Milestone #1

This is the very first Milestone post! Basically, in this post, I will give you updates on what's going on with WeForWildlife, as well as notifications about upcoming posts. I will also ask you to give me feedback on your feelings and "constructive criticism" on how well I did (only if you want to!)

Hooray! We have finished the very first WeForWildlife theme, the Australian Outback. I think it's time for a mini celebration, don't you think?

Peer Review
Since this was my very first theme, I'm sure not everything was perfect and there definitely are places I could improve on. I know a few of them myself (getting some of my posts up in time, for example!), but you, as my audience, could find even more than I can! That is why I'm asking you, if you don't mind, to do me a small favor. If you would like to, it would be wonderful if you could leave a comment below suggesting anything you want me to change, or your comments and feedback on how well I did for the first theme. Thank you for being supportive!

Updates/Notifications
As I said, I will try my best to post more often during the summer, since I have more time now. Hopefully that will get better as the summer progresses.

• My family & I will be on vacation from 7/1~7/13. Since we'll be gone so long, I will take my computer with me to continue blogging while we're away. However, since I'll be on a train most of the time, the poor internet connection quality will probably affect my blogging (so I may have to split the posts into parts again...and hopefully that doesn't mean delays!)
• I will stand by my promise and try to upload one animal post per week. In addition, though, I may post "Travel Specials"where I'll share photos and videos of endangered or cool animals I see on my trip. Be sure to check those out as well!

Acknowledgements & Last Words
There are so many people I want to thank since this blog first started! My first post received 0 views until I finally shared it with some friends and family. Since then the visits to this blog have risen up so much, and I'm glad I'm telling more people about the significance of animals on this planet!

I'd first like to thank everyone who has viewed this blog--you guys are an amazing audience. Don't think I'm a stalker, but I know how truly dedicated you guys are. I occasionally check the number of views my blog gets on certain days, and the page views always spike on Wednesdays, when my posts are supposed to be finally published. It makes me feel so good to know that there are people who actually follow and take interest in my blog, especially since the world we live in now has so many people who think so lowly of animals. Thank you, and I encourage you to keep reading, because my posts will only get better as my experience builds!

Next, I'd like to thank the people who have chosen to "join" my blog and become members. I know you don't get candy or cookies for joining, but I still am extremely grateful for your support and not giving up on me when some of my posts are published a bit late.

Third, I would like to thank and honor my amazing and fantastic friend from more than 400 miles away who helped me set this whole blog up and gave it its name! (Her name shall remain anonymous until I receive her permission). We were originally supposed to work on this blog together, but since her school year has been extremely busy, I did not want to place more stress on her and let her focus on her schoolwork for the past year. If her school life is not as busy next year and she would still like to collaborate, she might help me edit posts, and even write a couple posts of her own as well!

Finally, I would like my parents. They have been such wonderful supporters and helped me manage my time when I was fighting between the busy school days, extracurriculars and finding time to blog. They were the first ones to read my first post, and always give me helpful resources and comments for my posts. I fully understand that since they've been so busy with work, it is rare for them to continue reading my blog, but I thank them for the support they've shown me since the beginning and even now! (only just behind the scenes)
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Sorry the next milestone post will not have such a long acknowledgements (I probably won't need one at all!) Have a great rest of the day, and since I was told some viewers love videos in my posts:

Video taken from Youtube, BBC

Hot Spots in Australia- PART 2

Welcome to "Hot Spots in Australia--Part 2!!" This post will be continuing from Wednesday's post. (I feel bad I wasn't able to finish by Friday.....Sorry!)

On the last post I mentioned a great place to view many of the outback's animals, and that is the Dyandra Woodland. I covered the trails, tours, animals, and gave a summary of the lodging. Like I said in the previous post, I will now be introducing to you one more great place to see the animals I covered in the past months and more!

Cape Le Grande National Park

 

When was the last time you saw kangaroos sunbathing on the beach? Probably never! If you would like to, Cape Le Grande National Park is the place for you. (Sadly, your very presence on the beach would probably scare the shy kangaroos away).

