Have you ever wondered where SeaWorld gets their killer whales from?

I was watching a documentary on killer whales at SeaWorld, some of the things that they showed was so heart breaking. These animals are only kept in captivity to make money for their owners.  People pay money to go watch killer whales at SeaWorld, do these people know how these animals suffer?  These animals are not meant to be in captivity, they meant to be free.  They are very social animals and very family orientated. They grieve for their losses just like humans do, as they watch family members and their babies being captured, they look on helpless  as they hear the cries of their babies and family members. They not only capture for use in SeaWorld, there is a lot of senseless killing as well. My heart broke, how can we just sit back and watch?  You can see these animals in their natural environment  go on booked tours, marvel at these amazing creatures.  Please think before you support places like SeaWorld, the cost and pain to these animals that are kept in captivity for our amusement.

The orca, or "killer whale" (Orcinus orca) is a toothed whale and is the largest member of the dolphin family. It is highly social and composed of matrilineal family groups. Orcas have long, rounded bodies with large dorsal fins at the middle of their backs. Their black bodies are marked with white patches on the underside and near the eyes.

Orcas feed on fish, squid, birds, and marine mammals. Like dolphins, orcas use echolocation - bouncing sound off of objects to determine their location - to hunt and use a series of high-pitched clicks to stun prey.

Members of orca pods very often work together to catch a meal. Pod members sometimes will force many fish into one area and then take turns feeding or will beach (slide out of the water onto the shore) themselves to scare seals or penguins into the water, where other killer whales are waiting to feed.

Official worldwide populations of orcas are currently unknown, but likely not to be less than 50,000 individuals.




Found in all oceans of the world, orcas are most common in the Arctic and Antarctic and are often spotted off the west coast of the United States and Canada. Orcas are found in both coastal waters and open ocean.

Orcas are highly social animals that travel in groups called pods. Pods usually consist of 5 - 30 whales, although some pods may combine to form a group of 100 or more. Orcas establish social hierarchies, and pods are lead by females. The animals are thought to have a complex form of communication with different dialects (slightly different language) from one pod to another

Orca gestation is 13 to 16 months. A calf is born in autumn weighing almost 400 pounds and measuring up to seven feet in length. A calf will remain with its mother for at least two years

In 1970, more than 90 orcas were stalked and herded into a three-acre net by deafening explosives, speedboats and airplanes at Puget Sound, a deep inlet of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington. Alongside the hired captors was Terry Newby, a young marine mammal researcher (in the red and blue sweater). Images taken by Dr. Newby himself tell the story of the horrific captures that led to a lifetime of confinement and exploitation of orcas in marine parks and aquariums around the world. (scroll to continue)


Confined and desperate, the orcas futilely searched for a way out. Their frantic cries reverberated over the cove and were heard for miles. The squeals, clicks and shrills were so disturbing and deafening that Dr. Newby says that he can still hear their screams today.


Panicked and stressed, the orcas lifted themselves high, hoping to be rescued by their family members outside the nets.

When an older male was present, the captured orcas cried out to him for help, but being in the same predicament, he was unable to do anything.
There was no way out.


Young calves were torn from their mothers inside the pens using speedboats and nets. The helpless mothers could do nothing but watch their children be taken away. They would never see them again.
What happens next is shocking.


Seven frightened young orcas, fighting with everything they had, were pulled closer and
forced into slings.


They never stood a chance in their last attempt to escape and were lifted out of their ocean homes, never to return.


Lolita, one of seven captured orcas, takes a final glimpse at her home and family before she is ripped from the ocean. She is the only living orca from the captures and has spent more than 40 years confined at the Miami Seaquarium.  Goodbye to the life she knew.

The boats delivered the orcas to a dock opposite of Captain Whibey Inn on the north side of Penn Cove. From there they were loaded onto flat bed trucks to be transported to the Seattle Aquarium. Little did they know their suffering had just begun. They were on their way to marine parks around the world, including SeaWorld, to perform and die in tiny cement pools.


