Safari Zoo Run Money (Yes, again)

The Glasswing Butterfly

Blogging Challenge Day 1: The Baiji Dolphin

I have to say, this extinct animal is the closest to my heart. When I heard that it had gone extinct, I cried. I'm saying that unashamedly now, but really, in 2007, it affected me that deeply that an entire species has disappeared, and only through our actions. And I would still cry now, if I heard it. The baiji dolphin lived only in the Yangtze. However, through recent years, the longest river in Asia, and third longest in the world, has become more and more polluted through human activities. The lakes dried up. Water became filthy. This once pristine river, the domain of the emperor's barges, is now- well, I'll let the picture say it all. How could the baiji river dolphin, partially blind, and sometimes called the Goddess of the Yangtze survive? A traditional Chinese folktale believes the baiji to be the reincarnation of a princess who drowned herself when her family forced her to marry someone she didn't love. The baiji's white skin is valued for handbags. In the 1950s itself, its population was estimated at only 5,000 individuals. Finally, in 2006, a research expedition from the Baiji Foundation traveled the 2,000 miles of the Yangtze river with all sorts of fancy equipment and couldn't find a single specimen. They declared this beautiful white dolphin functionally extinct. That means that even if a few individuals were left, as they probably were, they were either too old or too few or too far apart to regrow the population. In 2007 a businessman reported a video of a large white creature that was later confirmed to be a baiji. However, as I said previously, there are probably too few individuals left. A whole species is about to disappear, has disappeared, or something like that. No one can know for sure.
There might not be hope for the baiji dolphin, but that doesn't mean hope should be given up. There's another unique cetacean of the Yangtze: the finless porpoise. Let's not be too late this time. If we all work at it, let's make sure that the Yangtze river is not robbed of yet another priceless treasure.


The Glasswing Butterfly

WOLVERINE!

Only recently did I find out that Wolverines aren't just superheroes.  And if you didn't know, well then- they aren't.  Wolverines are on the Endangered Species List as there are very few left (the exact number is unknown).  So, why should we care?  Why should we care about vicious animals that can kill creatures three times their size?  Because, they are OUR problem.  It's humans who've made this mess.  I know this makes no sense, so let me talk you through it.  Why are they endangered?  Because there aren't many of them.  Why aren't there many?  Because many were killed.  Why were they killed?  Because humans want their fur, that's why!  So it doesn't really matter whether or not they scare you, it is our job to preserve their lives.  Besides, no human has ever actually been killed by a wolverine.

Here's a problem: how are YOU supposed to help?  Well, you can help out by spreading awareness and telling your friends not to by wolverine fur, or any animal fur at all.

The Blobfish

Safari Zoo Run Money

Quite plainly, we have $500 hanging around collected on us running 6 km and we're wondering what to do with it?
Should we....
Stay local with the animal shelter the Glasswing Butterfly's awesome dog came from, ASD? (asdsingapore.com)
Or sponsor WWF's efforts to save the tiger (this year's conservation focus animal for us? (http://worldwildlife.org/species/tiger)
Support the Global Tiger Initiative? (http://globaltigerinitiative.org/)
Or something else we haven't though of yet?
Let us know in the comments.

Help!

Let's just start by putting it out there: Planet Earth is in a huge mess.
I mean, with disappearing rainforests, vanishing coral reefs, melting ice caps, there's really not much to look forward to in the near future. Unless we fix it. And guess who gets handed the duty? Oh, yes.
Us.
It's really not fair, but there's nothing we can do about it. Because it's our generation that's going to be in charge, that has to make the big decisions. Yippee. So we decided we might as well start making a change now. And we decided to make a change with animals, because they're going to suffer the most as humanity blunders along trying to keep itself alive.
I'm sorry if I've depressed you thoroughly. But as far as I can see (which is not very far at all) we are stuck in a big mess. All we're trying to do is clean it up a bit. So that's why the Amazing Animals Society was formed. Because animals are amazing, and they deserve to be saved. Despite the official sounding name, all we are are a bunch of kids who have got together, who all want to do something. Oh god. I sound so pretentious. But really that's it. Are we dreaming too big? Very likely. But who can stop the flow of hope? That's the only thing that can't be taken away. Please follow this blog, and help us along our journey.
Thanks!
The Amazing Animals Society