You're also probably thinking: A beach in the Australian Outback?? If you remember all the way back to the very first Outback post, I posted a map that marked the Outback regions. Here it is again if you forgot:

Guess what? The Outback reaches the Southern Coast of Australia too! There are three main big bays in Cape Le Grande: Hellfire Bay, Lucky, Bay, and Thistle Cove. The picture above is a photo of the beautiful Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grande, which is where many tourists and travelers have spotted kangaroos hanging around at the beach! Here are a couple of videos that show kangaroos having fun at Lucky Bay: (source is linked below the video)

Video originally recorded by reisewut, Youtube

Video from VideoBlocks (please comment below if the video doesn't work)

Video originally recorded by Em KD, Youtube

In addition to "kangaroo-watching," you could also fish, swim, snorkel, and camp at Lucky Bay! Occasionally, you might see a glimpse of a migrating whale as well. Also, if you choose to camp at Lucky Bay (or anywhere in Cape Le Grande), the park offers picnic places, bathrooms, kitchens, barbecues, and solar-heated showers (yep, that's a thing!) There are also caravan areas for parking. Campsites include Lucky Bay Campground and Cape Le Grand Campground.

However, according to the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Lucky Bay Day and Camping Area (including the beaches and coastal trails) will be closed from June 2nd to October 31 (2015). Reason unknown as of now.

Nearby is also Frenchman's Peak and Mount Le Grand, where you can rock-climb with your family and friends (a fairly popular activity around the area). If rock-climbing is too hard-core for you, then consider going on a hike or bushwalk and enjoy the colorful wildflowers that bloom during the spring season. 

It just wouldn't make sense if I told you all this and didn't tell you how to get to Cape Le Grande. You could choose to drive your personally vehicle into the park, or take a conventional vehicle offered by the city. Very close to the Cape Le Grande National Park is a city/town called Esperance (distance 40 miles). If you take a bus or vehicle that specifically gives rides straight into the park, you could get to Cape Le Grande in about 30-45 minutes! This option does not come with any additional costs except for the money you pay for the bus tickets. If you choose to drive your own vehicle into the park, they charge $12 for each vehicle (up to 12 people per vehicle). 

There are a couple of hazards that Cape Le Grande pose:

• Bees. Bees tend to be a problem in the Cape Le Grande park, so be sure to stay away from active hives and be especially cautious if you are allergic.
• Rock fishing. If you choose to go rock fishing, or just fishing at all, be careful and knowledgeable of the tides and fishing seasons. There have been many accidents where people have been pulled off the rock from the force of the tug at the end of their line, and they end of drowning or hurting themselves against the rocks. Be careful!

There you go! That is the very last post of the Australian theme. Hopefully I can get the very first post of the next theme up by next Wednesday (it's the beginning of the month too, yay!) For any questions on Cape Le Grande you can ask me in the comments below or visit their official website: http://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/cape-le-grand

Speaking of next month, do you remember our next theme? I will be focusing on the Great African Migration!!!!! If you absolutely love elephants, zebras, and the tons of other animals that take part in this great annual movement, make sure to stick around--I'll always try to have my post up by Wednesday! (Sadly Time does not love me and I tend to fall behind schedule, as you can see from some previous posts.....but I shall still try!)

With that said, See you next time!

~Cheri (WeForWildlife)

Hot Spots in Australia- PART 1

Ooops....this post is three days late...

Since this post is turned out to be pretty long, I've decided to split it into two parts. Here's the first part, and I'll put out the second part as soon as possible. However, it is my birthday tomorrow, so Part 2 is not likely going to be out by then. My goal is to finish writing it by Friday, Friday, Friday!!! (But please don't lose hope if it isn't out by then) :) My posts will (almost) always be published by Wednesday!!!

As the last post of the Australian theme, I have decided to list some great places to view nature and some animals I've covered in the past few weeks. Hopefully you'll enjoy some of these sights and parks!

Dryandra Woodland

Dryandra Woodland, located in Wheatbelt, is a wonderful place for sighting many of the animals I've covered. (Wheatbelt is in Western Australia by the way, a little farther down the Outback).

