A few months ago, I was coming home on a country road that leads to the suburbs in Niagara Falls.

It was about 3:00am, pretty cold, and what do I see? A mountain lion (also called cougars or pumas) that had just crossed the road in front of me.

It was on the left side of the road on the shoulder going into the brush. I happened to be on the phone with a friend and told them what was going on.

The big cat just looked over it’s shoulder at me as I drove past it slowly.

It was definitely a surreal moment in my life, as I had never seen one of these majestic animals in the wild before.

Well, not many people believed me that I saw a puma running around right near our suburbs about 5 blocks away. This is because it’s certainly a rare occurrence to see a cougar in our area, although these creatures were indigenous in our area prior to the urban sprawl.

A lack of food, and a growing coyote population probably pushed them out even further into the shadows.

I say all of this to tell you what I saw this morning. Large cat footprints in the slushy snow along our home’s walkway and our front porch.

The size of the prints is large, and it’s certainly not a dog-type of footprint, such as those of a coyote, which have been pushed further into the burbs to survive off small pets, animals and anything they are able to scavenge. In fact, they are a commonality of everyday life in a town close to here called Niagara-on-the-Lake.

These prints were large, and the spread between the legs goes to show how large a cat this really was.

This is rather frightening to me since we have so many trees and darker corners on our lot and the homes around us. Not only that, I have small dogs that go outside for a pee at night. Keep your wits about you out there…

This should be a reality check for those of us all over the world, that not only have we pushed these large predators into endangerment, but now we are frightened when they encroach on our paths. I wonder how they feel…

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I hope you enjoyed this Big Cat post on Exotic Animal Lover. Until next time…

Live Exotically!

художник на икониИкони на светци

Cougar in Niagara Falls, Canada is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Today is January 12th, 2012. I live in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and was thinking about how mild and more pleasant our weather is than usual in Januaries of the past.

Yes, it is only a few degrees above freezing, and many of you scoff at that idea because it’s unthinkable to you being from more Southern states or tropical countries, but a few degrees above freezing is mild for this time of year.

I was reminiscing with my mother today about how much snow we used to have when I was a child, especially on Christmas vacation. There were truckloads of snow, so much so that we would make igloos in the backyard, many of the kids in the neighborhood had skating rinks maintained by their devoted parents, and we would make snow angels and snow forts for hours.

It seems snowball fights are a thing of the past and have been in more recent years.

Not that I am complaining about the mild weather for my comfort, and not having to shovel it for hours and hours, only to have it filled in by the time your complete to the end of the driveway. However, I do understand completely why it’s so difficult for polar animals to survive when our planet is warming.

Polar bears are unable to get out onto the ice sheets to hunt over winter months, which is much needed for their survival and their cubs’ survival. All too often, the ice isn’t thick enough for them to travel the kilometers out to sea to acquire their staple food, seals. As well, the ice sheets break or dissolve, leaving them stranded at sea with or without their cubs.

It’s a dire state of things on our planet, and this is just a tiny slice of what’s really going on in response to global warming.

What on earth can we do? What on earth will we do about it?

What are your thoughts?

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I hope you enjoyed this post on the Environment on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically!

A Personal Look at Global Warming in Ontario, Canada is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

USA (EXOTIC ANIMAL NEWS) – Sad news comes to the animal lovers out there, who are concerned about the world’s populations of endangered animals.

66 wolves were initially re-introduced to the Northern Rocky Mountains from Canada back in the middle of the 1990s. Today, there are approximately 1650 in the population.

The issue is that the White House is ready to accept a budgetary bill including an unprecedented lifting of the Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in five US Western states, which has been a law in effect for 37 years, and it being the 1st time Congress has approached a species that’s protected as a target.

These lawmakers are trying to justify this provision in the budget because they’re calling it an intervention to a wildlife problem they are painting to seem as out of control. Apparently, wolf attacks are on an increase on livestock and big game herds in these states, and ranchers & sportsmen are complaining, full of resentment.

Any endangered species acts are typically unpopular entities when it comes to conservatives who feel their existence hinders economic development.

The frightening portion of this story is the future ramifications by setting a precedent for even the most endangered and vulnerable species of animals, fish and plants as negotiation chips when it comes to receiving political pressure.

Unfortunately, states such as Montana and Idaho are reeling and ready with planned public hunts in the works to eradicate these “pests,” who just so happen to be quite endangered and one of the most majestic animals of North America.

