Amur Leopard

Hey guys, today's topic is the Amur Leopard. These amazing creatures are native to Korea, Northeast China, and eastern Russia. These cats have blue-green eyes and a fur coat similar to most other species of leopards. Amur Leopard cubs stay with their mothers until they are two years old before becoming independent. Their diet mainly consists of deer, boars, and large rodents. These leopards are climbers and very strong swimmers. They are also incredibly fast animals that can run up to 37 miles per hour and, can also jump as high as 20 feet in to the air. The Amur Leopard is suited to live in harsh, cold climates. However, this fascinating species in on the verge of extinction. Thirteen international organizations have formed an alliance to protect the critically endangered Amur Leopard. There are only 30 individual Amur Leopard in the wild and, only 300 in zoos. This species is one of the most endangered on the planet and, they are extremely important because it keeps leopards a diverse species. They are being threatened by illegal wildlife trade for their spotted fur. Each individual pelt can be sold for $500- $1,000 in places located in Russia. This makes the Amur Leopard's pelt extremely valuable and an ideal catch for poachers. There is also a matter of there being little prey. In China the number of prey is insufficient to support a large population of Amur Leopard therefore, the Amur Leopard is one of the most endangered species in the world.
   
-Until next time
     KP Green

Green Sea Turtle

Today's topic is the Green Sea Turtle which happen to be on the endangered species list. These ancient creatures have been around for 110 million years and, there are only seven types of sea turtles today. The Green Sea Turtle eats jellyfish, seaweed, crabs, shrimp, sponges, snails, algae, and mollusks. The Green Sea Turtle is hardly seen on land because male sea turtles, once they hatch and reach the ocean never return to land. They are also found in warm to temperate waters and, they migrate hundreds of miles between nesting and feeding grounds. Yet, these creatures are endangered for a number of reasons. First, there is over harvesting and illegal trade. People harvest Green Turtle eggs worldwide which, can cause drops in population, over ten thousand Green Turtle eggs are harvested every year and they are harvested in parts of Asia, Western Pacific, and the Eastern coast of Mexico. Also in West Africa sea turtles are killed for their use in medicine and traditional ceremonies. Next, sea turtles get caught in fishing nets and, since sea turtles need to go to the surface every few hours being caught in a net causes them to drown. Finally the Green Sea Turtle's habitat is slowly disappearing which is putting this species at risk. 

-Until next time
           KP Green

Black-Footed Ferrets

Hi guys,

This post is going to be about the AMAZINGLY cute Black-Footed Ferret. There are only about a thousand of them left in the wild which is very sad, but even through a great effort to gain numbers, the success has been minimal. This ferret lives predominantly in the great plains, which is mostly in the central part of the United States, but a few live along the border of Mexico and Canada. About 90% of a black-footed ferret's diet consists of prairie dogs. They eat so many, that they may even total over 100 in one year! The ferrets spend most of their time underground where they eat sleep, and raise their kin in prairie dog burrows. The average height of the ferrets are about six inches and their length can range from 18-24 inches including an around five inch tail. They weigh from around  1-3 pounds and usually live three to four years in the wild, but can live up to nine if held in captivity. The main threat towards these ferrets is habitat destruction, loss of prey, and non-native diseases. By 1986, there were only about 13 of them left, but they have since grown in numbers by being held in captivity. It's important to save them as they are the only native ferret to the United States.

If you really care about black-footed ferrets and want to help them out, check out their World Wild Life page to see the efforts already being made and how you can contribute. Hope you enjoyed this post!

Well that's a wrap, so until next time,
SVR

Galapagos Penguin

Today's blog topic is the Galapagos Penguin. This marvelous creatures has the smallest breeding range and population size out of all breeds of penguins. Galapagos penguins are mainly located in South America. They average 50 cm in length and weigh 2.5 kilograms and, lives in waters that are 15-28 degrees celsius. These penguins are important because, they are the only penguins that live South of the equator. They are threatened by pollution and climate changes. Other species like dogs can carry diseases that can greatly effect the penguins and their environment. Their population fluctuates heavily under the influence of the annual storm El Nino. Galapagos penguins eat small fish like mullet fish and sardines and they breed in caves of old lava flows. The penguins remain close to their breeding island throughout the year and, they can be found on the Pacific coast of Panama.












                                                  Until next time- KP Green

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