In the Dryandra, you can find many subspecies of wallabies and kangaroos, as well as (animals which I haven't covered) possums and another endangered species, like the Western Barred Bandicoots (shame I didn't get to it!)

It is important that you follow this park's "Leave No Trace" rules to ensure a 100% natural and clean habitat for the animals. Click on the following link for a more detailed explanation of the Leave No Trace policy (this is a widely accepted series of rules for campgrounds and reserves). [Leave No Trace]

By looking at the map above, in addition to the tons of other branches of trails, Dryandra has 2 main "popular" trails for you to choose from: a "bushwalking trail" for looking at the natural bushes and wildflowers as well as some birds, and a nocturnal walk at night (guided by a ranger) that will teach you all about many endangered species (mainly marsupials).

There are also campsites such as Congelin Campground that you can choose to stay a few nights in with your family. Follow the link below for more information. If you don't feel so comfortable camping in the wilderness, you can try the Lions Village where they offer cottage accommodations, or a few "farm-stays" in the local area.

If you want a full tour of the park, you can choose from two self-driven tours that follow two different trails. The Audio Drive Trail, which is 25 kilometers, has a linked radio that gives a narration about each site as you drive along. The channel that broadcasts this is 100FM. There are a total of 6 sites, and all of them have their own unique background story. The channel will briefly cover our relationship (as humans) with the land and how it affected this environment and its natives.

The second self-driven tour trail is Darwinia Trail, 23 kilometers long. (It's awesome how the website says 23-kilometres) Rather than using a radio broadcast system to educate, this trail has several open places to pull over, where information on the site will be provided for you. The Darwinia route will take you into the very center of the woodland forests of Dryandra, and there are also some lunchtables for a nice family picnic, if you pre-packed lunch. (There is also no question to who this trail was named after...)

Go the the official Dryandra Woodland website for more information: http://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/dryandra-woodland

The next post will be (I think) one more park with great Outback sights and wildlife. Again, hopefully Part 2 will be out by Friday! Until then, enjoy some nice pictures of animals in the Dryandra:

Burrowing Bettong

Echidna

Numbat

Numbat

View Part 2: http://weforwildlife.blogspot.com/2015/06/hot-spots-in-australia-part-2.html

WeForWildlife Continuing Starting Now!

Yay! With only a few more days of school left, I finally can squeeze in some time for blogging. I have officially started on the final Australian Outback themed post, and hopefully it will be out by this weekend.

Happy Summer to All!

(By the way, I will continue to post during the summer)

Post Delay

I apologize for this late notification but unfortunately the final Australian post will not be released this weekend. As you might have read on my "About" page, I always put school as #1 on my priorities list, and with the State testing (SBAC) just finished and finals coming soon, blogging will have to step down a bit. I'm not going to say I don't have time--I do have the time--but I just have to spend it on school and preparing for finals and tests at the end of the school year.

However, this doesn't mean the Australian topic is done for good. I will release the final post hopefully next week or the week after that. Unfortunately that does also mean everything else I had planned for will have to be pushed back by a couple of weeks as well.

I apologize for the inconvenience, and hope you will be patient enough to wait through the next two weeks! I look forward to seeing your comments on my next blog post.

~Cheri (WeForWildlife)

Tiny Cousins

Take a close look at the picture below. Don't peek at the name! What animal do you think it is? Did you guess kangaroo? Nice try, but your answer is not quite right. It's actually a wallaby!

Wallaby

Image courtesy of National Geographic

Classification: Mammal (marsupial)
Size: 22-70 in / 55-178 cm
Weight: 4-53 lb / 2-24 kg
Diet: Herbivorous
Lifespan: 9 years (in the wild)
Appearance: may vary depending on habitat; long, sturdy tail
Status: 

Least of concern to somewhat threatened. They may vary depending on their habitat (bush, rock, etc.) but the groups at the biggest risk are the rock wallaby and the parma wallaby.