Patrick Parenteau, a professor of environmental law from the Vermont Law School, claims:

“The president could have used some political capital to influence this and he didn’t…The message to the environmental community is, don’t count on the administration to be there [for the protection of endangered species].”

Some feel this issue is being passed over too quickly and handled too rashly in the hopes of quickly pushing the budget plan through. However, environmentalists are still hoping that President Obama will stand up for climate change, wilderness preservation, oil and gas exploration, but at this point, they aren’t holding their breath with this new ploy. These hopes came with Obama being elected as president, since these types of laws were much ignored during the Bush administration.

Also in the works is a 2012 budget request from the Department of Interior that would put into effect a serious spending cap on a program allowing citizens to petition & list species considered endangered; this program has been used over past decades to list the endangered species that are currently on it!

Kieran Suckling, a representative of the Center for Biological Diversity, explains:

“We are having the worst attack on the Endangered Species Act in 30 years while we have a Democratic Senate and a Democratic White House…They are trying to shut citizens and scientists out of the endangered species process.”

An expert of Endangered Species Act from Florida State University, J.B. Ruhl, believes we should take the wolf provision with a grain of salt, as it was attached to a bill considered a “must-pass,” which was designed & needed to stop the government shutdown that was to ensue otherwise.

“It seems to me the planets had to be aligned just right to make this happen…There might be a wing of the Republican party that would love to see the Endangered Species Act reformed, but I don’t think they are going to be able to ram that through anytime soon.”

We don’t only have the Obama administration to blame, as this idea was first posed during Bush’s administration to lift this wolf’s protection.

Instead of directly answering questions, the White House has directed these to the office of Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar. The funny thing is Kendra Barkoff, a spokesman for the Interior, refused to directly answer any questions regarding this legislation about the Endangered Species Act, touting it as a “critical safety net” that has, over the years, prevented innumerable species from going extinct, but emphatically stated:
“It is our responsibility to continue implementing the law.”

Irregardless, people aren’t happy and they are up-in-arms about it, including Democratic Senators, Ben Cardin of Maryland and Barbara Boxer of California, and Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts. Representative Markey is the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. He is accusing the accused the GOP, aka “Grand Old Party” or Republicans (“Old Boys Club”), of wanting to:

“…kill wolves instead of cutting pork.”

Who exactly can we “thank” for this piece of legislation? Montana’s two Democratic senators, Jon Tester and Max Baucus, which is mind-boggling, since they are democrats. Baucus explains:

“It was a little hard persuading Sen. Boxer and Sen. Cardin that we’re not gutting the Endangered Species Act…They don’t have the same understanding of the wolf problem that we have.”

Fred Cheever of University of Denver: Sturm School of Law, claims:

“It’s a scary road to go down…Everything is a bargaining chip, from bombers to baby care. Riders aren’t limited to the Endangered Species Act.”

Question:

• What’s your take on this provision to life protection of the endangered gray wolf?
• Who is to blame?
• How will you fight back?

photo: wallcoo.netКартиниИдея за подаръкикониикони

Congress Lifts Protection of Gray Wolf, Seen as Precedent? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I was watching a show on Animal Planet the other day and they had to do a hysterectomy on a polar bear.

The intriguing thing about the surgery was that when they shaved her fur to prepare her, her skin was completely black.

This makes complete sense and is an amazing adaptation for these bears.

Why?

Because their black skin absorbs heat from the sun. Their fur isn’t actually white…it’s clear – this allows the sunlight to penetrate their thick coats and allow their black skin to absorb this heat!

Huh! Who knew?

Nature is such a marvelously designed thing! There is a reason for every feature an animal has, whether we know it or not.

FYI: Did you know that the Polar Bear is a highly endangered species?

Check out this: Polar Bears Mostly Extinct by 2050

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I hope you enjoyed this Bear Information on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Be sure to check out the Exotic Animal Lover Store!Подаръци

Polar Bears Have Black Skin is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Exotic Animal Newsflash:

We would like to wish you a very Happy New Year from Exotic Animal Lover!

