kaufDA,  a team in Germany, has started an initiative called “Make it green” whose goal is to reduce carbon emissions worldwide.  One aspect of the program is to offset the carbon footprint resulting from the use of the Internet by both raising public awareness about protecting the environment and by planting more trees.  Working with the Arbor Day Foundation, kaufDA will plant one tree in the Plumas National Forest in Northern California for every participating blog. 

If you have a blog, you can have a tree planted in your honor by spreading the word about the program.  See the kaufDA website for more details.

About Carbon Emissions and Global Warming
The climate change phenomenon known as global warming is a result of increased carbon emissions from driving cars, home energy use, and the energy used to produce all of the products and services we consume.  The steady upward trend in temperatures has, and will continue to have, a drastic effect on the planet and its inhabitants.   For example, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has predicted a loss of two-thirds of the world’s polar bears by 2050 due to declines in ice habitats.  According to a Climactic Change journal report by the World Wildlife Fund, by 2070, the sea levels near Bangladesh will rise 11 inches, submerging 96% of the Bengal tiger habitat.  Many animals will be threatened by the change and loss of habitat due to global warming.

About Planting Trees
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) assumes a yearly absorption of one tree to be approximately 10kg (20lb.) of carbon dioxide emissions. The Arbor Day Foundation is working to plant more trees in the Plumas National Forest in Northern California, which lost 88,000 acres of forest due to fires in 2007.

Aside from planting trees, you can help curb global warming by reducing your carbon emissions. This includes walking or taking public transportation instead of driving, using energy saver appliances and light bulbs, buying locally grown produce, recycling, and more.

This lynx found his way onto the downhill skiing course at the Olympics in Vancouver last week.

Photo credit: Washington Post

Ratu, a Sumatran  rhinoceros, is pregnant. This is newsworthy because Sumatran rhinos are endangered and births in captivity are incredibly rare. Ratu’s mate, Andalas, was the third Sumatran rhino born in captivity in 112 years. If all goes well, Ratu’s baby will be the fourth.

Sumatran rhinos are the most endangered of all rhinoceros species. Their numbers have decreased due to habitat loss and human poaching.

To read more about Ratu, visit CNN.com.

To read about the Indian rhinoceros, a relative of the Sumatran rhino, visit Animal Fact Guide.

The Minnesota Zoo has welcomed a female gibbon to their zoo. Born about three weeks ago, the gibbon was not being cared for by her mother. She is a white-cheeked gibbon, a critically endangered species.

Our favorite part of this video is the sounds that the baby makes. She sounds like R2D2.

Wildlife Saving is an organization for children which offers the opportunity to sponsor an animal. The organization has several animals at various wildlife centers around the world that can be sponsored.  Each animal has information provided for those who donate. This includes photos and videos of the animal and blog posts from the animals caretakers.

The site requires registration to donate to an animal. To make this safe for children, they comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.  Parental permission is also required for children to register. They also keep donation prices quite low, from 4 dollars to sponsor for 3 months to 13 dollars for a year.

To learn more, visit their site WildlifeSaving.org.

The country of Ecuador is the home to many exciting animals, even ones no one knew existed! Recent exploration by U.S. and Ecuadorian researchers have found more than 30 new species. Among the new species is the scaly-eyed gecko, which, even when full-grown is small enough to sit atop the eraser of a pencil. These geckos crawl along the forest floor, making them difficult to spot.

Researchers worry that deforestation and global warming could wipe out many of Ecuador’s unique creatures.

To read more, and to see a complete list of the newly found species (including a frog with see-through skin!), visit National Geographic.com.

Photo: World Wildlife Fund

Just as polar bears are in critical danger as global warming melts the ice caps, limiting their habitat, Bengal tigers are also threatened by this phenomenon.  Making their homes among the Sundarbans, a mangroves ecosystem in Bangladesh, Bengal tigers number around 4000 in the wild.  As polar caps melt, sea levels will rise.  According to a Climactic Change journal report by the World Wildlife Fund, by 2070, the sea levels near Bangladesh will rise 11 inches, submerging 96% of the Bengal tiger habitat. This provides space for only 20 breeding pairs, which is not enough to sustain the population.

For more info, see: USAToday Science Fair.

In our last poll, we asked Animal Fact Guide visitors, “What do you think is the best way to help endangered animals?”

These were the results:

Educating the public: 36%
Volunteering with wildlife charities: 32%
Boycotting endangered animal products: 15%
Reducing carbon emissions: 9%
Writing to legislators & signing petitions: 8%

You can get involved in our current poll, “Where is the best place to see animals?” by scrolling down to our Poll widget in the sidebar to the right.

The current cold weather in Florida has been forcing manatees to seek warmth any way possible. As a result, over 100 manatees have found their way into Satellite Beach Canal in Brevard County.

The problem posed by this is that the manatees have eaten all of the grass that lined canal. Now the manatees must either risk heading back into the frigid ocean waters to search for food or face starvation in the canal.

The chilly water puts the manatees at risk for cold stress, which can be deadly. The state has worked out a an emergency triage system if the manatees begin to get sick.

The manatees have also drawn large crowds of onlookers eager to get a glimpse at the endangered creatures.

For more, visit wftv.com.

There are roughly 2000 Grevy’s zebras left in the wild, earning them a spot on the endangered species list. Add to that number one more as the Denver Zoo welcomes a baby male zebra.

The baby, named Lakota, was born on November 27th. He is the third Grevy’s zebra to ever be born at the zoo.

Grevy’s zebras differ from other zebras in their appearance. Gervy’s zebras have thinner stripes and white stomachs. They also have longer legs and larger, rounder ears.

In the wild they are found in Kenya and Ethiopia.

For more, visit The Denver Channel.