From my blog at Witches and Pagan's Pagan Square:
"Animals who stay to help you after delivering their message are known
as “Animals of the Way.” They will travel with you for a part of your
life’s journey. Although these animals are not life-long companions,
they may stay with you for years. Once they are no longer needed,
“Animals of the Way” will leave. As with “Message Animals,” you need to
accept them. Of course, find out about who they are and how they live.
Enter into conversations with them, and ask how they can help you.
Sometimes you can ask a particular animal for help for temporary aid.
But first, figure out whether the animal can work with you. Some
animals are better equipped to help with particular problems. For
example, Ferret is preferable to Sloth in increasing your physical
energy. Moreover, animals that you have a relations with will be more
disposed to helping you. Before asking a “strange” animal for
assistance, do something to honor them first.
For example, I was grieving over the loss of a family member, and had
asked the Manatees to comfort me. Since I assisted in various
conservation efforts for manatees, They were more than happy to help.
These friendly vegetarians know loss, for They have grieved over their
fellow Manatees killed by motor boats. Soft and peaceful, the Manatees
were all encompassing in giving their love to me. Through them, I was
healed."
READ THE REST AT : Animal Wisdom: Animals of the Way
Showing posts with label manatee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manatee. Show all posts
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Friday, August 03, 2012
Save The Manatee Club
Manatees are one of the animals that I receive much wisdom from. This
is the Save the Manatee Club's site. They are selling calendars for
2013 full of manatee pictures. The proceeds go to manatee conservation.
http://www.savethemanatee.org/
From the Website:
We recently received the sad news that Dana, one of the longtime adoptees in Save the Manatee Club’s Adopt-A-Manatee program, had died on July 14th after suffering injuries from a boat strike that occurred in the St. Johns River. Dana was rescued in early May near Palatka, Florida, by staff from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Jacksonville Zoo, Sea to Shore Alliance, and Palatka Police and Fire Departments. She was transported for medical treatment at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, where zoo staff discovered that she was also near-term pregnant. A week later, Dana had her calf, but unfortunately, the calf did not survive and was stillborn.
-----------
Adopt a real manatee and help protect an endangered species at the same time. Funds from the Club’s Adopt-A-Manatee program go toward efforts to help protect manatees and their habitat.
Unlike other animal adoption programs, the manatees in our adoption programs are real, living manatees with known histories. You even have the opportunity of seeing your adopted manatee at one of three locations in Florida.
From the Website:
"In April, a manatee named Rita and her calf,
Georgie, were released at Paradise Island in the Bahamas. They are
wearing tracking gear, which will allow researchers to follow their
movements. Learn more about Rita and Georgie and discover how the
project will help manatees in the Bahamas. "
-------We recently received the sad news that Dana, one of the longtime adoptees in Save the Manatee Club’s Adopt-A-Manatee program, had died on July 14th after suffering injuries from a boat strike that occurred in the St. Johns River. Dana was rescued in early May near Palatka, Florida, by staff from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Jacksonville Zoo, Sea to Shore Alliance, and Palatka Police and Fire Departments. She was transported for medical treatment at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, where zoo staff discovered that she was also near-term pregnant. A week later, Dana had her calf, but unfortunately, the calf did not survive and was stillborn.
-----------
Adopt a real manatee and help protect an endangered species at the same time. Funds from the Club’s Adopt-A-Manatee program go toward efforts to help protect manatees and their habitat.
Unlike other animal adoption programs, the manatees in our adoption programs are real, living manatees with known histories. You even have the opportunity of seeing your adopted manatee at one of three locations in Florida.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Extinct Animals: Steller's Sea Cow
Steller’s Sea Cow, a cold water relative of Manatee and Dugong, was unknown to modern people until 1741. At that time, the crew of Vitus Bering’s ship, the Sv. Piotr was ship-wrecked off the coast of Kamchatka, where the last remaining herds of these Mammals lived. Through overhunting, Steller’s Sea Cow went extinct thirty years later. However, this Sea Cow (Sirenian) has remained in the memory of many people. Over a century later, Rudyard Kipling in his short story “The White Seal” had Steller’s Sea Cow guiding Seals to a place of refuge from hunters. A century later, people still report encounters with this marine Mammal. In the mists and fogs of our imaginations, Steller’s Sea Cow still swims.
