + (100% awesome) = 2 toed-sloth


Sloths move at a speed of 1.2 miles per hour or .54 meters per second.

And when it's in a super hurry as in running away from danger it moves at a staggering fifteen feet or 4.5 m. per minute.

The main staple of the sloths' diet are leaves.

Sloths' fur is host not only to algae but also to non-parasitic insects.

Here is a video of this fascinating mammal.

video by http://www.youtube.com/BBCEarth

Mama gnome now feels like slowing down, eating edible leaves and looking cute and awesome.

Hope you've enjoyed learning a little bit about Sloths.

Please visit Mama gnome's garden soon for the next Mystery Animal of the Day.

Go green.

(c) 2009 Jenaelha Friendly Gnome's Blog

Endangered Species

Endangered...

Hundreds of thousands killed.

Millions lost their homes.

The killing continues...

DARFUR


Warning: Parental guidance for children





video from save darfur coalition


Warning: Parental Guidance for Children


video for DARFUR Now


Mama gnome cannot comprehend why humans behave like this.

Humans kill humans.

Please help.


SAVEDARFUR.ORG

The International Rescue Committee

UNHCR United Nations Refugee Agency

United Nations World Food Programme

Save the Children

OXFAM America

(c) 2009 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog