Humpback Whale Shows AMAZING Appreciation After Being Freed From Nets

Science Bulletins: Whales Give Dolphins a Lift

Attenborough: Amazing DIY Orangutans – BBC Earth

Facts about the Great Barrier Reef

Source:
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/about-the-reef/facts-about-the-great-barrier-reef

As the largest living structure on the planet, the Great Barrier Reef is incredibly rich and diverse.

Stretching 2300 kilometres, this natural icon is so large it can even be seen from outer space.

While it’s known mostly for its large maze of colourful reefs, its intricate architecture also provides a home for a huge number of plants and animals.

Some of these, such as turtles and crocodiles, have been around since prehistoric times and have changed little over the millennia.

The breathtaking array of marine creatures includes 600 types of soft and hard corals, more than 100 species of jellyfish, 3000 varieties of molluscs, 500 species of worms, 1625 types of fish, 133 varieties of sharks and rays, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins.

The Great Barrier Reef is also unique as it extends over 14 degrees of latitude, from shallow estuarine areas to deep oceanic waters.

Within this vast expanse are a unique range of ecological communities, habitats and species – all of which make the Reef one of the most complex natural ecosystems in the world.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park:

•covers 344,400 km2 in area
•includes the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem
•includes some 3000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays and about 150 inshore mangrove islands
•extends south from the northern tip of Queensland in north-eastern Australia to just north of Bundaberg
•is between 60 and 250 kilometres in width
•has an average depth of 35 metres in its inshore waters, while on outer reefs, continental slopes extend down to depths of more than 2000 metres
•was created in 1975 through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act
•extends into the airspace above and into the earth beneath the seabed.
While coral reefs initially made the Great Barrier Reef famous, they only comprise about seven per cent of the Marine Park and the World Heritage Area.

The rest of the Marine Park is an extraordinary variety of marine habitats, ranging from shallow inshore areas – such as seagrass, mangroves, sand, algal and sponge gardens, and inter-reefal communities – to deep oceanic areas more than 250km offshore.

Rather than having one level of protection throughout the Marine Park, the area is instead divided into different zones. Each zone has different rules outlining permitted activities and those that are prohibited.

Just how big is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park?

Covering 344,400km2 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is:

•bigger than Victoria and Tasmania combined
•bigger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Holland combined
•roughly the same area as Japan, Germany, Malaysia or Italy
•approximately half the size of Texas
•slightly smaller than the entire Baltic Sea.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park stretches approximately 2300 km along the coast of Queensland in north-eastern Australia – this is about the same length as the west coast of the USA from Vancouver to the Mexican border.

The Belize Reef off the Caribbean coast of Belize is the second longest barrier reef in the world at 290 km, while Ningaloo Reef off the West Australian coast is 280 km long

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/about-the-reef/facts-about-the-great-barrier-reef

The Great Barrier Reef is AT RISK from rapid industrialization

“The Australian Government is allowing tens of millions of tonnes of seabed to be dredged in World Heritage waters, to make way for 4 mega ports, serviced by up to 7,000 industrial ships crossing the Reef every year”.

Learn more and take action here:

http://fightforthereef.org.au/?gclid=CPPhscXqt8YCFVc7gQodfaoH0g

Watch the Reef Now Here !!

Caring for a Baby Gorilla at Ape Action Africa

Wild gorillas and chimpanzees are on the brink of extinction. Habitat loss and poaching threaten these magnificent animals like never before.
Ape Action Africa is committed to ape conservation in Africa – protecting Cameroon’s great apes through direct action, including rescuing orphaned gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys, giving them a safe forest sanctuary home where they can live with their own kind.
Ape Action Africa is passionate about great ape conservation in Cameroon. Our goals are to address the immediate threats faced by gorillas and chimps in Africa, and to work with communities to develop long-term solutions to ensure their survival in the wild.
We rescue orphaned and injured gorillas and chimpanzees, some only days old, hours from death. Once they are in our care, we work around the clock in Cameroon’s Mefou Primate Park to give them urgent veterinary care and nourishment.
In the protected zone at Mefou, safe from poachers, the animals are cared for by our trained experts, many of them local community members who have joined our team. Eventually, when the young orphans are strong enough, we reintroduce them to groups of their own kind in safe and controlled environments.
We operate a thriving education programme for local school children, who are encouraged to visit Mefou to see Cameroon’s wildlife in its natural environment.
We are committed to identifying areas that can be set aside as protected habitat for rescued gorillas and chimpanzees. It is our hope that one day the great apes and monkeys in our care will be released back into the wild, where they belong.

Dr. David Vaughan

Executive Director, Summerland Key Campus

Dave Vaughan is Executive Director of Mote’s Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration in Summerland Key, Florida. He is also the manager of the Coral Restoration program and manages the Protect Our Reef Grants program. Dr. Vaughan directed research and education programs previously at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution and the Oceanic Institute.

From:

https://mote.org/staff/member/david-vaughan

About Mote

Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

We are scientists, explorers and stewards of the ocean. Driven by research, education and excitement we work to create a better environment for ourselves and our children. The answers are in the ocean. Together, we will find them.

We are an independent marine research institution comprised of world-class marine scientists committed to the belief that the conservation and sustainable use of our oceans begins with research and education.

From our humble beginnings in a tiny shed in a small Florida town, our efforts have expanded to include:
•Sarasota – 10.5-acre Base Campus and Aquarium
•Sarasota – Aquaculture Campus
•Key West – Field Station and Public Exhibit
•Summerland Key – Field Station
•Boca Grande – Outreach Office

Originally focused on sharks, our research has expanded to include studies of human cancer using marine models, the effects of man-made and natural toxins on humans and on the environment, the health of wild fisheries, developing sustainable and successful fish restocking techniques and food production technologies and the development of ocean technology to help us better understand the health of the environment.

Our research programs also focus on understanding the population dynamics of manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks and coral reefs and on conservation and restoration efforts related to these species and ecosystems.

The ocean is our passion. And science is our catalyst to help our oceans heal, thrive and continue to be havens of sustainable life, life-improving science and life-giving solutions.

www.mote.org

Elephant Nature Park is a unique project set in Chiang Mai province, Northern Thailand. Established in the 1990’s our aim has always been to provide a sanctuary and rescue centre for elephants. The park is located some 60km from the city, and has provided a sanctuary for dozens of distressed elephants from all over Thailand.

Duty of Care

Our duty of care is to all those under the protection of our umbrella. This includes our staff and guests. We host Elephants, cats, dogs, buffaloes and many other rescued species. We owe them all a duty of care and will do our best to provide the best environment possible. We deeply value the contribution made by all which helps us achieve our goals of providing a sanctuary for those who cannot speak for themselves

Elephant Nature Park Mission Statement
1.Sanctuary for endangered species: We provide homes for these animals as well as contributing to their welfare and development.
2.Rain Forest Restoration: One of the most exciting developments at the park is our programme of tree planting the surrounding area. The ecological balance of plants and animals will be encouraged by the re-introduction of the rain forest. Some 25 acres of the mountainside will be planted every year for the first 5 years.
3.Cultural Preservation: To maintain, as much as possible, the cultural integrity of the local community. By creating employment and purchasing agricultural products locally we are assisting the villagers in sustaining their distinct culture. Park managers are recruited locally to oversee the park’s progress.
4.Visitors Education : To educate visitors, individuals, study groups, schools and interested parties. Emphasis on the plight of the endangered local species will be presented in an entertaining and constructive manner. Future phases will include audio / visual equipment and other modern educational aids. It is anticipated that small conferences and workshops will be organised at the park.
5.Act independently : of pressure groups and political movements that we consider contrary to the well being of the park and the creatures in its care.

Press Coverage

The park has received numerous awards from institutions including the Smithsonian. The founder was named Asian Hero of the Year by Time magazine in 2005 and the park has been featured in many international publications including National Geographic magazine as well as feature documentaries from respected film production companies – Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Animal Planet, BBC, CNN, KTV, RAI, major Thai language TV channels, printed press and radio stations.

TO HELP AND LEARN MORE PLEASE VISIT:

http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/how-you-can-help/

Reb Shlomo

Source Wikipedia

Shlomo Carlebach (Hebrew: שלמה קרליבך‎), known as Reb Shlomo to his followers (14 January 1925 – 20 October 1994), was a Jewish rabbi, religious teacher, composer, and singer who was known as “The Singing Rabbi” during his lifetime. Although his roots lay in traditional Orthodox yeshivot, he branched out to create his own style combining Hasidic Judaism, warmth and personal interaction, public concerts, and song-filled synagogue services. At various times he lived in Manhattan, San Francisco, Toronto and Moshav Mevo Modi’im, Israel.

Carlebach is considered by many to be the foremost Jewish religious songwriter of the 20th century.[1][2] In a career that spanned 40 years, he composed thousands of melodies and recorded more than 25 albums that continue to have widespread popularity and appeal. His influence also continues to this day in “Carlebach minyanim” and Jewish religious gatherings in many cities and remote pristine areas around the globe.

Carlebach was also considered a pioneer of the Baal teshuva movement (“returnees to Judaism”), encouraging disenchanted Jewish youth to re-embrace their heritage, using his special style of enlightened teaching, and his melodies, songs, and highly inspiring story telling.

Music Career

Carlebach began writing songs at the end of the 1950s, primarily based on verses from the Tanakh or the Siddur set to his own music. Although he composed thousands of songs, he could not read musical notes. Many of his soulful renderings of Torah verses became standards in the wider Jewish community, including Am Yisrael Chai (“[The] Nation [of] Israel Lives”—composed on behalf of the plight of Soviet Jewry in the mid-1960s), Pitchu Li (“Open [for] Me [the Gates of Righteousness]”) and Borchi Nafshi (“[May] My Soul Bless [God]”).

