Adventure in Botswana: A Trip with LA Zoo

Recently, the Los Angeles  Zoo has begun offering the chance to embark on a real-life safari. Zoo Director, John Lewis, is bringing a group of willing participants on the journey of a lifetime through the countryside of Botswana. The ten day excursion (with additional travel options before or after) takes travelers to various wildlife camps and reserves throughout the country to observe animals in their natural habitat. Among the species native to Botswana are giraffes, baboons, elephants, wildebeests, hippopotamus, lions and hyenas. Highlights of the trip includes stops to the following areas:

Okavango Delta

Considered one of the seven natural wonders of Africa, the Okavango Delta is one of the most varied areas in Botswana as the river directly contrasts with the arid temperature. As a result, a mixture of water-based animals and large herds of various mammals call the region home. An interesting aspect of the Okavango is that all of the water that reaches the delta is either evaporated or transpired and does not flow into any larger body of water. 

Linyanti Wildlife Reserve 

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve is in one of the most remote and hard-to-get-to regions of Botswana. It contains an enormous population of elephants due to the abundant acacia and mopane forests. The reserve is also world-renowned for its Lions, which have been captured in numerous National Geographic documentaries. 

Any traveler will have the option to extend the trip before, to Cape Town, South Africa, or after to Livingstone and Victoria Fall, Zambia (pictured below), and continue the adventure. 

A percentage of profits for the trip will go directly to the Classic Escape Conservation Fund, which supports conservation and wildlife research throughout Africa. Use this opportunity to give back while exploring one of the most diverse areas on the planet! And you get to travel with a knowledgeable zoo director, ensuring an informative and exciting trip unlike any other!

Visit their website for the full itinerary and other details. For information about booking a spot on the trip call (323) 644-4792. 

Rewild The World

TED Talks are one of my favorite places to learn about new exciting topics and developments in Technology, Entertainment, Design (or TED), Business, Science and Global Issues. I constantly find myself inspired by these remarkable speakers and the ideas, problems and solutions they present.

Recently TED posted a talk by George Monbiot from a global talk this past July entitled "For More Wonder, Rewild the World". Here is the talk:

http://www.ted.com/talks/george_monbiot_for_more_wonder_rewild_the_world.html

Interesting quotes from the talk:
"And it was only when I stumbled across an unfamiliar word that I began to understand what I was looking for.

"So the wolves, small in number, transformed not just the ecosystem of the Yellowstone National Park, this huge area of land, but also its physical geography."

"Why shouldn't all of us have a Serengeti on our doorsteps?"

Rewilding is the mass restoration of ecosystems. Or a second definition, rewilding of human life not in opposition to civilization but have access to richer, wilder lives of adventure because of rewilded habitats. I'm picturing a less lonely and non post-apocalyptic version of "I Am Legend". Doesn't that sound like a utopia? Is a Serengeti on our doorsteps really that farfetched?

Temperatures, climates and environments similar to now in the West hosted a variety of fauna and megafauna not seen here today. Elephants, rhinoceros and lions grazing the streets of Britain. Climate hasn't chased away these animals but pressure from humans has. Now in keeping with wolves and whales example, perhaps he's suggesting reintroducing megafauna to Western society trinkle down effect may include human population decrease thus resulting in more smaller fauna and flora increases, which in turn increases megafauna populations.

Okay, so I don't exactly see a wildlife park in the middle of the American suburbs, at least in my lifetime. But it sure if fun to think about. And I do agree with his parting words, "In motivating people to love and defend the natural world, an ounce of hope is worth a ton of despair." 

The Lion Whisperer

Okay, this guy is cool. His name is Kevin Richardson and his nickname is The Lion Whisperer. Why you ask? A self taught animal behaviorist, Kevin has spent his entire life caring for animals and the better part of his adult life breaking every safety rule in the book building relationships with natural born predators. Not believing in traditional methods of breaking an animal's spirit with sticks and chains, but instead using love, understanding and trust to develop personal bonds and getting to know their personalities, what makes them happy or irritated.

Kevin runs The Kingdom Wildlife Sanctuary for lions, hyenas, leopards and antelope in South Africa. The sanctuary is made up of a number of natural enclosures where the animals rotate to keep them stimulated and enriched. He is apart of the PAW Protecting African Wildlife Conservation Trust and is passionate about stopping the legal slaughter of 1000 lions annual for sport.

You can watch Kevin on his show on the National Geographic Channel called The Lion Ranger, or his feature film or numerous documentaries. Volunteer options are available - talk about an experience!

Wildlife Vacations: Exploring the United States

You don't have to travel 10,000 miles to go on a wildlife safari, viewing majestic beasts in their natural habitats. The United States is home to hundreds of wildlife parks and refuges for mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, big and small. In fact, 757 wildernesses make up the National Wilderness Preservation System accounting for a total of 109,511,966 acres of protected land. However, only about 5% of the United States is protected as wilderness.