Here’s some exciting things going on:

• More videos will be coming this year!
• Have you checked out the designs from “K, Turn Around” Jewelry of animals in our Exotic Animal Lover Store?
• Hopefully, Kimberly will be able to get more traveling in this year. That means more cool stories, photos & videos of indigenous
• Looking for exotic animal experts to write on ExoticAnimalLover.com – If you’re interested, please email me with your information: kimberly@exoticanimallover.com
• To request information about certain animals, feel free to email it or comment on a post.

We like to “think outside the box” here @ Exotic Animal Lover!

• If you have a great idea for a project or collaboration with us, be sure to email the details: kimberly@exoticanimallover.com

Happy New Year – 2011!!!

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I hope you enjoyed this Animal News on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

Technorati Tags: animal news, exotic animal lover, happy new year, animal lovers, animal, animal kingdom

Happy New Year 2011 from Exotic Animal Lover is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Now, it is possible to donate your car for the cause of helping animals in crisis.

You may be wondering how on earth donating your car could help fight against animal cruelty.

Your car will be sold at the highest possible price, and the proceeds will go towards medical treatment, investigation and enforcing laws in regards to animal welfare, and assist in caring for countless animals across the nation who are waiting to be adopted.

Is it easy to make a car donation?
Absolutely! It couldn’t be easier, in fact!

You may use the online form in order to schedule a pick up. Every vehicle is accepted, even if it has to be towed away.

Not only that, but once your vehicle is picked up, you will receive an IRS tax deductible car donation receipt. All donations are 100% tax deductible.

You may feel your car is a junker and there is no way it could possibly do anything, but be crushed at a junkyard. Not true!  Even that unusable vehicle sitting in your driveway that hasn’t run in years is incredibly valuable.

To donate car, go to: CarsHelpingPets.org

Please help animals in need by donating your car and assisting with much needed funds to save their lives.

Thank goodness for people like those of you considering this donation and especially for those who make the effort to donate your vehicle.

Every animal that has ever been rescued is a testament to people like yourself.

As a family, we personally have adopted two rescued dogs and they are ever-grateful for the new life they have.

Photo Left: Sugar the rescued Westie-poo and my mother – They just love each other!

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I hope you enjoyed this Featured post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Have you checked out our cool Animal Product Store?

Technorati Tags: car donations for animals, donate car, tax deductions, donate vehicle, animal welfare, animal cruelty, fight animal cruelty

Car Donations for Animals is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Opossum

It’s 12:45 am in Dallas, Texas right now…

I just took our kitchen garbage out to the trash can and noticed one of our neighborhood stray dogs laying in the middle of the street.

As I focused in and started approaching, I noticed that it was sitting next to another animal, also in the middle of the street…I thought it could have been a run over cat or something like that…

…As I came upon the dog, I took a look at what kind of animal was laying there and lo and behold, it was the opossum I’ve been noticing walking through the neighborhood some nights, playing dead – completely still, eyes open and all.

The dog, who’s usually quite skiddish when you come near him, wanted to hold his ground even though I was very close and clapping him away to go home.  He even growled at me.

I’m sure he was deciding whether he wanted to eat his catch or play with it for a while before eating it, but he finally took off down the way to his house – I don’t know what’s up with his owners.

Anyway, now I’m outside in my pajamas waiting on our street corner for this opossum to “wake” back up and get off the road to disappear into the night again.

I’m telling you, I had to wait 10 minutes. I didn’t want to leave for fear someone would run him over at our intersection…so, I waited to protect him.

Sure enough, about 10 minutes later, he cautiously got up and scurried off into the bushes of the nearest house.

I know it was “just a possum”, but did you know that the opossum is only modern marsupial of the “New World”, carrying it’s babies in a pouch? The rest of the infraclass, Marsupialia, are native to Australia.

The thing is, we’ve encroached on it’s habitat and now, we think they’re expendable. They’re not – they’re an important part of our world.

They may not be the “cutest” mammal of them all, but they deserve to be here too, nonetheless.

I just couldn’t fathom letting him be a chew toy for the stray dog or road kill…Plus, the stray dog is completely black in color and he wasn’t giving up his position laying in the middle of the road either – it was dangerous for all parties.

Yeah for playing opossum! They do this in order to disinterest their predator because they’re already dead. They virtually paralyze themselves and you would honestly think they’re dead. However, I knew better – it was just a clever trick! I’m glad he’ll live to see another night!

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Didelphimorphia
Family: Didelphidae

Opossums are nocturnal animals and omnivorous – they’ll eat plants and meat, and may even scavenge for food.