This interesting species is actually a smaller cousin of the kangaroo (mentioned in last week's blog post). They are categorized into many smaller "groups" usually according to their habitat, such as the rock wallaby, brush wallaby, and tammar wallaby. Even among these smaller groups, they split into more subspecies! Altogether, the wallabies almost cover the whole Australia continent:

Map from National Geographic

The groups we should be most concerned about are the rock wallaby and the parma wallaby. Here is each species' story:

Rock Wallaby: Although once pretty common, the rock wallaby is starting to lose its numbers, and is regarded as endangered in New South Wales, Australia. The main factors contributing to their decline include habitat destruction (logging, clearing land, etc) and a changed pattern wildfires take when sweeping across the landscape. Their main predator is the fox, and must compete against farm livestock and sometimes rabbits for food sources. A long time ago, hunting for their furs was also a contribution to their shaky population, but it is no longer an issue anymore. Exactly how endangered are rock wallabies? According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, there are only two colonies left in NSW, Australia.

Parma Wallaby: This species has an interesting story. Thought to be extinct since the late 1800's, people almost forgot about them until they met a miracle. While trying to decrease the tammar wallaby population (which were overcrowding their habitat), workers there discovered that those wallabies were not tammars--they were parma wallabies! This sparked a "refreshed" interest in conserving and maintaining the parma wallaby population. The San Diego Zoo/Safari Park and their Global Wildlife Conservancy is helping bring these species back up to renewed, plentiful numbers.

I think now is the time for some clarification between kangaroos and wallabies (which some might have been confused about since last week)

Kangaroo vs. Wallaby
There one main, big difference between the kangaroo and wallaby--its size. Kangaroos are much larger, varying to hip height to the size of a full grown man. Wallabies are much smaller (tiny cousins) and their hind legs and feet are not as big in proportion. However, both have strong tails used to prop themselves up, and they all belong to the Macropodidae family, which means "big feet."

Conservation
Although some wallaby species are not as endangered as others, it is important to keep all species safe and high in numbers. Big organizations such as WWF and SDZ are using research and education to spread awareness. What will you do? Not all actions that save animals are the stereotypic "heroic" ones. Simple things, like saving a bit of water, or recycling just one for bottle each day, can help preserve the environment, which in turn, will help the animals and their habitat. More great conservation organizations and websites will be posted in next week's article.

Speaking of next week, what will you learn? Just as the brief overview on a post a couple weeks ago had stated, next week will be the last post of the Australian Outback theme. But don't turn that grin of yours upside down! Next week, I will give you a detailed description of great Outback places to visit and see in person the animals we've covered this month. Great tours, sights, attractions, and maybe even lodging and pricing will be included. Whoa, that's a lot of work for me! In addition, I will also put up a list of great conservation programs, as well as their websites, for all of us to gain some more inspiration on what we can do. 

Sources:
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/rock_wallaby/
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wallaby/http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/rock_wallaby/
http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/kangaroo-wallaby

Majestic Marsupials

Happy (late) Mother's Day! It's May 10, already! There's only 2-3 weeks left of May, and that means I have to start wrapping up the Australian theme. Based on the comments and requests I've received, here is a quick layout of the next few weeks:

Today, 5/10: Red Kangaroo
Sun 5/17: Wallaby
Sun 5/24: Koala
Sun 5/31: Wrap Up Post

The Wrap Up Post will basically be a quick review of the animals I've blogged about this month, and I'll leave some suggestions and travel tips for these animals, like nice national parks and sights to see. But enough talking, let's get started!

It's Sunday, time for a new post. I asked you guys to comment on what you wanted me to blog on last week, and some said the kangaroo. Since the type of kangaroo wasn't specified, I decided on the most recognizable--the red kangaroo.

Red Kangaroo

Image courtesy of National Geographic

Classification: Mammal (marsupial)
Size: 6.2-8.9 ft / 1.9-2.7 m
Weight: 200 lb / 90 kg
Diet: Herbivorous
Lifespan: 23 years (in the wild)
Appearance: reddish brown; deer-like head; females smaller and have bluish-gray hue
Status: 

Least of concern! Still pretty plentiful. Don't be too careless though, they could potentially become endangered...
Fun Fact: A group of red kangaroos is called a mob.

