The Year of the Dying Tiger

photo from:Mayankkatiyar

According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, the year 2010 is the year of the Tiger.

Mama gnome would like to categorize it as the Year of the Dying Tiger.

During the beginning of the 20th century there were an estimated 100,000 tigers.

And now a century later, 100 years later, the tiger population has decreased to less than 3,000 tigers in the wild.

Humans have killed off 97% of the tiger population.

Just in the last ten years tiger habitat has decreased by 40%

What is pushing this animal into extinction?

According to IUCN:

"...consider habitat loss and poaching for trade to be primary causes of a significant decline in Tiger range and numbers."

"Despite strong international action to eliminate it, illegal trade persists...Although all countries have banned use and manufacture of tiger bone, illegal production persists in several Asian countries, especially in China, Malaysia, and Vietnam."

"In China there are several operations engaged in intensive breeding ("farming" of tigers), with the captive population reportedly reaching 5,000. They are pressuring the government to allow them to produce tiger products, and several are already engaged in illegal production of Tiger bone wine."

"Tiger farming perpetuates and threatens to re-ignite consumer demand."



video from: BBCWorldwide


What can we do to help?

Visit WWF's Save Tigers Now

Educate family, friends, children about the plight of the tigers.

Don't buy fur, be it tiger fur, fox fur, or any other animal because it perpetuates the problem.

Don't buy tiger medicine. Don't use tiger medicine.

Report businesses or people who trade in tiger parts, products. It's illegal and Mama gnome would like to add..."downright #$#^#." That's why.

Don't buy tiger wine.

And Mama gnome would like to add, "Why in the world would you want to drink wine fermented from the bones of this animal? Or any other animal actually...Drink morning elixir instead, so vital for life."

Part of the problem that is killing tigers is habitat destruction, so be aware of products you buy, paper products which contribute to the destruction of their habitat.

Please visit Natural Resources Defense Council to see lists of green paper products from toilet paper to paper towels.

Use cloth napkins, recycle old shirts and cut them up to be used instead of paper towels for wiping down counters.

Save our trees and forests and save the tigers' home.

Please help the dying tiger...and go green.

(c) 2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome presents the

Mystery Animal of the Day

It is "the rarest member of the bear family and among the world’s most threatened animals."

This animal has distinct black patches over its eyes, ears and body.

It possesses dangerous levels of cuteness, making anyone susceptible to its charm.

Anyone who looks at it is prone to saying, "Awwww...So cute."



If you guess the Mystery Animal is Giant Panda, Mama gnome wants to give you a giant panda bear hug.

Here is a 7 month old Panda cub from the Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China

photo from: Sheila Lau

Do you not see the overwhelming power of its cuteness?

The Giant Panda has been the World Wild Fund for Nature's symbol since WWF was established in 1961.

Because of habitat loss from logging and farming,the panda's territory has shrunk to a few mountain ranges in south China. A long time ago when it was a greener Earth, this bear once roamed as far as Myanmar and Vietnam.

IUCN categorizes it as endangered. IUCN reports: "Results from the most recent survey, coordinated by the State Forestry Administration (SFA) of China and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), indicated a total population of ~1600 individuals."

The Giant Panda's diet is 99% bamboo. According to this report, the panda consumes as much as twenty to thirty pounds of bamboo a day. Apparently, the panda's round face and rotund body is adaptation to its mainly vegetarian diet and resulting low metabolism.

Mama gnome recognizes increased kinship with the panda for she herself has similar adaptations of a round face and rotund body from mostly peanut butter diet. Granted, she is not as cute as this animal, but the rotund part she has down pat.

Unlike other temperate bears, the Giant Panda does not hibernate. During winter, it moves down to lower elevations to find bamboo and take cover in crevices, trees and caves.

Pandas are protected by the Chinese government and efforts continue to increase their numbers. The State Forestry Administration (SFA) of China and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) work together to improve the panda's population and habitat.

Forest reserves for this animal were started in 1963. In 1990 there were 13 panda reserves. There are now over 50 panda reserves according to the WWF.

Yet the Giant Panda continues to be endangered because of deforestation, habitat loss and fragmentation, and poaching.


And here is the Giant Panda in action. Prepare yourself.



video from BBCWorldwide

Mama gnome now feels like rolling around, munching on leaves, staking her territory against poachers and illegal loggers.

If she meets any such unseemly humans she will radiate panda cuteness on them to ultra power intensity and the hapless humans will run away, run away in shame...

Mama gnome hopes you've enjoyed learning about the Giant Panda.

Please visit her garden soon for the next Mystery Animal of the Day.

In the meantime, munch on edible leaves, stake your claim on Mother Earth and go Green!

(c) 2009 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome presents the

Mystery Animal of the Day.

This animal has large eyes, with each eye surrounded by a circle of feathers called facial disc.

Contrary to popular belief, this animal cannot rotate its head entirely backwards.
But it is quite capable of looking over its shoulder 135 degrees to each side for a measly total of a 270 degree visual field.

