Animals Evolved

Debby the world’s oldest polar bear, aged 42, passed away on November 18, 2008 at a Canadian zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  She was first found in the Russian Arctic in 1966 as a cub.  She was adopted and raised by the zoo since 1967.  Due to her advanced age, Debby was suffering from multiple organ failure.  The veterinarians then decided to euthanize her.  Debby was listed as the world’s oldest polar beat by the Guinness Book of World Records.  The male polar bear, Skipper, died several years ago at age 34.  They have six offspring.  Most of the polar bears in the wild did not survive to age 20, even though they can live more than 30 years.

Source: MSNBC

Use this image:
<a href="http://animal.kukuchew.com/2008/11/10/my-precious"><img src="http://animal.kukuchew.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/rabbit-stealing-biscuit.jpg" border="0" alt="rabbit stealing biscuit" /></a>

Source: Tinypic

10,000 endangered turtle eggs were confiscated by Malaysian marine police on November 2.  The police believed the eggs were smuggled from Philippines.  According to Muhammad Sallam Spawi, an officer in Sabah state, the seizure was the biggest one in Sabah.  The four smugglers who communicated in Tagalog managed to flee themselves.  Abdul Karim Dakog, the state wildlife department officer, said the eggs were belonged to endangered green and Hawksbill turtles.  He hoped the eggs will be hatched in a conservation area.  Turtle eggs have been a popular dish in local market (~usd 80 cent / egg), but it is illegal to trade turtle eggs in Malaysia.

Source: My Sinchew

Image: Hanks Place

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<a href="http://animal.kukuchew.com/2008/10/23/im-sleepy"><img src="http://animal.kukuchew.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/puppy-yawning.jpg" border="0" alt="puppy yawning" /></a>

Source: Edwards Training

Use this image:
<a href="http://animal.kukuchew.com/2008/10/19/circle-of-sleep"><img src="http://animal.kukuchew.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/circle_of_sleep-dogs.jpg" border="0" alt="Circle of Sleep" /></a>

Source: Funny Dog Site

Are you confused about how much to feed your dog? If you have a dog, you want to provide him with the best nutrition possible without overfeeding and increasing his risk for obesity. You can’t count on your dog to send you the signal that he’s full since most dogs will eat well past the point of satiety? So how do you know how much to put into your dog’s bowl and how often to feed?

The decision on how much to your dog can be a confusing one. Many people select food quantity for their dogs based on weight which can be misleading since some dogs are more active than others. Plus, there’s the issue of age. Dogs should be given less food during their senior years than they would need during puppyhood or the peak of their life. In addition, underlying health factors need to be taken into account. If your dog has active health problems, it’s best to speak with your vet to make sure your dog doesn’t need a special diet. For example, dogs with kidney disease may need a low protein dog food. Your vet can help you work out exact quantities of food to give your dog in these special cases.

If your dog is healthy the general formula for how much to feed your dog is 1.5 cups per twenty pounds of weight for small breeds and 1 cup per twenty pounds of body weight for large breeds. Small breed dogs have higher caloric requirements than do larger breeds which is taken into account with this formula. If your dog is currently overweight or has a low activity, you’ll want to adjust food quantities down slightly. If your dog is active, lean, and undergoes brisk walks on a daily basis, food quantities should be adjusted upwards to meet his higher caloric requirements. If you feed your dog twice daily, give half of the suggested quantity at each meal. To make sure you’re feeding your dog appropriately, check a weight every two weeks and make food adjustments based on the results.

With the recent concern regarding dog food ingredients, what type of dog food should you select? The safest and healthiest commercial dog foods are composed of natural ingredients without added fillers such as corn and wheat. Learn to read dog food labels and be aware of potentially dangerous additives and by products found in dog foods. Avoid ones with artificial coloring, flavorings, or preservatives. Look for a high quality protein source and make sure it’s listed as the first ingredient on the label. When switching over to a new food, be sure to mix the new food with the old initially and gradually increase the quantity of the new food as your dog adjusts to his new diet. Sudden dietary changes can promote diarrhea in dogs.

What about people food? Should a dog be offered table scraps? Although most sources will discourage adding table food to a dog’s diet, there are some human “treats” that are healthy for dogs. Small nibbles of fresh fruits and vegetables can be healthy substitutes for commercial dog cookies and should add significantly to your dog’s caloric load. If you choose to give your dog fruits and vegetables, obtain a list of foods that shouldn’t be given to dogs. For example, onions, garlic, and raisins should be strictly avoided. Also be aware of the sugar, fat, and sodium content of any table food you give your dogs. Fatty foods can increase your dog’s risk of pancreatitis, a relatively common and sometimes fatal condition in dogs.

By researching what and how much to feed your dog, you can optimize your dog’s weight and possibly even prolong his life span. Make sure you make the right choices so you can have your best friend around for a long time.

There are only four Yangtze giant soft-shell turtles left in China, and three of them are male.  “China Girl” was found last year in a Chinese zoo, and she was the only female turtle of its species in China.  She is 80 years old.  He is 100 years old.  Scientists tried to mate two turtles which have sum of age of 180 years.  Although they mated successfully, their eggs didn’t hatch.  They will try again next year.  China’s pollution and hunting are the main causes of the wipe-out of Yangtze turtles.

Source: Yahoo! News

Dogs quickly become members of the family. They fit in there right with the rest of the clan. Before you know it, you are shopping for them as if they are one of your very own children, and in a way, they are.

If you want to do something special for your dog, consider a homemade gift that comes straight from the heart with a bit of artistic skill. If you can knit or crochet, consider making your dog a cozy blanket for his bed. Select a yarn that shows some indication of sturdiness so that it does not fall apart after a few weeks use.

In fact, while you are at it, knit or crochet your dog some traveling gear. How about a blanket for the car? Maybe your dog would prefer a knitted sweater to keep him warm on those long walks the two of you take. In fact, a matching hat would create a picture perfect photo opportunity.

Today’s market includes a wide variety of patterns for making your dog’s own clothes. Although many require knitting or crocheting, a number of them involve old-fashioned hand or machine sewing. One of the best things about making your dog’s clothing is the fact that you retain all control over the colors, styles, and artistic embellishments.

Some of the more popular materials to use when sewing an outfit for your dog include corduroy, tartan, faux fur, and sequin. Equally popular are the quilted and hand embroidered styles of clothing.

Patterns for clothing for the canine world used to include only a few select items such as sweaters, jackets, rain slickers, and hats. Today, dog owners can find patterns for clothing in:
• sleepwear and pajamas
• beachwear including bathing suits, caps, and towels
• casual wear including pants, shirts, blouses, sweaters, and skirts
• eveningwear
• special costumes
• bridal wear

If you are new at this, don’t be discouraged with your first outfit if it does not turn out as well as you would have liked. Your skill should improve with each new outfit that you make for your pet. Just don’t forget to take photographs to put in the family album.

Den Haus designs beautiful dog crates that can easily blend into your house design without spoiling the nicely decorated house.  There are three dog crates available at the moment, which are TownHaus, ZenHaus, and BowHaus.

“Homes for pets.  Designs for people.”

Dr George Wilson, an Australian scientist, suggested a solution to save the world.  Despite eating beef or mutton, you can choose to eat kangaroo.  What is so special about kangaroo?  The fact is kangaroo don’t fart like cows or sheep.  As the digestive system of kangaroo is different from other animals, its fart is not consisted of methane gas, which is really harmful to the environment.  This could probably a solution to control kangaroo population as well, as you can knock down a kangaroo on the road if you drive too fast.

news BBC NEWS via Nerdy Science Blog