Just like Kanga and Roo in Winnie the Pooh, red kangaroos are marsupials whose babies stay hidden in their mother's pouches until two months old. Their strong hind legs allow them leap up to 25 feet and jump 6 feet high. Here is a map of where red kangaroos live:

Map from National Geographic

Be warned, though! These kangaroos have quite a powerful punch. But no, they don't only punch with their front legs--they also "box" with their hind legs! This is made possible from their sturdy tail, which they lean on when "boxing" other challengers or enemies. This "boxing" attack is sometimes used when fighting over potential mates, and they may also leave a nasty bite or scratch from their claws. Here is a video of a kangaroos "boxing" (on a suburban street, I know):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyqJX7bU0Ws

Originally posted on Youtube by [Art Fido.com]

Although red kangaroos are far from extinction, a close relative of theirs, the wallaby, has certain species that is starting to slide toward the brink. This is especially true for the rock-wallaby, which can only be found in Australia. Confused about the difference between wallabies and kangaroos now? I will go over the wallaby next week. But for now, here are some ways to ensure the kangaroos don't become endangered.

Love the environment. To ensure the kangaroos stay safe, they need to have a clean habitat. Whether you are a miles away from Australia or not, it is always good to keep the air and grass clean. Mother Nature will love you for it! So Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

Spread Awareness. Although no awareness is needed to be spread for kangaroos right now, people still need to understand that our actions now won't make them stay forever. Help reduce the amount of trees being cut down, and try to preserve their habitat. Visit local zoos for more information on how to maintain these majestic marsupials.

Jeopardized Wild Dogs

Before we start let me ask you a question: What is your definition of a "wild dog"? A four legged canine begging for food on the streets? A savage in the woods about to rip out your throat? The person you despise the most? :)

Of course, different people would have different views on what they would call "wild." But let's take a look at what some Australians think, or used to think.

Dingo

Image courtesy of National Geographic

Classification: Mammal (debated canines)
Size: 4.5-5.1 ft / 1.4-1.53 m
Weight: 22-33 lb / 10-15 kg
Diet: Carnivorous 
Lifespan: 10 years in the wild; 13-18 years in captivity
Appearance: golden or reddish-colored
Status: 4.5 Exclamations**
Officially declared endangered by the Australian government. Could go extinct in less than 20 years! (Yes, it's bad!)
Fun Fact: Dingoes can live and hunt both individually or in packs. And although they look like dogs, dingoes can't bark. They howl!


It's funny how I used to think that Dingoes were wombats. Or that I foolishly thought Dingo was a board game a couple years before. Huh. Strange, isn't it, how much we seem to underestimate these cousins of man's best friend? ("Man's best friend" refers to the domesticated dog, by the way.) Well, it seems, we're not always right, or perfect.

The dingo is known as Australia's famous "wild dog" (and commonly confused with that, too) and can also be found in Southeast Asia. In fact, that's where the first dingoes came from! Take a look at the map; it is evident of how the population spread from Asia down to Australia.

Map from National Geographic

Although they were quite plentiful many years, ago, the dingo population is drastically decreasing, and well, like always, we are responsible for it.

Hybridization & Inbreeding. This is one of the main causes of the dingoes' population downfall. Since they look so much like dogs (and are so closely related), many people are breeding dogs and dingoes together, and this is decreasing the number of "pure" dingoes left in the wild. Even of the ones that are left, very few of them are "purebred." The rest (about one-third) have a combination of domesticated and dingo blood (hybrid).

Hunting & Government Eradication. Because these dingoes hunt livestock (mainly sheep), farmers constantly shot them to protect their livestock. Yes, their sheep were saved, but the dingoes were not. Things did not get better when the government set "eradication programs" to get rid of the dingoes. With their mistake found right before it was too late, Australia is launching conservation programs to help bring the dingoes back from the brink of extinction, like the Australian Dingo Conservation Association, Inc..

If you think you're too young, too old, or don't have enough time, stop right now. It is never too late. Even though you might not be willing to donate $100 or join a particular organization, little things matter as well. You could write letters to a friend or family member to spread awareness. Tell your teachers about what's going on, make a report for the class. Maybe even plan a trip to the zoo with your family to learn more about these dingoes!