These parks and refuges are some of the best in the United States. Where visitors can see these spectacular critters in their environment, some as they have been for thousands of years.

Olympic National Park - Washington

Olympic is situated in coastal Washington State where visitors can see raccoons, beaver, mink, elk, deer, cougars, and bears on land and dolphins, whales, sea lions, seals, and sea otters just offshore in the Pacific Ocean.


Moose Alley - New Hampshire

Be careful driving this section of Rte 3 as it's a dependable place for moose spotting, particularly at dawn or dusk. The last eleven miles of route three is Moose Alley.


Everglades National Park - Florida

The Everglades National Park is a World Heritage site which protects unparalleled landscape as habitat for numerous rare and endangered critters such as the American crocodile, manatee and Florida panther.


Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming, Montana, Idaho

Mount Washburn hike in Wyoming is particularly recommended by park workers for its elk, grizzly and black bears, bison, wolves, and moose.


Rocky Mountain National Park - Colorado

From mighty elk to rare boreal toads, bighorn sheep to mountain lions, bobcats to black bears, there are 67 mammals, 5 amphibians and reptiles, and 282 species of birds in the park.


Land Between the Lakes - Kentucky

Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area is home to white-tail deer, turkey, foxes, snakes, coyotes, and a drive-through elk and bison prairie.


Assateauge Island National Seashore - Maryland

Explore sandy beaches and beautiful wild ponies running free. The are most likely descendants of horses shipwrecked hundreds of years ago so enjoy from afar! The best time to visit is mid-May to October.


National Bison Range Wildlife Refuge - Montana

Drive and hike through the range as the bison roam free along with elk, white tail and mule deer.


Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - New Jersey

Close to being turned into an airport, this swamp is home to 39 species of mammals including the red fox, white-tail deer, coyotes, raccoons, river otter, as well as 42 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 10 species of bats.

The Wilds - Ohio

Considered one of the largest conservation centers in the US, The Wilds sits on over 10,000 acres of natural, open range habitat. The Wilds is available for mountain biking, zip lining, horseback riding and more and is home to mammals such as bison, antelope, giraffe, zebra, cheetah... see you really don't have to go all the way to Africa!


Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge - Oklahoma

Bison, longhorn cattle, deer, prairie dogs, eagles and elusive elk call these prairie and grasslands home in the Wichita Mountains.


Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge - Texas

Watch out for bobcats and alligators in the 34,000 acres of prairies and wetland refuge.


Nulhegan Basin in Silvio O Conte National Wildlife Refuge - Vermont

One of the state's best kept secrets as it possesses high diversity and rare species where visitors can see moose, black bears, and white-tailed deer.


Great Smoky Mountains National Park- North Carolina and Tennessee

Biological diversity is the hallmark of this UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors of the park can see 65 species of mammals including elk as they were reintroduced in 2001, as well as 13 frogs and toads. It is also the "salamander capital of the world" hosting 5 families of salamanders and 30 species.


Some of the biggest threats to wilderness are overuse, pollution, and lack of public awareness. The latter is just one thing that LittleCritterz is devoted to. By spreading awareness of the wilderness systems, we hope to save the land, the animals, the plants and the ecosystem for future generations. We believe that if something is not known, it cannot be understood. If something is not understood, it is not valued. If something isn't valued, it isn't loved. If it isn't loved, it isn't protected. If it isn't protected, it is lost. We don't want to lose it.


Sources:
http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/aboutWild
http://www.nps.gov/
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/21/travel/earth-day-best-wildlife-sites
http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/great-american-outdoors/51-great-places-for-wildlife/49702682/1

Did You Know?: Elephant Edition

I'm sure you've noticed how some elephants look different. Sometimes they are very large, with wide flowing ears and a dominating back, whereas others are slender with small features. No, this can't be chalked up to diet, millions of years of environmental conditions shaping these species into their modern form, yes.

But you're right. Elephants can look very different because African and Asian elephants are very different. In fact, their genetic differences are so great they cannot interbreed. A successful birth has only happened once, and unfortunately Motty died just two weeks after it's birth despite intensive care.

African elephants weight 4,000-7,000 kg (8,800-15,400 lbs) where Asian elephants weight 3,000-6,000 kg (6,600-13,200 lbs). African elephants are generally taller 3-4 meters (10-13 feet), have more wrinkled skin, bigger ears that reach up over the neck, have a concave back and have two fingers on their trunks. Asian elephants are 2-3.5 meters tall (6.5-11 feet), smoother skin, smaller ears and convex back, and females have rudimentary tusks or no tusks at all!