seminolecanyon162

A few nice animals that are extinct images I found:

seminolecanyon162

Image by mlhradio
Seminole Canyon State Park, Val Verde County, Texas. One of the more remote state parks, tucked into the southwest corner of Texas about an hour's drive west of Del Rio.

This area has been inhabited since the very earliest days that humans set foot in North America, going back nearly 12,000 years - back during the last Ice Age when the land was more verdant with now-extinct animals still roaming the surrounding prairies and forest. But over the millenia, the climate changed to its current, arid desert landscape - and the Indians adapted.

All through these years, the local Indians drew pictograms all over the surrounding canyon walls and caves. In the dry climate, protected by overhanging rock walls, many of these pictograms survived through the ages. Some of the more famous sites, such as the Fate Bell and Panther Cave, are the feature attractions of Seminole Canyon, and can be visited by guided tour through the park.

However, I have not yet visited these sites - instead focusing on other areas of the park. On the first visit (March 9th, 2008), I arrived after the park had closed for the day. I walked along the short 'Windmill Trail', a small loop near the visitor's center. This trail leads down to a small year-round spring and the ruins of a water catchment system that was used by local settlers over the past hundred years.

The return trip (September 27, 2008) was much more fruitful - I chose to hike the Rio Grande River Trail, a six-mile out-and-back loop that leads to the far corner of the park, almost a stone's throw from Old Mexico. With recent rains it was fairly lively and green, with countless butterflies passing through on their annual migration. The trail starts alongside the original 'Loop Trail', the 1882 railroad alignment that was abandoned a decade later when a less strenuous route was forged and the Pecos River High Bridge was built.

The trail itself is pretty boring - a flat, featureless hike across a nondescript desert plain. But the main highlight of the hike quickly comes into view. There is a mile-long spur shooting off to the left called the Pressa Trail, which leads to an overlook looking down at a three-way intersection in the Seminole Canyon below. Here, the waters from Lake Amistad many miles away along the Rio Grande peter out; to the right, the waters are wide and deep, muddied from the recent rainstorms. To the left, the two forks of Seminole Canyon are mostly dry. From the top of the overlook, sheer cliffs lead staight down over a hundred feet to the waters below. The view is, well, *breathtaking* - and worth the trip.

Back on the main trail, a few miles later it comes to an abrupt end at the junction where Seminole Canyon merges with the Rio Grande. The location overlooks the Panther Cave pictograms, on the opposite shore far below, accessible only by boat. To the right, a few hundred yards away, are the hills of Mexico. Here, the water is deeper, the canyons steeper, the chasm wider. An impressive view, although not as amazing as the Pressa Trail overlook.

From here, it is a straight hike back along the south portion of the loop, my only companion a great horned toad trying to hide in the gravel of the trail. I would like to return to this park to take the guided tours, and there are other tours available nearby on private land to other pictogram sites as well. And I am told this park is also fabulous for bird watchers as well.

seminolecanyon148

Image by mlhradio
Seminole Canyon State Park, Val Verde County, Texas. One of the more remote state parks, tucked into the southwest corner of Texas about an hour's drive west of Del Rio.

This area has been inhabited since the very earliest days that humans set foot in North America, going back nearly 12,000 years - back during the last Ice Age when the land was more verdant with now-extinct animals still roaming the surrounding prairies and forest. But over the millenia, the climate changed to its current, arid desert landscape - and the Indians adapted.

All through these years, the local Indians drew pictograms all over the surrounding canyon walls and caves. In the dry climate, protected by overhanging rock walls, many of these pictograms survived through the ages. Some of the more famous sites, such as the Fate Bell and Panther Cave, are the feature attractions of Seminole Canyon, and can be visited by guided tour through the park.

However, I have not yet visited these sites - instead focusing on other areas of the park. On the first visit (March 9th, 2008), I arrived after the park had closed for the day. I walked along the short 'Windmill Trail', a small loop near the visitor's center. This trail leads down to a small year-round spring and the ruins of a water catchment system that was used by local settlers over the past hundred years.

The return trip (September 27, 2008) was much more fruitful - I chose to hike the Rio Grande River Trail, a six-mile out-and-back loop that leads to the far corner of the park, almost a stone's throw from Old Mexico. With recent rains it was fairly lively and green, with countless butterflies passing through on their annual migration. The trail starts alongside the original 'Loop Trail', the 1882 railroad alignment that was abandoned a decade later when a less strenuous route was forged and the Pecos River High Bridge was built.

The trail itself is pretty boring - a flat, featureless hike across a nondescript desert plain. But the main highlight of the hike quickly comes into view. There is a mile-long spur shooting off to the left called the Pressa Trail, which leads to an overlook looking down at a three-way intersection in the Seminole Canyon below. Here, the waters from Lake Amistad many miles away along the Rio Grande peter out; to the right, the waters are wide and deep, muddied from the recent rainstorms. To the left, the two forks of Seminole Canyon are mostly dry. From the top of the overlook, sheer cliffs lead staight down over a hundred feet to the waters below. The view is, well, *breathtaking* - and worth the trip.

Back on the main trail, a few miles later it comes to an abrupt end at the junction where Seminole Canyon merges with the Rio Grande. The location overlooks the Panther Cave pictograms, on the opposite shore far below, accessible only by boat. To the right, a few hundred yards away, are the hills of Mexico. Here, the water is deeper, the canyons steeper, the chasm wider. An impressive view, although not as amazing as the Pressa Trail overlook.