What was this Sirenian relative of Manatee and Dugong like? Georg Wilhelm Steller, Bering’s naturalist, observed and described this Animal. The largest of the Sea Cows, Steller’s Sea Cow fed on algae, kelp, and sea grass growing near river mouths. Like Dugong, He had a large, flat, lobed tail. He also had a huge midsection and a small head with a flexible neck. Lacking flippers, Steller’s Sea Cow had short limbs shaped like hooks. Instead of teeth, He used his keratinous plates to grind his food.
Scientists believe that Steller’s Sea Cows that the Russian sailors found were an evolutionary relic (a small population restricted to a small area). According to the fossil record, Steller’s Sea Cows once lived from California to Japan. Some scientists think that early hunters eradicated Sea Cows from these areas. However, others think that the evolutionary pressures from global climate change forced the eventual extinction of these Mammals.
Lessons that Steller’s Sea Cow teaches are varied. Because extinction is a part of living, life now becomes more precious. Sadness fills us when we hear about the cause of his demise. So much so that we neglect his life and fail to wonder who He was. Did Steller’s Sea Cow follow his dreams to the colder waters? Or were Manatee and Dugong wise for staying in warmer waters? The answers lie beyond the mists of time and space. Steller’s Sea Cow beckons us to explore his world through memories and dreams.
Steller’s Sea Cow holds a place in our memories. He asks us to remember Him as He was, adventurous and fearless. We may feel sorrow and grief for his passing but we can hold Steller’s Sea Cow in our hearts. The hole that comes from his extinction still resonates with Manatee and Dugong, who miss their Brother terribly. The lesson that He teaches us is “that which is remembered still lives”. With that in mind, let us work to keep his siblings alive. Also let us venture into the mists to learn more from Steller’s Sea Cow.
----------------------
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Elements and Animals (4)
REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
Alligator (American): Water
Greatly feared because of her size and teeth, American Alligator is a shy animal. She prefers to live in her “gator hole” or mucking around the swamp. American Alligator is a keystone species. She creates “alligator holes”--mud hollows in swampy areas. This provides other animals with water, food, and homes. Moreover, American Alligator is the largest predator in her area, controlling overpopulation of deer and other animals. Even Her abandoned nest is used by other animals.
Salamander (Fire)
Tradition has it that Fire Salamander got her name from racing out of a log tossed onto a cooking fire. Since people saw her racing out of nowhere they assumed that the fire created her. “Salamander” comes from an Arab term for “lives in fire”.
Quite shy, Fire Salamander warns other animals and people away with bright yellow blotches on her black body. By secreting a white sticky substance called salamandrin from small pores on her body, she can kill a small animal or cause vomiting in a person. Instead of running away, Fire Salamander sprays her attacker. Her black and yellow colors warn others to leave her alone.
Newt (Great Crested): Water
The largest of the European newts, Great Crested Newt gets his name from his magnificent crown that he grows during breeding season. He wants to impress Female Great Crested Newts at their breeding pond. When a female shows interest, Great Crested Newt vibrates his tail and nuzzles her.
Because he is slow moving, Great Crested Newt will eat anything that he can catch. Usually, he eats animals slower than himself like slugs and snails. While underwater, he uses his sixth sense to detect vibrations in the water. To do this, Great Crested Newt uses a complex system of pressure-sensitive cells on his head and sides.
----------------------------------------------
Echidna: Earth
This small, barrel-shaped animal is one of two of the world’s only egg-laying (Monotreme) mammals. Resembling a pale brown porcupine, Echidna lives a solitary life in woodlands. With her powerful claws, Echidna turns over rocks in search of food.
Echidna is quite good at defending herself. When in danger, she curls herself into a ball, to be protected by her spines. Sometimes, Echidna will wedge herself beneath rocks. She can also swiftly dig vertically to get below the surface soil.
Mother Echidna lies on her back and lays one egg. She stretches so that her egg drops into the pouch on her abdomen. After a week and a half, Baby Echidna (Puggle) breaks out of the egg’s leathery shell. The tiny Puggle will suckle and live in his mother’s pouch for two months. Afterwards, he leaves his mother’s pouch for a burrow that she has dug for him. There, Mother Echidna visits daily to suckle her Puggle.