The Aftermath
Captures
In Puget Sound between 1970 and 1971 ten orcas were captured from their ocean homes. Half of those were sent to SeaWorld. Some only survived a few months; all died prematurely with the exception of Lolita who still lives at the Miami Seaquarium. During the 15 years of capture in Washington and British Columbia:
275 to 307 whales were caught
55 were transferred to aquariums
12 or 13 died during capture operations



The People Have Spoken
In 1976, Washington State sued SeaWorld for violating its permits during the violent captures, and the court ruled in favor of outraged citizens and Dr. Newby, who testified against the capturing of orcas in Puget Sound. SeaWorld was included by name in the court’s decision prohibiting orcas from being forcibly removed from their rightful ocean home.


Endangered Orcas
Orcas belonging to the Southern Resident orca population in the Pacific Northwest have been classified as endangered and Dr. Newby believes that the mercenary and merciless captures of orcas in Puget Sound contributed to the problem. The National Marine Fisheries Service, in an official report, concurred:


“The capture of killer whales for public display during the 1970s likely depressed their population size and altered the population characteristics sufficiently to severely affect their reproduction and persistence.”


Do Not Support SeaWorld or the miami seaquarium


SeaWorld’s history of confining and exploiting orcas is appalling, including premature orca deaths, avoidable orca injuries, and the death of a trainer. Honor all the orcas torn from their home in the 1970 and 1971 captures and forced to perform at SeaWorld and the other 28 orcas confined today at SeaWorld in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio and at Loro Parque in Tenerife Spain. Never go to SeaWorld. Ask SeaWorld to immediately set in place a firm and rapid plan to release the animals to protected sea pens that would allow them greater freedom of movement; the ability to see, sense, and communicate with their wild cousins and other ocean animals, feel the tides and waves; and engage in the behaviors that they’ve long been denied.

Do we need Men?

Men are not really need for both reproduction and parenting.  Women are not just becoming men's equals.  It’s increasingly clear that “mankind” itself is a gross misnomer: an uninterrupted, intimate and essential maternal connection defines our species.

The behaviour of mammals is how we bear and raise our young, 20% of our life span is the legal responsibility of our parents.

Meaning of mammals

1. a warm-blooded vertebrate animal of a class that is distinguished by the possession of hair or fur, females that secrete milk for the nourishment of the young, and (typically) the birth of live young.

Our choices in reproduction are expanding.  Women can reproduce without men.  The data on females raising children alone is encouraging.  It’s poverty that hurts children, not the number or gender of parents.

This is good, because its women that are both necessary and sufficient for reproduction.  Men are not.  

From the production of the first cell (egg) to the development of the foetus and the birth and breast-feeding of the child, fathers can be absent. They can be at work, at home, in prison or at war, living or dead.

Women body produces the egg that starts life.  She is the one to carry the baby for nine months.  The man part of conception only takes a few minutes of his time, and then he leaves......

The women are bonded to her baby as she breast feeds her baby. Even if she does not breast feed, and bottle feeds, it’s the women that take care of the baby mostly.  Rarely or seldom does the man share this with the woman?

A woman can have a baby without a man; she needs to secure sperm from a donor (living or dead).  The technology the self-impregnating woman needs is a straw or turkey baster, and the basic technique has not changed much since.   If all the men on earth died tonight, the species could continue on frozen sperm. If the women disappear, it’s extinction.

Ultimately the question is, does “mankind” really need men? With human cloning technology, just around the corner, and enough frozen sperm in the world to already populate many generations.

It’s true that men have traditionally been the breadwinners. But women more and more are becoming the bread winners, gaining better educations, and their numbers are growing. Men divorce their wives and the women are left to take care of the children, they are forced to be the head of the family, they are forced to be the breadwinners.  There are lots of divorced fathers out there that divorce their own kids, when they divorce their wives.  As a result their children are left without a father to raise them.  I don't care, for whatever reason the father is not there.  If the father is worth anything as a human being, he will do everything in his power to make sure, that his children don't grow up not knowing their fathers.  Take the single mother, the man knocks her up and decides to run for it.  The man does not need to marry her, just make sure that he helps provide for his kids.  Be a father to these kids.  

Men are raised by their mothers to be "mama" boys; this is not a good thing. Boys and girls are no different, only in the way their mother has raised them, which make men, into insecure people who are then incapable of taking care of a family.  Mothers have a lot to answer too, with how they raise their boys.

Society has dictated that men should be the one that takes care of his family, be the head of the household. Wife and children must respect these men, they are the back bone of the family, well, and that’s how it should be. This rarely ever happens.  Provide for their every need, but when a man has emotionally baggage that he carries from his childhood, he is more inclined to abandon his family and start all over again.  Raising a family is no picnic in the park and it requires a lot of hard work, both from the mother and father!

I know from my own experience, my mother taught us to respect our father.  My mother never disagreed with my father in public.  Discussion was never held in front of us.  Discussion where held in the privacy of their bedroom.  My mother opinion with my father counted very much with my father.  It was not that he was the head of the family, and she the wife, and must obey every command.  They really had a very good marriage. As a father my father was not very good at it.  He left my mother to raise us.  My father was always too busy to spend time with us.  It was like not even having a father.

I am a single parent, the father of my children never acknowledge his children.  My children grew up without their father.  I am lucky that they turned out to well-adjusted adults.  He provided hardly any financial support for them; I had to battle on my own!!

Interesting fact

The geneticist J. Craig Venter showed that the entire genetic material of an organism can be synthesized by a machine and then put into what he called an “artificial cell.” This was actually a bit of press-release hyperbole: Mr Venter started with a fully functional cell, and then swapped out its DNA. In doing so, he unwittingly demonstrated that the female component of sexual reproduction, the egg cell, cannot be manufactured, but the male can.

My kitten

I have adopted a kitten.  I was watering the garden nearly two weeks ago, on a Sunday, when I heard this kitten crying.  I found a very wet kitten.  The kittens eyes had just opened, roughly putting the kitten at two week old.  I bought a kit from the vets, which consisted on a bottle, three teats, 3 packets of substitute milk powder and a measuring spoon.  

The kitten is going on for three weeks now.  He can stand now, which according to how they develop, he should be around four weeks old.  The kitten cannot eliminate.  The kitten can purr, so that confirms that he is differently three weeks old. 

The development of a kitten is predictable, all kittens show similar milestones throughout their first year.

Week One

A new born kitten is tiny.  The eyes and ear canals have have not opened.  The umbilical cord stump is still attached to the stomach.  She cannot move about much.  The kitten does not have teeth.

The mother's immunity is shared through the colostrum the the mother produces 24 to 48 hours before producing milk.  This immunity will help keep the kitten healthy.

The mother cat stays close to her new born kittens and keep the kittens warm.  She bathes them and massages their bellies with her tongue to help them urinate and defecate.  The digestive system is not working at this point.

The kitten will weigh an average of about three and one half ounces and will probably double the weight by the end of the week.  The kitten's umbilical cord stub will fall of early in the second week.

Week Two

During week two, the kitten's eyes will begin to open and will be completely open by the end of this week. Her eyes will start out blue and may remain blue for several weeks before turning to the permanent color. Although her eyes are open, your kitten does not see very well, the kitten vision is blurry.

Week Three

The mother no longer needs to massage the kitten's belly to help the kitten eliminate.  The kitten starts purring in week three.

Although the ear canals will be completely open by the end of this week, the kitten's hearing is still developing. The ears will stand up and the kitten may be startled by loud sounds. She may also be more interested in where an interesting sound is coming from.

The kitten's baby teeth have started to come in, and this prepares her to eat solid food.

Week Four

The kitten may attempt to walk. She will explore her environment and interact with her litter
mates. By the end of the week, she will romp and play in between naps and nursing.

Week Five
At this point, it will be almost impossible to contain the energetic ball of fur. She will spend time playing with her littermates and learning more about her surroundings. This is a good time to socialize the kitten and get her used to being handled by humans.

Start the kitten on canned food this week. Ensure that the food is formulated specifically for kittens and be patient. While she may begin to eat canned food, the kitten still needs to nurse and is not ready to be weaned.

This is the time to introduce the kitten to the litter box. For safety's sake use an all natural litter, not clumping clay litters. Use a shallow box lid and a few inches of litter until the kitten is 
accustomed to using the box.

Week Six
It's time for the kitten to receive her first set of vaccines and be wormed. Your kitten will enjoy having toys to bat around and play with. She continues to grow and become more independent.

Development from Week Seven Through Twelve

Week Seven - The weaning process continues as the kitten eats more canned food. This is a good time to introduce a scratching post to allow her to get used to the idea of using a post rather than the furniture.

Week Eight - The kitten's teeth are fully in place, and they are a sharp as needles. She will probably be weaned during this week or next. It is time for the second worming treatment.