This animal is usually nocturnal and solitary.


If your guess is OWL, Mama gnome wants to give you a loud hoot! whilst she takes you to her favorite forest, the sequoia redwood forest in Northern California.

Northern Spotted Owl

photo by US Fish and Wildlife Service

The owl's diet includes insects, small mammals and other birds. Some owls hunt fish as well. Owls are natural for controlling rodent population. Though some birds die from eating rodents that had ingested poison or rodenticides.

Owls are excellent hunters. Their flight feathers have serrated edges allowing them to fly virtually silent. The coloration of their feathers allow them to blend in with the environment and become virtually invisible.

Owls also have the habit of regurgitating indigestible parts of their prey such as fur,scales and bones. The discarded parts come out as "owl pellets." Schools can buy these pellets to be dissected in biology or ecology classes.

The collective noun for a group of these animals is parliament.

Does it not bring a visual imagery of a parliament of owls wearing spectacles and discussing important earth warming problems? Yes, it does for Mama gnome.

Owls are often associated with wisdom, depicted as symbols for libraries and universities. The greek goddess Athena was often portrayed with an owl.

Some cultures though consider owls as bad omens and 'harbingers of death.'

But for Mama gnome, she considers the situation reversed.
That man is really the harbinger of death for these poor animals.

According to this report,

In November 2008, 900 of these owls were seized in a raid in Malaysia.
They were 'plucked and "oven-ready" owls.'
In January 2009, 319 freshly skinned Owl carcasses were seized along with 25 hind legs and 22 paws of Malayan Sun Bear as well as 2,330 live clouded monitor lizards.

Chris R. Shepherd, Senior Programme Officer for TRAFFIC's Southeast Asia office, said,

"The number of owls and monitor lizards seized is truly staggering...
This is the first time we know of where ‘ready-prepared’ owls have been seized in Malaysia, and it may mark the start of a new trend in wild meat from the region. We will be monitoring developments closely."

They believe the animals were to be sold to wild meat restaurants in China.

IUCN categorizes the Philippine Eagle-owl as threatened and the Pernambuco Pygmy-owl as critically endangered. Other species of owls also face continuing loss of their habitat.

Here is a video of this remarkable animal.


video from: BBCWorldwide

Mama gnome would be remiss if she did not include this equally fascinating video about owls.


video from: notebookbabies

Mama gnome now wants to fix her facial discs on illegal loggers and haunters trespassing in her habitat.

Here's the virtually silent, virtually invisible flight of Mama gnome owl......

And after Mama gnome is done she will regurgitate pellets of axes, chainsaws and haunting rifles. BWAHAHAHAHA! BWAHAHAHAHA!

Oh, pardon me. Mama gnome got carried away.

Please, help save our forests and owls. Please, go green.

(c)2009 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome presents the Mystery Animal of the Day.

He's dubbed the "loneliest animal on Earth" for bearing the burden of being the last known survivor of his subspecies.

This animal lives on an island, part of an archipelago made famous by Darwin.

He is a slow moving reptile with a saddleback shell and long neck and limbs.

If your answer is Pinta Island Tortoise or Abingdon Island Tortoise, Mama gnome would like to walk on the beach with you someday to participate at the next Coastal Cleanup Day.

photo from: putneymark

This famous tortoise is called Lonesome George.

He was discovered on the island of Pinta in 1971. Pinta is one of the islets of the Galapagos Archipelago.



photo from: Minglex


Pinta Island Tortoises were severely hunted down by fishermen and whalers to the point of extinction in the wild.

In addition..."the island's vegetation had been decimated by introduced feral goats, and the indigenous Geochelone nigra abingdoni population had been reduced to a single individual."

That single individual is George.

George has since lived in protected confinement at the Charles Darwin Research Center.

They estimate his age to be around ninety years old.

Lonesome George is the last known Geochelone nigra abingdoni or Abingdon Island Tortoise, a subspecies of the Galapagos giant tortoises.

The Galapagos giant tortoise is the largest living tortoise. Adults can measure up to four feet or 1.2 meters long and weigh over 661 pounds or 300 kilograms.

Their normal life expectancy is estimated to be 100 to 150 years.

Since the start of the 17th century, the Galapagos tortoises have been killed by hunters, poachers and predators introduced to the islands by humans.

Their food which is mainly plants and grasses have severely diminished as well.

Although the Galapagos giant tortoise has been listed as a "protected species" since 1936 by the Ecuadorian government, over 120 tortoises have been killed by poachers.

In 2004 the giant tortoises and scientists at the Charles Darwin Research Center were taken hostage by local fisherman as part of their political protest against environmental laws. Some fishermen even threatened to kill Lonesome George.

Today, of the ten remaining subspecies of Galapagos giant tortoises, George is charged with representing his entire subspecies by himself.

Attempts are being made to continue George's genome. Although the resulting offsprings if they are successful will be 'hybrids,' for the female tortoises are different subspecies.

In 2008, one of the female tortoises laid a clutch of eggs but were later found infertile.