Grey Squirrel: Air
Agile and alert, Grey Squirrel remains active throughout the year. Chattering on tree branches, Grey Squirrel amuses people who watch her antics. What people do not know is that Grey Squirrel was a creature of the virgin forests of North America. She is one of the few mammals who adapted to cities.
Grey Squirrel needs to eat every day even in the winter. Active at dawn, she searches for fruits and nuts or whatever is in season. In spring, she eats plant shoots. In winter, Grey Squirrel eats tree bark and nuts that she stored in the fall. She locates her stored nuts by smell. Any acorns that Grey Squirrel does not find will grow into trees for future squirrel homes.
Manatee: Water
It is hard to believe that sailors once mistook Manatee and her cousin Dugong for mermaids. These sole remaining members of the Sirenia family are more like small blimps than beautiful women. Also called “Sea Cows”, Manatee and Dugong are the only sea mammals that eat solely vegetation. One of the most endangered of sea mammals, Manatee keeps vital waterways such as the Amazon River basin free of vegetation by consuming large amounts of food.
Manatee favors muddy bays, lagoons, and estuaries of the places around Caribbean Sea and Western Africa. Manatee prowls the bottom using her sensitive mouth to detect delicious grasses. With her front flippers, she grasps the vegetation and munches to her heart's content. When Manatee is done munching, she walks on her flippers to find more food at the bottom.
Works used
Andrews, Ted, “Animal-Speak”, Llewellyn, St. Paul, 1998.
Attenborough, David, “The Life of Birds”, Princeton University, Princeton, 1998.
“The Life of Mammals”, Princeton University, Princeton, 2002.
“Life in the Undergrowth”, Princeton University, Princeton, 2005.
“Life in Cold Blood”, Princeton University, Princeton, 2008.
Conway, D.J., “Animal Magick”, Llewellyn, St. Paul, 1999.
King, Scott Alexander, “Animal Messenger”, New Holland, Sydney, 2006.
Nozedar, Adele, “The Secret Language of Birds”, Harper Collins, London, 2006.
Palmer, Jessica Dawn, “Animal Wisdom”, Harper Collins, London, 2001.
Tucker, Suzetta. "ChristStory Bestiary." ChristStory Christian Bestiary. 1997. http://ww2.netnitco.net/users/legend01/beast.htm ( 9 Jan. 2010).
Alligator (American): Water
Greatly feared because of her size and teeth, American Alligator is a shy animal. She prefers to live in her “gator hole” or mucking around the swamp. American Alligator is a keystone species. She creates “alligator holes”--mud hollows in swampy areas. This provides other animals with water, food, and homes. Moreover, American Alligator is the largest predator in her area, controlling overpopulation of deer and other animals. Even Her abandoned nest is used by other animals.
Salamander (Fire)
Tradition has it that Fire Salamander got her name from racing out of a log tossed onto a cooking fire. Since people saw her racing out of nowhere they assumed that the fire created her. “Salamander” comes from an Arab term for “lives in fire”.
Quite shy, Fire Salamander warns other animals and people away with bright yellow blotches on her black body. By secreting a white sticky substance called salamandrin from small pores on her body, she can kill a small animal or cause vomiting in a person. Instead of running away, Fire Salamander sprays her attacker. Her black and yellow colors warn others to leave her alone.
Newt (Great Crested): Water
The largest of the European newts, Great Crested Newt gets his name from his magnificent crown that he grows during breeding season. He wants to impress Female Great Crested Newts at their breeding pond. When a female shows interest, Great Crested Newt vibrates his tail and nuzzles her.
Because he is slow moving, Great Crested Newt will eat anything that he can catch. Usually, he eats animals slower than himself like slugs and snails. While underwater, he uses his sixth sense to detect vibrations in the water. To do this, Great Crested Newt uses a complex system of pressure-sensitive cells on his head and sides.
----------------------------------------------
Echidna: Earth
This small, barrel-shaped animal is one of two of the world’s only egg-laying (Monotreme) mammals. Resembling a pale brown porcupine, Echidna lives a solitary life in woodlands. With her powerful claws, Echidna turns over rocks in search of food.
Echidna is quite good at defending herself. When in danger, she curls herself into a ball, to be protected by her spines. Sometimes, Echidna will wedge herself beneath rocks. She can also swiftly dig vertically to get below the surface soil.