Your Opinion Matters
Instead of deciding myself which animal to blog on next, I'm going to let you choose. Please comment below about your opinions and what animal you would like to see on WeForWildlife next. Thank you!

Commenting Issue

I have been informed that people viewing this blog from their mobile devices (like iPhones) are having trouble leaving comments. Specifically, they can write their comment, but when they publish it, their comment disappears into thin air. POOF!

I apologize if this is causing inconvenience. One way this problem might be fixed is if you scroll all the way to the bottom of the blog, and click "View full web version." (Sorry, it might be in a light green color--hard to see) You should be able to leave comments from your phones on the desktop version.

If you are still having other troubles with this blog then feel free to email me here. I will try to fix the problem and get back at you as soon as I can.

Thank you!

What's Decimating Tasmanian Devils?

A kangaroo hops across the plains... a koala lazily slumbers on a eucalyptus branch... and a wombat shuffles over the dirt...

I apologize for the long delay, but it has been decided! The first theme I will be blogging about (throughout the remainder of April and all of May) will be the Australian Outback. The Outback is the vast inland area of Australia, mostly desert and some grasslands. Australians call it "the bush."

Here is a visual map of where the Australian Outback is: (roughly the yellow and orange sections)

From JRank

Now, without further ado, here is our first Outback animal:

Tasmanian Devil

From National Geographic-Tasmanian Devil

Classification: Mammal (marsupial)
Size: 20-31 in / 51-79 cm
Weight: 9-26 lb / 4-12 kg
Diet: Only meat (carnivore)
Lifespan: (up to) 5 years-in the wild
Appearance: Brown or black fur; White stripe across the chest; Light-colored spots on lower body

Status: 

Recently declared vulnerable/endangered by Tasmanian state government (Australia) at the end of March. 

Their feisty, cantankerous personalities have stayed true to their name--Tasmanian Devils can sometimes be quite the handful. But a newly emerged cancer, called Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTC), has been wiping out these marsupials' population for the past 10 years.

This highly contagious disease was discovered in the 1990's, and leaves tumor-like lumps on the Tasmanian Devils' faces. Eventually, the tumors block the nose and mouth, preventing normal breathing and eating, forcing the poor animal to starve and suffocate to death.

Since the disease is spreading like wildfire, scientists are trying to find areas around the world that have currently not been affected, and setting up breeding programs to keep the animal away from extinction.

DFTC can be spread by physical contact, such as biting (which is common when mating or feeding their young), the main reason behind why this disease is spreading like a wildfire. Once infected, the victim only has 6-12 more months to survive. Currently, there is no known cure or vaccine.

The beginning of the Tasmanian Devils' wavering population started in the 18th century, around the time when European settlers colonized in Australia. Because the Devils and Tasmanian Tigers (Thylacine) constantly attacked the settlers' livestock, bounties were eventually placed upon them for being a nuisance. The Devils and Tigers were hunted and killed so often that the Tasmanian Tiger was officially declared extinct in the 1936, when the last Tiger died. Soon after, in 1941, Tasmanian Devils became protected by the law, allowing their numbers to gradually rise in numbers again.

Now, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program and San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy (plus some other wildlife organizations) are putting in their best efforts to save this animal from extinction. You can help, too. You're never too young (or too old)! Simple things such as donating $1 each month from your allowance will make a big difference to them. Or if you don't feel comfortable giving them your money, try helping the environment as a whole! Make your shower a few minutes shorter. Edit your essay until it's completely ready before printing. Ride your bike to the park instead of driving. Little things matter! As my English teacher always says, "Success is in the details!"

So pay attention to the details! Make just a small change in your life, and it'll make a huge difference for the Tasmanian Devils.
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*Don't miss the next post! Next week's animal will be the Dingo!

Barely holding on at the brink of extinction, the dingoes desperately need our help to bring them back...

Learn more about them in my next article! 






Tasmanian Devil Sources: 
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/tasmanian-devil/
http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/tasmanian-devil
http://www.endextinction.org/