We're aware of bald eagles and hairless cats, but a furless bear? Now that's a first. Several female bears in a zoo in Leipzig, Germany are feeling a bit chillier these days after they lost all their fur save for a few tufts on the crown of their head for an unknown reason.
Several very confused veterinary experts have begun studying the bears, like Dolores (shown above), in hopes of discovering the cause of the fur-loss, which they believe may be genetic. The bears are native to South America and would normally be sprouting a lush coat of dark brown fur to get them through the winter.
Aside from perhaps needing an extra blanket or two this winter and looking a little funny, the bears seem to be in good health. Still, anytime something odd like this happens, it's a good idea to figure out why. After all, bears have fur for a reason!
It's only appropriate that the world's fastest man own the world's fastest cat. Usain Bolt, the Kenyan runner who holds world titles for fastest 100- and 200-meter sprints recently adopted a cheetah named Lightening Bolt, one of three cubs rescued after being abandoned by their mother.
Cheetahs, notorious for being ferocious as well as speedy, are not the most ideal domestic pets, so Lightening Bolt will reside in a wildlife center in Nairobi. In addition to the $13,500 paid for the cat, Usain will pay $3,500 a month for the kitty's upkeep. The money will also support Kenyan Wildlife Services and their efforts to protect endangered species.
The two Bolts met recently, where they immediately bonded as Usain held and bottle-fed the baby cheetah, which was the size of a full grown domestic cat. Bolt told reporters that though he was initially afraid of cheetahs, he isn't anymore.
Well isn't this the most adorable thing ever. If only we could all afford to adopt our own cheetahs!
An interesting study published in New Scientist argues that owning a large dog could be less eco-friendly than owning an SUV. The charted results (below), reference the carbon impact of driving a gas-guzzler like a Toyota Land Cruiser versus having a Laborador or other big dog.
From the original article:
"To measure the ecological paw, claw and fin-prints of the family pet, the Vales analysed the ingredients of common brands of pet food. They calculated, for example, that a medium-sized dog would consume 90 grams of meat and 156 grams of cereals daily in its recommended 300-gram portion of dried dog food. At its pre-dried weight, that equates to 450 grams of fresh meat and 260 grams of cereal. That means that over the course of a year, Fido wolfs down about 164 kilograms of meat and 95 kilograms of cereals.
It takes 43.3 square metres of land to generate 1 kilogram of chicken per year - far more for beef and lamb - and 13.4 square metres to generate a kilogram of cereals. So that gives him a footprint of 0.84 hectares. For a big dog such as a German shepherd, the figure is 1.1 hectares.
Meanwhile, an SUV - the Vales used a 4.6-litre Toyota Land Cruiser in their comparison - driven a modest 10,000 kilometres a year, uses 55.1 gigajoules, which includes the energy required both to fuel and to build it. One hectare of land can produce approximately 135 gigajoules of energy per year, so the Land Cruiser's eco-footprint is about 0.41 hectares - less than half that of a medium-sized dog."
We've seen some entertaining and educational pro-environment videos in our day. I'll just be up front here, The Dancing Butterflies' 2002 song "Let's Save The Environment" is not one of them. This anti-pollution, pro-Mother Earth diddy is pretty old, but just recently hit the internet. It's spreading like wildfire, not because of its message, but rather its interesting style. Have a look for yourself:
(And yes, this guy is for real.)
Yeesh. We kind of feel bad for the guy. We're sure he had good intentions!
What do you think of Lets Save The Environment? Do you feel more inspired to be green?
You know you're doing an effective job of getting yourself or your issue into the mainstream media when South Park devotes an entire episode to defaming and mocking you. The creators of the notoriously offensive and envelope-pushing cartoon, Matt and Trey, centered last night's episode of South Park, Whale Whores, around the whale saving efforts of TV series Whale Wars and documentary The Cove.
It's got some pretty graphic stuff in it, and if you're sensitive to this, we don't recommend watching. But if you're wearing your laughing pants and are ready to take a joke, you can check out the full episode online here.
Did you see the episode? What did you think, was it humorous or was it too over-the-top?
Why 350? Well, as this video explains, our current carbon count is at 390 parts per million. We need to get down to 350 parts per million. People around the world showed their support by incorporating the number 350 in their efforts to get the message out about reducing carbon emissions. Watch the models illustrate their method of shedding those unwanted carbon emissions!
Did you participate in International Day of Climate Action? Tell us how! editors@socialvibe.com
Warning, this image is not for the faint of heart. Thanks to our careless consumption habits and lack of regard for properly disposing of our trash, our oceans, waterways, landfills and streets are filled with trash, much of it, plastic. In addition to costing billions to clean up, it also has an great negative impact on our wildlife.
The image below, by Chris Jordan, is that of a dead albatross chick who was fed plastic bits by its mother after she mistook it for food.
Chris explains:
"These photographs of albatross chicks were made just a few weeks ago on Midway Atoll, a tiny stretch of sand and coral near the middle of the North Pacific. The nesting babies are fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents, who soar out over the vast polluted ocean collecting what looks to them like food to bring back to their young. On this diet of human trash, every year tens of thousands of albatross chicks die on Midway from starvation, toxicity, and choking.
To document this phenomenon as faithfully as possible, not a single piece of plastic in any of these photographs was moved, placed, manipulated, arranged, or altered in any way. These images depict the actual stomach contents of baby birds in one of the world’s most remote marine sanctuaries, more than 2000 miles from the nearest continent."
Chattanooga, TN residents now have a new way to make their lives more eco-friendly - heading to the movies! The Southern town is home to the nation's first green cinema, Carmike 15, a standalone theater with an energy efficient and environmentally conscious design.
The 12 plex cinema has been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, so you know it's legit, and features recycled construction materials, roof-mounted solar energy panels, energy efficient light and water recycling for landscaping and restrooms and a low-pollutant maintenance program.
Carmike president David Passmore said of the facility:
“We realize environmental challenges and concerns facing our planet are becoming more critical with each passing day. For this reason, we especially look forward to bringing the first-ever ‘green’ entertainment complex to the people of Chattanooga and the surrounding communities.”
The theater will be open on November 6.
Do you live near Chattanooga? Will you be paying a visit to Carmike 15? Don't forget your Pink Ball!