Mother Echidna lies on her back and lays one egg. She stretches so that her egg drops into the pouch on her abdomen. After a week and a half, Baby Echidna (Puggle) breaks out of the egg’s leathery shell. The tiny Puggle will suckle and live in his mother’s pouch for two months. Afterwards, he leaves his mother’s pouch for a burrow that she has dug for him. There, Mother Echidna visits daily to suckle her Puggle.
Grey Squirrel: Air
Agile and alert, Grey Squirrel remains active throughout the year. Chattering on tree branches, Grey Squirrel amuses people who watch her antics. What people do not know is that Grey Squirrel was a creature of the virgin forests of North America. She is one of the few mammals who adapted to cities.
Grey Squirrel needs to eat every day even in the winter. Active at dawn, she searches for fruits and nuts or whatever is in season. In spring, she eats plant shoots. In winter, Grey Squirrel eats tree bark and nuts that she stored in the fall. She locates her stored nuts by smell. Any acorns that Grey Squirrel does not find will grow into trees for future squirrel homes.
Manatee: Water
It is hard to believe that sailors once mistook Manatee and her cousin Dugong for mermaids. These sole remaining members of the Sirenia family are more like small blimps than beautiful women. Also called “Sea Cows”, Manatee and Dugong are the only sea mammals that eat solely vegetation. One of the most endangered of sea mammals, Manatee keeps vital waterways such as the Amazon River basin free of vegetation by consuming large amounts of food.
Manatee favors muddy bays, lagoons, and estuaries of the places around Caribbean Sea and Western Africa. Manatee prowls the bottom using her sensitive mouth to detect delicious grasses. With her front flippers, she grasps the vegetation and munches to her heart's content. When Manatee is done munching, she walks on her flippers to find more food at the bottom.
Works used
Andrews, Ted, “Animal-Speak”, Llewellyn, St. Paul, 1998.
Attenborough, David, “The Life of Birds”, Princeton University, Princeton, 1998.
“The Life of Mammals”, Princeton University, Princeton, 2002.
“Life in the Undergrowth”, Princeton University, Princeton, 2005.
“Life in Cold Blood”, Princeton University, Princeton, 2008.
Conway, D.J., “Animal Magick”, Llewellyn, St. Paul, 1999.
King, Scott Alexander, “Animal Messenger”, New Holland, Sydney, 2006.
Nozedar, Adele, “The Secret Language of Birds”, Harper Collins, London, 2006.
Palmer, Jessica Dawn, “Animal Wisdom”, Harper Collins, London, 2001.
Tucker, Suzetta. "ChristStory Bestiary." ChristStory Christian Bestiary. 1997. http://ww2.netnitco.net/users/legend01/beast.htm ( 9 Jan. 2010).
Monday, March 03, 2008
Florida Marlins and Manatees
This just in -- the Florida Marlins baseball team has decided to have a cheerleading team of agile but overweight men - called the Manatees! Not much inventive thinking there but still a team of overweight men leading cheers is a bit heartening. Let's hear it for the Manatees! And the Marlins too. Go FISH, go GO!
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Happy Valentines Day Helping Manatees and Dugongs
Happy Valentines Day! Attached please find a Valentine Card from Conch, our Florida Mermaid Ambassador.
Conch sends his "heartfelt" thanks to everyone who donated during America's Giving Challenge. The videos "Swimming with Mermaids" and "Mermaid Kisses" generated 56 donations totaling $2,350. Although it was not enough to win one of the $50,000 prizes, the funds raised will enable Sirenian International to award at least two additional small grants to projects in developing countries this year...and we might still win one of the $1,000 prizes!
If you missed the America's Giving Challenge deadline, Conch has a special offer for you:
"Make a donation in any amount to Sirenian International by February 14th, you may adopt him, or any of our other 4 Mermaid Ambassadors, at no additional cost!"
Each of our Mermaid Ambassadors represents one of only four manatee & dugong species left in the world today. When you adopt Conch, Maya, Yara, Elandra, or Bahari, you support our educational outreach programs, capacity building programs, and research & community conservation projects around the world.
As a special Valentine thank you, any donation made online or postmarked by February 14th, 2008, automatically includes the adoption of a Mermaid Ambassador. You will receive an Adoption Certificate, a glossy 4"x6" photograph, and a FACT SHEET about the species your Ambassador represents. During the next year, your ambassador will bring you true stories about the manatee and dugong populations our Ambassadors represent via A Mermaid's Voice, our new members only newsletter.