Last July 2009, the Galapagos National Park reported a second clutch of eggs were discovered. After an incubation period of 120 days they will determine if the eggs are fertile.

Mama gnome will keep her fingers crossed and root for George.


video from: BBCWorldwide

Mama gnome now feels like stretching her neck high and coming out of her shell to say to the world,

"Lonesome George may be the last of his kind, but he is not alone. I will stand by him and so should you. Be a part of his family and go green."

(c) 2009 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome presents the

Mystery Animal of the Day

It is the most endangered cat species in the world. It has leopard-like spots on its gray or light-brown coat.

IUCN reports only about 84-143 of these cats remain in scattered pockets in Spain and Portugal.

If your guess is the IBERIAN LYNX, Mama gnome would like to shake your hand and say,
"you have the signs of becoming a true environmentalist."


photo by: (c)"Programa de Conservación Ex-situ del Lince Ibérico www.lynxexsitu.es"


The Iberian Lynx has four sets of whiskers. Two on its ears and two on the chin. They use these whiskers to sense for prey.

Their main prey is the European Rabbit. With the Iberian Lynx's habitat severely diminished or destroyed and the rabbit population drastically reduced, the Iberian Lynx is critically endangered.

Sadly SOS Lynx reports,

"...if this species died out, it would be the first feline extinction since the Smilodon 10,000 years ago."

SOS Lynx is a nonprofit organization dedicated to help save the Iberian Lynx. Please visit their website for more information.


video from: chriscarrfilm

Mama gnome feels like brushing her whiskers, ehemm, brushing her hair I mean.

And pouncing on terrible humans who are ruthlessly cutting down trees in the Iberian Lynx's territory.

Raw-raarrr!!!

To help the Iberian Lynx:

• please visit SOS Lynx
• find ways to cut down use of paper or paper products
• recycle paper
• try to use paper or paper products made from post-consumer waste
  

Be one with the Iberian Lynx, clean your whiskers and Go Green.

(c) 2009 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome presents:

Mystery Animal of the Day


Mama gnome thought these creatures were mythical.

But they truly exist.

Found only in southern and western Australia,

these dragons swim in the the oceans.


If you guessed Leafy Sea Dragon,

Mama gnome offers you a strong cup of morning elixir, so vital for existence.

And Mama gnome says, "Maybe try sticking to reusable bags for a month and help keep the oceans clean?"

Leafy Sea Dragons are named after the mythical creature because of the resemblance.



photo by: EyeKarma


And they are quite beautiful with the leaflike attachments that act as camouflage allowing them to blend in with their surroundings.

Unlike the mythical fire-breathing dragons, these leafy sea dragons are very docile and do not even have the ability to hook their tails like their cousin, the sea horse.

They are vulnerable to being washed ashore when dragged by currents, especially after storms.

Their diet is mainly plankton and small crustaceans.

Like the seahorse, male leafy sea dragons carry the fertilized eggs produced by the female.
Up to 200 eggs can be attached to the underside of their tail.

The male sea dragons also help hatch the eggs.

Mama gnome is quite impressed by this.

Though the Australian government has placed the leafy sea dragon under protection they are threatened by people who use them for "alternative medicine" and by collectors.

Leafy sea dragons are also threatened by loss of habitat (coral reefs and seagrass) and pollution from runoffs and sewage dumped in the ocean.



video from: Madge1964

Mama gnome will now go into camouflage and swim amongst the sea dragons to fend off humans who illegally collect them.

You stay on land and fend off the pollution from running into the ocean.

Go green.

(c) 2009 Jenaelha Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama Gnome Presents:


Mystery Animal of the Day


Its legs have stripes similar to a zebra's

Its body and face are similar to a giraffe's.

It's a herbivore and many of the plants it consumes are poisonous to humans.


Its existence is threatened by poachers, habitat destruction and wars.


If your answer is OKAPI, you win Mama gnome's admiration and virtual morning elixir.

And Mama gnome asks, "What are you doing then? Why don't you become a zoologist or animal rescuer or something..."








Photo by Raul654


Okapis are mammals and are closely related to the giraffe.

They are primarily diurnal animals which gnomelet says, "are animals that look for food in daytime and sleep at night."

Their feet have scent glands that secrete a tar like substance, marking their territory.

Okapis have the distinction of being the only mammals that have such long tongues that can clean their ears inside and out.

Their velvety fur is oily and can repel water which is pretty handy in a rain forest, Mama gnome thinks.

Mama gnome also says, "Aren't they just marvelous creatures?"

They are mostly solitary animals and favor large, secluded areas. But unfortunately, their habitat is diminishing.

They are native to the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1992 an Okapi Wildlife Reserve was established. However civil war threatens both the animals and reserve workers.



video by Wildlife Direct

Mama gnome hopes you've enjoyed learning a little bit about OKAPIS.

Tune in again for our next MYSTERY ANIMAL of the DAY...

(c) 2009 Jenaelha Friendly Gnome's Blog