Police in Thailand have discovered 14 African white lions in a Bangkok home used to house exotic and protected species for the rare animal trade.
Besides the white lions, some 126 other rare animals were found in the home, including meerkats, turtles, monkeys, sugar gliders and peacocks.
From Thailand’s National News Bureau:
Montri Phrom-on, the house owner, admitted some of the animals had been brought in from Africa and the rest had been purchased in Thailand. The man runs a pet bird shop...
Credit: Jim Klossner
Your plumbing is an important system in your home that gets used all the time. You can “green” your plumbing in a number of ways. Below are some tips for making your home’s plumbing more environmentally friendly. Get started today!
Green Plumbing Tip #1 – Fix any leaky faucets in your home. Did you know that a leaky faucet can waste more than twenty gallons of water every day it is left leaking? If you have any leaky...
Climate change and associated environmental destruction may be the ultimate failure of capitalism. The nature of capitalism – whether state-run, state assisted or “pure” – is at its core unsustainable. Big profits do not come to those who wait, practice restraint or act responsibly while the competition does everything it can to make a buck.
When those companies control the political policy of a major country regarding the regulation of those companies’ own industries, they end up with the fate of...
White lion, South Africa. Pic: Arno Meintjes (Flickr CC)
There are few “sports” or hobbies as objectionable as canned hunting. Dog fighting, fox hunting, bull fighting… these are all participated in by people with not only a callous disregard for the suffering of others living beings, but also a bit of a sadistic streak. They get off on it. That or they are so conditioned and ignorant that they either can’t recognize the cruelty of their actions or they simply...
Credit: Rita Vazquez
The world renowned Jim Corbett National Park is one of the most searched top destinations in India. Yes, this is true. Google India has revealed the top summer travel search trends that highlights a large number of people like to visit the Corbett to experience the wildlife and have the unforgettable summer holidays. What makes the park as one of the top search attractions in India; let us explore the various reasons:
Oldest National Park
Jim Corbett National Park...
credit: Mykl Roventine
The global marketplace utilizes so much energy it’s almost unimaginable. Many of the resources we use to carry out business operations are finite, and there’s no way to argue it or skirt around the issue. Resources are not unlimited and there has to be a change throughout all levels of the economy.
Environmentalism is traditionally thought of as a grassroots movement comprised of scattered small groups around the country. Green thinking has without a doubt been initiated by...
Orphaned chimp, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pic: amalthya (Flickr CC)
Those among you who have gambled know the euphoric high that winning provides. You’ve beat the system and used your skill (or luck) to essentially get something for nothing.
Losing money in a bet or game, on the other hand, brings on a cold sweat and a sinking feeling in your gut that can only be remedied by one thing – winning. This is why people lose big: not because...
The world’s wild tiger population is in serious risk of vanishing completely. Since the early 20th century tigers have lost 93% of their habitat, a trend that has only accelerated in recent years. It seems that each bit of progress in tiger conservation is met with increased challenges.
For example: the recent spot of good news that China’s endangered Amur tigers (better known as the Siberian tiger) are experiencing a growth in population is tempered by the fact that the people...
Species: Northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii)
Status: Critically Endangered (CR)
Interesting Fact: The northern hairy-nosed wombat has a backwards-facing pouch, ensuring that the pouch does not fill up with soil when the animal is digging.
The northern hairy-nosed wombat is a large, heavily built marsupial with strong claws, which it uses for digging complex burrow systems. The largest of the three wombat species, the northern hairy-nosed wombat is also the largest known herbivorous burrowing mammal. It spends the day sheltering inside its burrow, emerging at night to feed...
Research published by the American Heart Association shows that breathing in automobile emissions reverses the beneficial qualities of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the so-called “good cholesterol”.
Normally, HDL cholesterol removes LDL or “bad cholesterol” from the blood stream, decreasing the risk of heart disease. Therefore, high levels of HDL are beneficial, while low levels are risky.
Yet breathing vehicular emissions damages HDL cholesterol, making it actually contribute to clogging arteries instead of preventing them.
Image credit: www.TheEnvironmentalBlog.org
From the UCLA Newsroom:
In addition to...
Hedgehogs have declined by a third during this century. Pic: Ian S (Flickr CC)
We are perhaps more accustomed to hearing about the conservation of exotic endangered species in tropical biodiversity hotspots in places such as Southeast Asia. We tut and swear at foreign governments and multinational corporations who wantonly destroy the habitats of cuddly pandas, beautiful tigers and supremely sympathetic orangutans, but what about the already-industrialized world?
Have the British given up on the UK’s wildlife? Hardly. Scarcely a week...
Your environmentally conscious dream house awaits.
No, it’s not an Al Gore style mansion fitted with solar panels and other energy-efficient innovations. No one but the super-rich can afford such green luxury.
I’m talking about minimal space minimal resource use. Introducing a personal fetish of mine: tiny houses.
Ever since first seeing articles on the Micro Compact House I always liked it’s futuristic appeal, but their life cycle doesn’t appear to be very long. This reclaimed boat inspired apartment in Barcelona looks great,...
Species: Tehuantepec jackrabbit (Lepus flavigularis)
Status: Endangered (EN)
Interesting Fact: The Tehuantepec jackrabbit has impressively long ears which can measure up to 12 centimetres in length.
The Tehuantepec jackrabbit is considered to be the most endangered hare species in the world. Like other hares, it is characterised by its long legs, large hind feet, huge ears and superb running ability. This species is active at night or at dawn and dusk, sheltering in cover during the day. Like most hares, it does not dig burrows, instead relying on...
Image by: jasonippolito (source Flickr)
This week we saw a classic David vs. Goliath court case in the United States. An Indiana Farmer, who planted soybean seeds he got from a grain elevator, played the role of David. The role of Goliath was played by the seed-selling corporation Monsanto, that recently came in the news when The United States passed a bill that is now known as ‘the Monsanto Protection Act’. Monsanto didn’t like it one bit that the Indiana...
pic: Saima Says (Flickr CC)
Since I discovered that YouTube has gone HD, I’ve been devouring animal documentaries. The BBC’s Natural World is my favorite. Unusual and uplifting stories about gorillas, koalas, jaguars and other intelligent or beautiful animals are generally what I’m looking for, but I try to keep an open mind.
What are especially appealing are stories about unlikely friendships or adoptions between not only humans and animals, but also between different species of wild animals. “Kangaroo Dundee”, about...