Week Nine - By the end of this week, your kitten will weigh close to three pounds. Her eyes will be their adult hue, and she will need her next set of vaccinations.

Week Ten - The kitten is ready to begin her life away from her mother.

During the rest of the first year, the stages of kitten development will not be so dramatic. Changes will happen slowly and surely. The kitten will continue to grow and learn to socialize with you. She will hone her hunting skills on unsuspecting pieces of paper and socks. She will learn to be part of your family, and that is the most important development of all.

        

Everything has a reason and a purpose

God created the world, everything has a reason and a purpose. Every being in the universe depends on every other thing and every other being for their existence.

Interconnectedness is part of the terminology of a world view which sees a oneness in all things. A similar term, interdependence, is sometimes used instead, although there are slightly different connotations.

“The Tao gives birth to One.
One gives birth to yin and yang.
Yin and yang give birth to all things…
The complete whole is the complete whole.
So also is any part the complete whole…
But forget about understanding and harmonizing and making all things one. The universe is already a harmonious oneness; just realize it.”







When you look at things and people, what do you see?  Do you think that things are disconnected from you?
Do you ridicule people that say that all life is one life?

Physics has proven that indeed that all life is indeed one life.That all that exist on earth is connect to each other.

For thousand of years, sages, mystics, philosophers, and poets from all cultures have understood that the entire universe is a whole and living unity, which means that all things are connected. Nothing is separate. Everything is interlinked. 

Interconnectedness and the Ecosystem

What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem includes all of the living things (plants, animals and organisms) in a given area, interacting with each other, and also with their non-living environments (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, atmosphere). 

In an ecosystem, each organism has its' own niche, or role to play.

A small puddle at the back of your home. There are all sorts of living things, from microorganisms, to insects and plants. These depend on non-living things like water, sunlight, turbulence in the puddle, temperature, atmospheric pressure and even nutrients in the water for life. 

Usually, biotic members of an ecosystem, together with their abiotics factors depend on each other. This means the absence of one member, or one abiotic factor can affect all parties of the ecosystem.

The food chain
A food chain is the sequence of who eats whom in a biological community (an ecosystem) to obtain nutrition. A food chain starts with the primary energy source, usually the sun or boiling-hot deep sea vents. The next link in the chain is an organism that make its own food from the primary energy source -- an example is photosynthetic plants that make their own food from sunlight (using a process called photosynthesis) and chemosynthetic bacteria that make their food energy from chemicals in hydrothermal vents. These are called autotrophs or primary producers.
Next come organisms that eat the autotrophs; these organisms are called herbivores or primary consumers -- an example is a rabbit that eats grass.
The next link in the chain is animals that eat herbivores - these are called secondary consumers -- an example is a snake that eat rabbits.
In turn, these animals are eaten by larger predators -- an example is an owl that eats snakes.
The tertiary consumers are are eaten by quaternary consumers -- an example is a hawk that eats owls. Each food chain end with a top predator, and animal with no natural enemies (like an alligator, hawk, or polar bear).
The arrows in a food chain show the flow of energy, from the sun or hydrothermal vent to a top predator. As the energy flows from organism to organism, energy is lost at each step. A network of many food chains is called a food web.
Trophic Levels:
The trophic level of an organism is the position it holds in a food chain.

1. Primary producers (organisms that make their own food from sunlight and/or chemical energy from deep sea vents) are the base of every food chain - these organisms are called autotrophs.
2. Primary consumers are animals that eat primary producers; they are also called herbivores (plant-eaters).
3. Secondary consumers eat primary consumers. They are carnivores (meat-eaters) and omnivores (animals that eat both animals and plants).
4. Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers.
5. Quaternary consumers eat tertiary consumers.
6. Food chains "end" with top predators, animals that have little or no natural enemies.

The food web

When any organism dies, it is eventually eaten by detrivores (like vultures, worms and crabs) and broken down by decomposers (mostly bacteria and fungi), and the exchange of energy continues. Some organisms' position in the food chain can vary as their diet differs. For example, when a bear eats berries, the bear is functioning as a primary consumer. When a bear eats a plant-eating rodent, the bear is functioning as a secondary consumer. When the bear eats salmon, the bear is functioning as a tertiary consumer (this is because salmon is a secondary consumer, since salmon eat herring that eat zooplankton that eat phytoplankton, that make their own energy from sunlight). Think about how people's place in the food chain varies - often within a single meal.


