South China Tiger

The South China tiger is on the endangered species list and, the population is on a steady decline. There was an estimate 4,000 individuals in the early 1950's. These beautiful creatures are on the critically endangered list because, they are believed to be extinct in the wild. The South China tiger is one of the smaller subspecies of the tigers native to the forests of southern China.

Like other species of tigers, the South China tiger is a strong, capable swimmer and, are able to catch prey when it is in the water. The South China tiger is a dominant and carnivorous predator that stalks it's prey until it is caught off guard. South China tiger primarily hunt deer, wild boars, cattle, and goats. In it's environment the tiger has no natural predator yet, humans hunt and kill many of them. The female South China tiger can give birth to up to 5 cubs after a pregnancy of 3 to 4 months. The new born cubs weighs around 2 pounds and, are born blind and helpless. After 2 months the cubs are introduced to meat. The cubs depend on their mother for the first 18 months of their lives. Deforestation, poachers, and hunters have made the population of South China tigers dwindle. In 1979 China outlawed tiger hunting, then in 1995 the species was placed on the endangered species list.

For more on the South China tiger:

https://worldwildlife.org/species/south-china-tiger

http://a-z-animals.com/animals/south-china-tiger/  

                                                      Until next time- KP Green    

Maple tree

The topic of this blog is the maple tree. It is most commonly found in northern temperate zones, which include North America, Canada, and Europe. There are over 200 types of maple trees including Red, Sugar, Norway, and Hedge. The size of a maple tree depends on the species, some types of maple trees can grow up to 145 feet tall. Maples have have brown bark that is smoother on younger trees and rougher on older ones. They also have a dense and intricate root system that makes it hard for other vegetation to grow around it. If in the proper climate conditions maple trees can live up to 300 years old. The maple tree also produces winged seeds that are often known as helicopters. The wood of maple is used for baseball bats, violins, viola, guitars, and drums. Maple syrup is the main product of the maple tree yet, trees can not produce sap until the age of 30. In the autumn the green leaves turn shades of red, orange, and yellow and, the leaves are often symmetrical. Maple trees are used in the paper industry because maple wood posses excellent printing properties. It takes 40-50 gallons of tree sap for the production of one gallon of syrup. People extract small quantities of sap from individual maple trees so, it does not effect the growth or health of the maple.

For more information go to:
http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/maple_tree_facts/640/

                                                                 
                       

                                             Until next time-KP Green

KP Green intro

Hi my name is KP Green and I am 14 year old. I have been a Girl Scout since kindergarten and now I am in the 8th grade. I am a first degree black belt and I have been doing takwondo since I was 9. I started playing softball in the 2nd grade and I still enjoy it today. I also play the flute, I am in the Red band and Wind ensemble at my school. I enjoy reading books like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, the Mortal Instruments, and Lord of the Rings. I am also a big Marvel and D.C comic fan. The reason I decided to write about nature for my Silver project is because I have concerns about what is happening to the environment. I fear that children of this generation are turning a blind eye to what is happening to our planet. I hope my posts will make people more aware about the destruction of the environment. Enjoy!
                                -KP Green