The New York Times reported in its obituary of Carlebach that his singing career began in Greenwich Village, where he met Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger and other folk singers who encouraged his career, and helped him get a spot at the Berkeley Folk Festival in 1966.[3] But Carlebach was actually recording well before this and was invited to the festival by one of its organizers after she heard a recording of Carlebach.[9]

After his appearance at the Berkeley Folk Festival he decided to remain in the San Francisco Bay Area to reach out to what he called “lost Jewish souls”—runaways and drug-addicted youth. His local followers opened a center called the House of Love and Prayer in the Inner Richmond district of San Francisco, to reach out to disaffected youth with song and dance and communal gatherings. He became known as “The Singing Rabbi.” Through his infectious music and his innate caring many Jews feel that he inspired and reconnected thousands of Jewish youngsters and adults, otherwise lost to Judaism.

Some Carlebach melodies were entered in Israel’s annual Hasidic Song Festival.[10] In 1969, his song Ve’haer Eneinu, sung by the Shlosharim won first prize. The Hasidic festivals were a yearly event that helped to popularize his music. He also produced albums with a more liturgical sound. Some of the musicians he worked with during this period added a psychedelic tinge and a wider range of backup instrumentation. Carlebach now spent much of his time in Israel, living in Moshav Me’or Modi’im.

Carlebach’s songs were characterized by relatively short melodies and traditional lyrics. His catchy new tunes were easy to learn and became part of the prayer services in many synagogues around the world.[10]

Returning to New York City, Carlebach also became known for his stories and Hasidic teachings. As part of his performances he spoke of inspirational subjects, rooted in Hasidism and Kabbalah. Some of his teachings have been published by his students and appear alongside his recorded songs. Carlebach spread the teachings of Chabad, Breslov, and popularized the writings of, among others, the Rebbe of Ishbitz, Mordechai Yosef Leiner, and Rebbe Kalonymus Kalman Shapira of Piasetzno.

Carlebach became the Rabbi of the Carlebach Shul on West 79th Street. He continued to perform regularly at concerts, and to record various albums of his original melodies.

The Story Teller

I am spotlighting Israel Izzy because his soft sweet voice is so peaceful and comforting and creates a very serene meditation place for me.

I have taught my Autistic students to sing these beautiful words while listening to his music. The words are so meaningful and are also very synonymous with the deeper meaning of what One World Blue believes in and stands for, a world of peace, health, happiness and love for all inhabitants and wildlife of our planet.

We are working to create a better world, one in which there is no more war or fighting but only one of peace. A world that is truly somewhere over the rainbow. Thank you Israel for your spirit and love and your contribution to making this Planet a better one. You are truly missed.

With Love,

Iris Pirchesky

Co-Founder One World Blue, LLC

Director of Animal Welfare and Protection

Biography of Israel:

Israel “Iz” Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (Hawaiian pronunciation: [kəˌmɐkəˌvivoˈʔole]) translation: “The Fearless Eyed”; May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997), also called Bruddah Iz (Brother Iz), was a Hawaiian musician, entertainer, and sovereignty activist.

His voice became famous outside Hawaii when his album Facing Future was released in 1993. His medley of “Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and television commercials.

Through his skillful ukulele playing and incorporation of other genres (such as jazz and reggae), Kamakawiwoʻole remains a very strong influence on Hawaiian music.[1]

Kamakawiwoʻole was born at Kuakini Hospital in Honolulu to Henry Kaleialoha Naniwa Kamakawiwoʻole, Jr., and Evangeline Leinani Kamakawiwoʻole. The notable Hawaiian musician Moe Keale was his uncle. He was raised in the community of Kaimuki, where his parents had met and married. He began playing music with his older brother Skippy and cousin Allen Thornton at the age of 11, being exposed to the music of Hawaiian entertainers of the time such as Peter Moon, Palani Vaughn, and Don Ho, who frequented the establishment where Kamakawiwoʻole’s parents worked. Hawaiian musician Del Beazley spoke of the first time he heard Israel play, when, while playing for a graduation party, the whole room fell silent on hearing him.[2] Israel continued his path as his brother Skippy entered the Army in 1971 and cousin Allen parted ways in 1976 for the mainland.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow / What A Wonderful World

In his early teens, he studied at Upward Bound (UB) of the University of Hawaii at Hilo and his family moved to Mākaha. There he met Louis “Moon” Kauakahi, Sam Gray, and Jerome Koko.[3] Together with his brother Skippy they formed the Makaha Sons of Niʻihau. A part of the Hawaiian Renaissance, this talented Hawaiian band’s blend of contemporary and traditional styles gained in popularity as they toured Hawaii and the continental United States, releasing fifteen successful albums. Israel’s aim was to make music that stayed true to the typical sound of traditional Hawaiian music. During that time period, the songs that many people associated with Hawaii, typically, weren’t traditional sounding songs.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Kamakawiwo%CA%BBole. Retrieved on December 25th 2014.