Numbers of Organisms:
In any food web, energy is lost each time one organism eats another. Because of this, there have to be many more plants than there are plant-eaters. There are more autotrophs than heterotrophs, and more plant-eaters than meat-eaters. Although there is intense competition between animals, there is also an interdependence. When one species goes extinct, it can affect an entire chain of other species and have unpredictable consequences.
Equilibrium
As the number of carnivores in a community increases, they eat more and more of the herbivores, decreasing the herbivore population. It then becomes harder and harder for the carnivores to find herbivores to eat, and the population of carnivores decreases. In this way, the carnivores and herbivores stay in a relatively stable equilibrium, each limiting the other's population. A similar equilibrium exists between plants and plant-eaters.


Interconnectedness and biodiversity

What is biodiversity?
The Ministry of Environment defines biodiversity as "character and interconnection."

"Character" in biodiversity means the diversity/differences among various life forms. There are three levels: 

The first level is the diversity in ecosystem. This refers to the diversity of ecological systems such as forests (natural or man-made), wetlands, rivers, coral reefs, etc.

The second level is the diversity in species. On Earth, there exist as many as 30 million different species of life forms. 

The third level is the diversity in genes. Each individual within the same species has different genes. All life forms evolved over the course of four billion years - a process of adaptation to various environments. Each individual has developed different genes specific to its adaptability characteristics - characteristics such as resistance to dry climate, hot climate, or resistance to local diseases, and so on. Just as every human being has different features like face, height, or personality, every individual life form, even of the same species, has different characteristics depending on where it lives

The fact of the matter is that every life form is able to survive only in the context of its interconnection with other life forms, a web in which every life form plays a role.

For example, there used to be a flightless bird called the dodo on Mauritius Island in the Indian Ocean. When human beings began to settle on the island, they overhunted the dodo for food, and the bird, unaccustomed to any predators and unable to fly away for safety, became extinct in no time at all. Then something abnormal happened to the vegetation of the island. The tambalacoque tree, which had its seeds germinated by being passed through the digestive tracts of the dodo, went almost extinct. Some insects and microorganisms that lived only in this tree followed its fate. This example clearly demonstrates that the survival of one species is connected to survival of another

Interconnectedness according to Buddhism

"When we realize the extent of the myriad interconnections which link us to all other life, we realize that our existence only becomes meaningful through interaction with, and in relation to, others."

Buddhism teaches that all life is interrelated. Through the concept of "dependent origination," it holds that nothing exists in isolation, independent of other life. The Japanese term for dependent origination is engi, literally "arising in relation."

 In other words, all beings and phenomena exist or occur only because of their relationship with other beings or phenomena. Everything in the world comes into existence in response to causes and conditions. Nothing can exist in absolute independence of other things or arise of its own accord.

Shakyamuni used the image of two bundles of reeds leaning against each other to explain this deep interconnectedness. He described how the two bundles of reeds can remain standing as long as they lean against each other. In the same way, because this exists, that exists, and because that exists, this exists. If one of the two bundles is removed, then the other will fall. Similarly, without this existence, that cannot exist, and without that existence, this cannot exist.

More specifically, Buddhism teaches that our lives are constantly developing in a dynamic way, in a synergy of the internal causes within our own life (our personality, experiences, outlook on life and so on) and the external conditions and relations around us. Each individual existence contributes to creating the environment which sustains all other existences. All things, mutually supportive and related, form a living cosmos, a single living whole.

When we realize the extent of the myriad interconnections which link us to all other life, we realize that our existence only becomes meaningful through interaction with, and in relation to, others. By engaging ourselves with others, our identity is developed, established and enhanced. We then understand that it is impossible to build our own happiness on the unhappiness of others. We also see that our constructive actions affect the world around us. And, as Nichiren wrote, "If you light a lamp for another, your own way will be lit."
There is an intimate mutual interconnection in the web of nature, in the relationship between humankind and its environment--and also between the individual and society, parents and children, husband and wife.

