Clearwater Marine Aquarium - Don't Miss it

by kightp

Clearwater Marine Aquarium, located about 3-quarters of a mile east from dynamic Clearwater Beach (FL), is a purpose of interest for several guests on a Florida beach vacation. Established in 1978 as a marine biology learning center, it evolved into a widely known marine rescue and bio-rehabilitation facility for whales, dolphins, and ocean turtles. Since the 1990's, it's expanded its community outreach to incorporate more public and education areas to go together with its care and rescue efforts..
The CMA offers a variety of shows enjoyable to each kids and adults. Dolphin feeding, stingray feeding, and shark feeding are of high interest. The animal interaction, theater presentations and behind-the-scenes tour are well-attended. For those wishing for a touch additional physical involvement, a two-hour guided kayak tour is available.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, however, is in all probability best known for its desperate 2005 rescue and subsequent rehabilitation of "Winter" a two-month recent baby dolphin, hopelessly entangled in crap entice lines, who has now become the CMA's star attraction
Winter the dolphin
The extraordinary rescue and successful rehabilitation of Winter, the baby dolphin abandoned by her family when she became snarled in the lines of a crab entice, is one among the foremost inspirational animal stories of all time. Found barely respiration and beneath extreme distress in Mosquito Lagoon off the Atlantic Ocean's Canaveral National Seashore by courageous and acutely observant fisherman, Jim Savage, Winter was transported across the entire state of Florida.
Circulation to her tail had been thus restricted by the rope that it was damaged beyond repair.

Very little Winter, herself, was not a lot of better off. She was barely hanging on. Heroic efforts by skilled veterinarian, Dr. Janine Cianciolo saved her, but Winter lost her tail...and three vertebrae.
Her rehabilitation was taken on by Clearwater Marine Aquarium head trainer, Abby Stone. With Ms. Stone's vigilant care, little Winter began to thrive...however due to the loss of her tail she learned to swim like a shark instead of a dolphin...that initiated new harm to her spinal column.
Once more, fate intervened. Kevin Carroll, vice president of Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics and his friend, Dan Strzempka, created a prosthetic tail for Winter. The primary of its kind, ever.
With Abby Stone's continuing care and training, Winter learned to again swim sort of a dolphin. Additionally to her performances at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, her resilience and tenacity have become a concept, and she or he has been made offered privately to youngsters with life-threatening diseases, people with severe handicaps, and wounded fighting men back from the wars within the Middle East.
Location and Times for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
The Aquarium is located on the north side of FL State Road sixty (Memorial Highway) at 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767 that is simply off Island Approach Drive as you head west toward Clearwater Beach. It's open 9am - 5pm Monday through Thursday, 9am - 7pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10am - 5pm on Sunday.

Freelance Writers has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Inspirational, you can also check out his latest website about: Bosch Cordless Drills

5 African Animals We Don't Want to Lose

by bill barber

Animal conservation work is growing in popularity, with many people taking adult gap years where they work with animals in Africa. It is a fulfilling way to give something back to nature, and you will take the experiences you had on your gap year for adults with you forever. Africa, the continent known for its abundant wildlife, now has many of its animals on the list of endangered species. It is essential that conservationists continue with the work that they are doing, and that others get involved too. Here are some African animals that can be found on Africa's endangered list.

#1 African Wild Dog

The African wild dog is a medium-sized canine which traditionally lives in packs of 15 and preys on smaller grazers such as impala. The African wild dog can be found in the savanna woodlands of Sub-Saharan Africa, but its numbers are dwindling due to it being shot by farmers, and it now has a place on the endangered species list. Conservation work is necessary to restore original population numbers, and the animal is now a protected species.

#2 Mountain Zebra

The mountain zebra can be found in the mountainous regions of South Africa; a beautiful striped, herbivorous animal, eating mostly grass, leaves, shrubs and bark. One of its sub-species, the Cape mountain zebra, has a population of only 600. The numbers of these animals are dwindling due to hunting and the effects of drought. Conservation projects have been put into place in protected areas, to try and manage this dwindling population.

#3 Leopard

The leopard can be found in many different places across the world, and in Africa, it can be found all across the Sub-Saharan regions, and west of the Kalahari Desert.

It has been known to prey on farmers' livestock, and the resultant hunting has begun to pose a threat. Other factors placing this animals on the endangered list are loss of habitat and loss of prey populations. Animal conservation workers have begun putting conservation projects in place, and the leopard population is being managed with a fair amount of success.

#4 Chimpanzee

On the African continent, the chimpanzee can be found in grasslands, rainforests and open woodlands. But human expansion is depleting these natural environments, and the chimpanzees' habitat is being demininished. For some time now, wildlife conservation projects have focused on chimpanzees, but more animal conservation work is needed to manage the dwindling chimpanzee population.

#5 Dama Gazelle

This elegant animal can be found in Saharan Africa, where it usually either lives in solitude or in a small group. It primarily feeds on shrubs, acacias and desert dates. Sadly, dama gazelle numbers have dropped by about 80% in the last decade, making them a prime subject of conservation projects. The rapid decrease in population numbers is due to hunting, habitat destruction and drought. It is imperative for animal conservation workers to implement projects to prevent these animals from becoming extinct.

Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks for adult gap years, an exciting opportunity to get involved in animal conservation work.