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I hope you enjoyed this Marsupial Info on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this great story about Lucy, a Virginia Opossum:

Lucy: A Virginia Opossum Lucy spends her first months in her mother’s pouch. Soon she is facing outside dangers–animals, cars, and humans

Technorati Tags: opossum, Virginia opossum, possum, North American marsupial, nocturnal animals, playing possum, playing dead, playing opossum

Playing Opossum in Dallas: Saving Our Wildlife is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Have you ever thought about how frightened your neighborhood birds are of you, a deer, a rabbit or virtually any other animal out there.

As soon as they see you, they dart for cover…

You may not have thought anything of it because we’re so used to it.

This wasn’t always the case, you know…

When Adam named the animals in the Garden of Eden, he could communicate and speak with them. Everyone got along together in perfect harmony. Imagine that…

Imagine a world where a wolf would just walk up to you as though you were it’s friend. How amazing would that be?

This issue struck me the other day when I read and wrote about the new discovery of a bunch of new species in Papua New Guinea – who may have never seen a human before.

The animals were coming down from the trees – one even sat on a researcher’s shoulder. A new species of woolly rat came right up to the humans with no fear at all.

Why do animals fear us? Well, why wouldn’t they – for the most part, we’re either hunting them, trying to get rid of them, capturing them to be in captivity or destroying their habitats.

No doubt, the animal parents teach their babies to fear us – we are killers, captors and destroyers.

The animal kingdom often sees us as bad creatures they would much rather steer clear of.

What a sad state of affairs. Let’s try to change that! We need to try to regain their trust on a whole…We are their keepers, in essence.

I wonder what goes through their minds when they see us…I’m sure it would be eye opening, heart wrenching and saddening for most of us here on the planet.

Treat the animals you see well…They were made by the same Amazing God we were. Treat them as such!

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I hope you enjoyed this Animal Behavior Info on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information on the way God intended our world to be, check out the book of Genesis in the Bible:

The Bible: Genesis : King James Version

Technorati Tags: wild animals, animals fear, fear of animals, scared of humans, no fear of humans, Garden of Eden, animal kingdom

photo: Woolly Rat – guardian.co.uk

Animals Are Scared of Us – Isn’t That Sad? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Exotic Animal Newsflash:

A Kentucky man, Kenny Mahoney, has a motion sensor hunting camera in his backyard, which often picks up images of rabbits, turkeys and deer.

What he found was an unidentified mysterious animal (UMA) on the photo raiding his garden. Check out this video:

Skeptical that it could be bigfoot, but unable to rule it out completely, the investigation moves on in the woods of Kentucky for bigfoot.

They say the figure looked to be six feet tall and had black fur, but they can’t be certain it wasn’t a bear, although it didn’t appear to be one. The form looks like it has a gorilla like head and shoulders with it’s arms crossed.

What do you think it was mulling around his back garden? Let us know by leaving a comment below…

* For more information, check out: Kentucky man says photo might show Bigfoot raiding his garden

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I hope you enjoyed this Unidentified Mysterious Animal Sighting on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information on the history of Bigfoot, check out this really great DVD:

History’s Mysteries Bigfoot And Others Monsters Rated: NA Synopsis: The mermaid, Abominable Snowman, giant squid, and dragons are all parts of myths and mysteries. But are some real? The Komodo Dragon was merely the stuff of local legend–until the dinosaur-like, very real giant reptile with an orange

Technorati Tags: bigfoot, yeti, sasquatch, mysterious animal, cryptozoology, UMA, unidentified mysterious animal, latest bigfoot sightings, bigfoot sightings, bigfoot video, Kentucky bigfoot, cryptid, Kenny Mahoney

Bigfoot Sighting in Kentucky on Film is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

What’s better than a commercial with gorillas in it?

Not much…LOL…

Check this one out:

I know…maybe it’s not real gorillas, but they did a great job and it’s funny!

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I hope you enjoyed this Primates post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more inforamtion on Gorillas, check out this amazing DVD from National Geographic:

Africa’s Wildlife Collection Gorillas and Great Apes DVD Witness birth, death, and the fight for survival in Africa’s heartlands.

Technorati Tags: gorilla, gorillas, cricket, gorilla commercial, funny commercial, awesome video, mammals, apes

Awesome Gorilla Commercial is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover