Beasts of the Wild
Lions and tigers and bears - oh my! Exploring majestic beasts in their natural habitats.
Behind the Scenes
The first elephant to be born in captivity in the western hemisphere went by the name "Packy", he was an Asian elephant who lived until the age of 44, which is premature for this breed of elephant as they normally live up to 60 years. Although Packy was the firstborn in captivity in the US, elephants being subjected to capture and taming started more than 4,000 years ago. Many people assume because an elephant has been tamed that its natural place is with humans, which isn't the case because elephants aren't domesticated animals as it takes generations after generations for an animal to become domesticated. Now there are still over 15,000 elephants in captivity for our own entertainment.
Lillie MariaPublished 6 years ago in Petlife- Top Story - July 2018
A Puget Sound Orca in Captivity
I refer to the recently published article by Jenna Deedy in PetLife titled Freeing Lolita the Killer Whale is Not an Option, and take issue with a number of matters.
Sandra PollardPublished 6 years ago in Petlife Top Ten LGBT+ Animals
Have you ever heard someone say that being gay isn’t “natural?” Well, I have some bad news for them: nature is gay AF. Our world has numerous examples of animals that change gender, engage in same-sex activity, and throw gender norms out completely. Here’s my top ten animals from across the LGBT+ spectrum.
Katy PreenPublished 6 years ago in PetlifeSanctuaries and Cetacean "Bans"
Recently, an animal rights group known as the "Whale Sanctuary Project" revealed its desire to develop a marine mammal "sanctuary" that would house cetaceans that have spent most of their lives in human care in southeastern Nova Scotia. The pen, which would house up to ten orcas, would be about the size of around 40 soccer fields and might open by 2020 even though it would cost around $20 million for the project to be completed. Sounds ideal right?
Jenna DeedyPublished 6 years ago in PetlifeFrom the Diary of a Conservationist—August 2015
As the sun rises and the light starts to diffuse across the water of the Zambezi, an elephant drinks and a warm feeling enters your heart. Water rolls over the smoke that thunders, hippos huff and puff, and in the Luangwa valley, a lion's roar dances through the morning mist. A fish eagle looks patiently into the depths of the Kafue river and another day has begun in one of the most beautiful places on this delicate planet.
Andrew WhitePublished 6 years ago in PetlifeHumans Don't Need an Apocalypse – They're It
The appalling news just hit the internet about how despite humans making up only 1% of the Earth's overall population we managed to kill over 80% of its living organisms in a century.
Maura DudasPublished 6 years ago in PetlifeMy Battle for the Bathroom
Do you ever accidentally create a new dance when you’re standing behind someone by crossing and uncrossing your legs or swaying side to side? Then by some odd force of nature these movements cause you to start generating sweat which tingles a lot on your face. So, you try to focus your energy on something else, anything else but all you can hear are church members pouring drinks down the hall. You start to wonder if you should have stepped out of service early when the pastor claimed, “I’m almost done” an hour before he actually was. After standing in an excruciatingly long line for the woman’s restroom your bladder had all but completely combusted.
Destiny HarrisPublished 6 years ago in Petlife- Top Story - April 2018
The Eastern Timber Wolf
I volunteered at the Timber Wolf Preservation Society (TWPS) from 2012 to its closing in 2014. As a tour guide, I learned things I never thought I would. My first-hand experience showed me that much of what I thought I knew about wolves before was false. They are a beautiful species that I think everyone can learn from.
Lorraine WoiakPublished 6 years ago in Petlife - Top Story - April 2018
Is a Fox a Cat or a Dog?
I was visiting a friend in Gold Hill, Colorado. It's right outside Boulder, but several thousand feet above it, up an unpaved road. The foxes there are so unafraid of people that they come right up to back porches. They'll even eat food if you leave it out for them, or just steal your leather moccasins.
Roland BarnesPublished 6 years ago in Petlife Biggest Cats in the World
Most of the biggest cats in the world are also among the world's most endangered animals. As these beautiful creatures decline in numbers it begs the question: is all the progress made by humanity superficial if it comes at the expense of wildlife and environmental health? These big cats are dying out because their habitat is being eaten up by human beings, which also means that human beings are eating up the habitat of other human beings! So, take a gander at these precious felines and then prioritize your life!
Ben KharakhPublished 6 years ago in PetlifeCute But Dangerous
I'm a constant hiker and love to camp. Recently I've noticed an increase in wild animals approaching humans, especially amongst the raccoons and coyotes. It is a big concern.
Rachel AndersonPublished 6 years ago in PetlifeWhy We Need Sharks
Believe it or not, sharks are one of the things stopping global warming from getting too bad and deadly. Phytoplankton are little organisms that thrive in the ocean. They convert most of the carbon dioxide into oxygen for the world and they provide Earth with 50-85 percent of the world’s oxygen. But fish feed on this phytoplankton and without the sharks feeding on these fish, the phytoplankton population will decimate. The world needs sharks, and people are finally starting to realize it.
hope vandersluisPublished 6 years ago in Petlife