If as individuals we can embrace the view that "because of that, this exists," or, in other words, "because of that person, I can develop," then we need never experience pointless conflicts in human relations. In the case of a young married woman, for instance, her present existence is in relation to her husband and mother-in-law, regardless of what sort of people they may be. Someone who realizes this can turn everything, both good and bad, into an impetus for personal growth.

Buddhism teaches that we "choose" the family and circumstances into which we are born in order to learn and grow and to be able to fulfill our unique role and respective mission in life.
On a deeper level, we are connected and related not just to those physically close to us, but to every living being. If we can realize this, feelings of loneliness and isolation, which cause so much suffering, begin to vanish, as we realize that we are part of a dynamic, mutually interconnected whole.

As Daisaku Ikeda has written, an understanding of the interconnectedness of all life can lead to a more peaceful world:

"We're all human beings who, through some mystic bond, were born to share the same limited life span on this planet, a small green oasis in the vast universe. Why do we quarrel and victimize one another? If we could all keep the image of the vast heavens in mind, I believe that it would go a long way toward resolving conflicts and disputes. If our eyes are fixed on eternity, we come to realize that the conflicts of our little egos are really sad and unimportant."
[Courtesy July 1999 SGI Quarterly]


Interconnectedness of life that sustains our planet

On this planet Earth, there exist 1.75 million scientifically identified living forms. If you include yet-to-be identified organisms, 30 million different forms of life are believed to exist.  These figures include fungi and microorganisms, as well as animals and plants. Their lives and existence are interconnected with and dependant on each other. Human beings are part of this interconnection. 

However, this precarious balance of interconnection is falling apart, and the number of life forms going extinct is increasing at an alarming rate

Trees provide materials for houses; plants provide materials for clothes; and both animals and plants provide us with food. Life is supported by myriad of living things on Earth. The lives of those living things in turn are supported by other living things. Life on this planet is endlessly interconnected. Now the balance of those interconnections is on the verge of collapse.

Their lives and existence are interconnected with and dependent on each other. Human beings are part of this interconnection. However, this precarious balance of interconnection is falling apart, and the number of life forms going extinct is increasing at an alarming rate. 

It is an attempt to reexamine the current state of coexistence of human beings and other living things on Earth. 

"The Seven Days of Creation"

On the first day, God created, the heaven and the earth.

An eternal plan in motion, a new world of great worth!

By His word He separated, the darkness from the light.

That time would follow a pattern, He called it day and night.

The second day came. He commanded the waters to divide.

A beautiful skyline, where the firmament would reside.

And as He commanded. His clear voice was heard.

Dry land raised forth. And the day, was the third.

By the power of His word, the ground would take root.

Grass, herbs, and shrubbery, from seedling to fruit!

The beauty of colors, danced over meadows and hills.

The flowered landscapes embellished, vegetation there filled.

The fourth day came. God placed the sun and moon.

That seasons would flourish, and light would illume.

The fowls in the air, and the fish in the sea,

Every animal God created, on the fifth day would be.

The sixth day commenced. God's work not complete.

For man in His image, would be His last feat.

From the dust of the earth, He molded from clay.

His greatest creation, mortal man, there he lay!

The man God called Adam, who stood all alone.

He carefully took a rib, and formed woman from his bone.

Adam named her Eve, the Mother of us all.

To multiply and replenish, soon after the Fall.

The seventh day ushered in. Creation now smiled.

God declared it was good, and rested for awhile.

Smallest Animals in the World

Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat
The Kitti’s hog-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), sometimes referred to as the bumblebee bat due to its diminutive size, was discovered in 1970s and could arguably be the world’s smallest mammal, depending on how size is defined.

The bat is about 29 to 33 mm (1.1″ to 1.3″) in length and weighs 2 g (0.074 oz).  







Bee Hummingbird

The World’s Tiniest Bird Weighs Less Than a Dime.  With a mass around 1.6–2 g (0.056–0.071 oz) and a length of 5–6 cm (2.0–2.4 in), it is the smallest living bird

Pygmy Marmoset Monkey  

The pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) is a small New World monkey native to rainforests of the western Amazon Basin in South America. It is notable for being the smallest monkey and one of the smallest primates in the world at just over 100 grams 

Paedocypris Fish

Paedocypris progenetica has been claimed to be the smallest known species of fish in the world. The smallest mature female measured 9.7 mm and the largest known individual 10.3 mm.

Brookesia Micra Chameleon

Brookesia micra is a species of chameleon from the islet of Nosy Hara in Antsiranana, Madagascar. As of 14 February 2012[update], it is the smallest known chameleon and among the smallest reptiles. In length, adult Brookesia micra can grow up to 29 mm (1.1 in)

Virgin Islands Dwarf Gecko

Brookesia micra is a species of chameleon from the islet of Nosy Hara in Antsiranana, Madagascar. As of 14 February 2012[update], it is the smallest known chameleon and among the smallest reptiles. In length, adult Brookesia micra can grow up to 29 mm (1.1 in)


Etruscan Shrew

The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew or the white-toothed pygmy shrew is the smallest known mammal by mass, weighing only about 1.8 grams (0.063 oz) on average.
Barbados Threadsnake

The Barbados threadsnake (Leptotyphlops carlae) is a species of blind threadsnake. It is the smallest known snake species. This member of the Leptotyphlopidae family is found only on the Caribbean island of Barbados.

Speckled Padloper Tortoise

The speckled tortoise (Homopus signatus), known locally as the speckled padloper, and also known internationally as the speckled cape tortoise,is the world's smallest tortoise. A member of the genus Homopus, it is endemic to South Africa and Southern Namibia.
Paedophryne Amauensis Frog

Paedophryne amauensis is a species of frog from Papua New Guinea discovered in August 2009 and formally described in January 2012. At 7.7 mm (0.30 in) in length, it is considered the world's smallest known vertebrate.
Denise’s Pygmy Seahorse

Denise's pygmy seahorse is a small fish which can reach a maximum length of approximately 2.4 cm, which makes it one of the smallest representatives of the seahorses.
Pygmy Mouse Lemur

Pygmy mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus), also known as Peters' mouse lemur or dormouse lemur, is a primate weighing only 43–55 g (1.5–1.9 oz); it is the second smallest of the mouse lemurs. Its dorsal side is a rufous-brown colour, and creamy-white ventrally. It lives in dry deciduous forests.

Bottle Feeding a Kitten

I was watering the garden last Sunday and I heard a kitten cry.  I went and investigated and find a very small, very wet kitten in the corner of my garden.  The eyes of the kitten had just opened recently; I could see that the kitten could not focus properly.

What to do?  I picked the kitten up and took the kitten inside and immediately started drying him off.  By the way the kitten is a male!

I went and bought a kit from the local vet, this include special formula for kittens, a bottle and three teats.  Every time the bottle is used, it has to be sterilized first. There are instructions on how to prepare the milk.  These instructions must be followed exactly.  The right amount of formula to water.  The milk must be body temperature, and as for a human baby, the temperature of the milk must be tested before the kitten is fed.  The milk flow must be checked beforehand to.  

Placing a towel on my lap, I tried feeding the kitten; he was not interested so i began to rub his stomach.  I know that the mother cat has to stimulate her kitten to make the kitten wee or shit. Using a warm damp cloth and wiping the anus and genital helps the kitten eliminate.  I did this on the kitten and he had a good long pee.  After that he took to his bottle and began to drink. When he was finished, I had to burp him just like one will do with a human baby.  Held him gently in one hand and rub his back until he produced a good burp.

After kitten was burped and cleaned (milk formula is kind of sticky), he drifted off to sleep.  I have a box for him, where I place a towel.  The kitten needs to be kept warm all the time.  In the beginning I kept on checking if the kitten was breathing still.

I am not sure how much the kitten should be drinking each time; the internet says that the kitten must have at least 32cc, which is divided in 9-12 feeds a day.  The amount the kitten drinks is depending on the age, size and condition of the kitten.  We use ml in this country so I found out that 1cc is equal to 1ml.  Kittens should be fed around the clock every two hours, at first. The kitten is bottle fed for about four weeks.

I find my kitten needs something else; he needs lots of attention and love.  When he gets this, feeding goes much better, and both of us have a better experience.  If the kitten does not get the required attention that he needs, bottle feeding is a nightmare, and both of us end up very unhappy.

See love is essential to all creatures, not only humans.  When the kitten is happy he purrs.  My kitten is starting to play, he is so adorable!!!

I have just fed my kitten; he is lying on my lap, finally asleep.

It's a demanding job, but so very rewarding to see him being happy and content.  Watching him grow, day by day.  It's been four days.  

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