wild animals
Animals the way nature intended it; explore the world of wild animals and the controversies surrounding domestication and hunting of feral beasts.
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.
By Lillie Maria8 years ago in Petlife
An Unforgettable Moment
This is my personal experience of the first time I truly realized the vast beauty and authenticity of Mother Nature... It was a hot and bright day in the Abacos Islands, a good one for boating to the stingrays. As I packed my snorkel gear and baseball cap, I looked out into the flat and crystal clear ocean, as it sparkled blue light shimmers into the sky. We loaded the boat and we were off. We were racing across the ocean; salty air filled my nose, as the strong breeze tangled my hair. After what seemed like minutes later, we slowly crept up onto a little bay. Peeking over the edge of the boat, my eyes lit up. Stingrays filled the bay, gently gliding through the shining water. My breath had been taken away by the fascinating, intricately-designed creatures.
By Nicole Wenger8 years ago in Petlife
Freeing Lolita the Killer Whale Is Not an Option
Lolita is a Southern Resident killer whale who was believed to have been born in 1966 to the Southern Resident orca population. She was collected on August 8, 1970 off the coast of Penn Cove, Washington where she was kept in a pen-based facility for about a month before she was sent to Miami Seaquarium in Key Biscayne, FL. There, she spent the first ten years of her life at the facility with a male orca named Hugo, who was believed to have come from the same pod as she did, until his death in 1980. She has been the only orca in its care since. Today, she currently resides at the facility with four Pacific white sided dolphins, who serve as her companions, and is one of two living killer whales to have been collected from the Pacific Northwest during the 1960s and 70s. Yet, despite the fact that Lolita continues to thrive at Miami Seaquarium, animal rights extremists want Lolita to be “released” from the only home she has ever known for the last 48 years by putting her in a potentially dangerous “return-to-the-wild” that would be run by those with very little to no expertise in animal care. I am here to explain why freeing Lolita may not be in her best interest.
By Jenna Deedy8 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.
By Katy Preen8 years ago in Petlife
Zoos: Good or Bad?
Animals all over the world are being abused and mistreated. It is unfortunate that there are people that don’t care about said animals. Luckily, there are zoos to help. After reviewing the three sources, "What Zoos Do" by Amy Miller, "Issue Overview: Should We Have Zoos?" by Shayna Owens, and "Lifespan of Female Elements in Zoos and the Wild," you learn about all of the good that zoos in America have done. There are many people who believe that zoos are a reason for this claim, however, in reality, zoos are more beneficial because they make conservation efforts around the world and rescue said animals from abuse.
By Isabella S8 years ago in Petlife
The Box Jellyfish. Top Story - June 2018.
Box Jellyfish are very old, surviving for more than 500 million years. One woman named Diana Nyad, known for swimming from Cuba to Florida, was not as successful as she appears. Three of her five attempts were stopped by the horrid sting of the Box Jellyfish. Although she was hospitalized for several weeks, that determined woman fought through the blood-curdling experience of a sting. If you haven’t heard before, the Box Jellyfish are very powerful creatures, leaving you wanting to die.
By Grace Mitchell8 years ago in Petlife
Sanctuaries 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?
By Jenna Deedy8 years ago in Petlife
From 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.
By Andrew White8 years ago in Petlife
Top 10 Strangest Flying Animals That Are Not Birds
The world is full of amazing animals that have never failed to stun the mankind. Amongst them, the ones that have always managed to catch the attention of the observers/researchers are the flying animals! These animals may not have wings like birds, but their aerodynamic structures provide them the ability to fly. Here are the top ten strangest flying animals that are not birds.
By Carol Wilson8 years ago in Petlife