Yes! You may have the adoption placed in the name of a loved one as a Valentine's Day gift. How? Simply visit our Mermaid Ambassadors online at http://www.sirenian.org/ambassadors.html and learn more about Maya, Yara, Elandra, Bahari, and Conch.
Next, click on the Network for Good Donate Now button and enter your Ambassador's name under "Designation" during the online process. Network for Good now accepts donations from within the US via credit card AND donations from outside the US via PayPal using your credit card. If you would like to have your adoption automatically renew each year, select "annually" in the reoccurring donation box under "Donation Preferences".
Alternatively, send your donation by check to the address below and write your choice of Ambassador on the Memo line. Be sure to include your postal address, email address and/or phone number. We will follow-up by email (or phone) to ensure the adoption is completed and mailed per your instructions no later than February 28th, 2008.
As always, thanks for your interest in our mission at Sirenian International and have a LOVELY Valentine's Day!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Help the Manatees!
From Sirenian International:
As promised, I've linked a new manatee video to our
America's Giving Challenge Campaign Badge at
http://www.sirenian .org.
For 5 more days, your donation of only $10 will help
us win $50,000.
If you haven't contributed, I hope this 8-minute video
short, "Swimming with the Mermaids", will inspire you
to make a tax-deductable donation to Sirenian
International before January 31st.
If you've already contributed, thanks again and enjoy
your "swim"!
Winning the America's Giving Challenge contest would
enable us to catalyze our grassroots organization and
make a more significant impact on manatee and dugong
conservation around the world. These are just a few
of the programs your generous gift will make possible:
Mermaids: Ambassadors from Sea to Sea, our 2008
Educational Outreach Program in the USA
The Sirenian Network, our professional database,
discussion list, bibliography, and library program
designed to increase the capacity of Participating
Members to achieve our shared conservation goals
The SI Small Grants Program, designed to catalyze
conservation oriented research, capacity building, and
educational outreach projects in developing nations
where alternative sources of funding are difficult to
secure.
If you have contributed, thanks again! Your continued
support help make it possible for us to expand and
enrich the services we provide. If you haven't done
so already, please pass the link to our Campaign Badge
on through your social network -- with your help we
can win one of the $50,000 prizes!
Cheers,
Caryn
caryn@sirenian. org
============ ========= ===
Have you accepted America's Giving Challenge, yet?
Donate just $10 online http://www.sirenian .org and
help Sirenian International win $50,000!
The mission of Sirenian International is to promote
the long-term conservation of manatee and dugong
populations and our shared aquatic habitats around the
world through research, education, and inter-cultural
collaboration.
As promised, I've linked a new manatee video to our
America's Giving Challenge Campaign Badge at
http://www.sirenian .org.
For 5 more days, your donation of only $10 will help
us win $50,000.
If you haven't contributed, I hope this 8-minute video
short, "Swimming with the Mermaids", will inspire you
to make a tax-deductable donation to Sirenian
International before January 31st.
If you've already contributed, thanks again and enjoy
your "swim"!
Winning the America's Giving Challenge contest would
enable us to catalyze our grassroots organization and
make a more significant impact on manatee and dugong
conservation around the world. These are just a few
of the programs your generous gift will make possible:
Mermaids: Ambassadors from Sea to Sea, our 2008
Educational Outreach Program in the USA
The Sirenian Network, our professional database,
discussion list, bibliography, and library program
designed to increase the capacity of Participating
Members to achieve our shared conservation goals
The SI Small Grants Program, designed to catalyze
conservation oriented research, capacity building, and
educational outreach projects in developing nations
where alternative sources of funding are difficult to
secure.
If you have contributed, thanks again! Your continued
support help make it possible for us to expand and
enrich the services we provide. If you haven't done
so already, please pass the link to our Campaign Badge
on through your social network -- with your help we
can win one of the $50,000 prizes!
Cheers,
Caryn
caryn@sirenian. org
============ ========= ===
Have you accepted America's Giving Challenge, yet?
Donate just $10 online http://www.sirenian .org and
help Sirenian International win $50,000!
The mission of Sirenian International is to promote
the long-term conservation of manatee and dugong
populations and our shared aquatic habitats around the
world through research, education, and inter-cultural
collaboration.
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