From here, it is a straight hike back along the south portion of the loop, my only companion a great horned toad trying to hide in the gravel of the trail. I would like to return to this park to take the guided tours, and there are other tours available nearby on private land to other pictogram sites as well. And I am told this park is also fabulous for bird watchers as well.

Rhode Island Divorce Trials Are Nearly Extinct

by mightymightymatze

Why are there so few Divorce Trials in Rhode Island Family Court? If there are thousands of cases filed in Rhode Island Family Court, why are there so few trials?

Divorce trials are very different from divorce hearings. A hearing in Family Court is when a judge hears testimony of witnesses or hears arguments from counsel about pretrial matters such as Child Custody, Child Support, Child Visitation, Contempt, Restraining Orders, Discovery motions, Motions to Modify Child Support, Temporary Alimony etc.

Divorce hearings occur much more frequently than Divorce trials. When the parties reach a settlement there must be a brief "nominal" hearing. Husband and wife must testify at that nominal hearing. This type of hearing is a formality.

There are a myriad of reasons for the miniscule amount of Rhode Island Divorce Trials. A fundamental "culture" and practice has evolved over decades in Rhode Island Family Court. This Culture and Process encourages out of Court settlements both directly and indirectly. This process also subtly punishes those litigants who do not settle their divorce.

In some instances, the pressure for a settlement is direct from the Trial Judge. In other instances, the parties perceive that if they perceived as being unreasonable then there will be some sort of penalty or adverse ruling at trial. Often that perception is just a perception rather than a reality. Sometimes the perception is a reality.

In some ways, a divorce trial is viewed by the Court as a breakdown of the system. The entire process is premised around parties reaching a settlement prior to trial.

The system, in itself, tends to wear the parties down to the point that they feel they have no other realistic option but to settle. Parties can be worn down both emotionally and financially by the Rhode Island Family Court process.

As far as equitable division of Assets in a Rhode Island Divorce is concerned, there is usually no absolute winners and losers. In a Rhode Island Contract or Personal Injury case that goes to trial, there is usually a winner and loser. In a Rhode Island Criminal Trial, the accused is either guilty or not guilty after trial. In a Divorce Trial, the Family Court Judge attempts to fashion an equitable solution after trial. In other words, if you cannot settle your divorce there will be a quasi settlement imposed by the judge after hearing testimony.

A seasoned and experienced Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer often has a general idea as to the outcome of the divorce trial. Many cases settle because the attorney informs their client that they cannot in all likelihood do better at trial and may do a lot worse.

How do parties get worn down to the point of settlement?

There are often many Court dates prior to the Divorce Trial. These Court hearings involve waiting hours to have motions or Pretrial Conferences resolved. Cases are often continued for various reasons including the calendars of Lawyers, the litigants and the Judges. Some cases are continued because more information or documents are needed or more time is needed for various reasons.

There are often frequent review dates to determine the progress of certain orders. For example, in a Rhode Island Divorce involving Visitation or Child Custody issues, the Family Court may hold frequent review dates. These review dates often determine the progress and compliance with a visitations schedule. If a person is not paying child support on a timely basis or is falling behind on child support, there may be frequent review dates to insure compliance with Rhode Island Child Support Court orders.

In contentious Divorce cases, the parties through their Rhode Island Divorce lawyers often file frequent motions concerning: Child Custody, Child Support, Child Visitation, Restraining Orders and the disposition of Marital assets.

There are frequent Pretrial conferences. In a pretial conference, the judge attempts to facilitate a settlement or helps the parties find a middle ground towards settlement.

The Rhode Island Family Court process can wreak havoc on a litigants work schedule causing their employer to become disappointed. Some people lose their job as a result of frequent Rhode Island Family Court appearances. Some people lose income as a result of the Rhode Island Divorce process.

Many people lose a sense of their dignity going through the sometimes contentious, confusing and unpredictable RI Divorce process. There is one fundamental truth in Rhode Island Family Court. Everyone must go through a similar process irrespective or race, gender and socioeconomic class. Usually in contested Rhode Island Divorce cases, the only thing that is predictable is the unpredictable nature of Rhode Island Family Court.

Attorney fees can become too expensive for a party to afford. Expensive Attorneys fees may be caused by frequent lengthy Court Dates, waiting in Court and the time and expense of answering discovery and preparing for the trial.

In some cases when one spouse has more resources then the other spouse they may try to drive up the other spouse' attorney fees to essentially force them into settlement. This is very unfair. However, it is the real world of Divorce in Rhode Island (RI).

The trial Judge will make every effort to encourage the husband and wife to come to a settlement prior to starting a trial. Some judges will require mediation by the Court appointed Mediators. Other Judges will require the parties to essentially lock themselves in a conference room with their lawyers in the Courthouse for a day or perhaps several days until they reach a settlement. Negotiating in the Courthouse prior to trial and mediation may be time consuming and expensive for the parties.

It is very expensive and time consuming endeavor for a Rhode Island Divorce Attorney to prepare for a Divorce Trial. Parties often want to curtail the amount of trial preparation because of the expense. A Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer must prepare testimony for all witnesses they intend to call to testify in the proceeding. the Attorney must prepare cross examinations of all opposing witnesses, prepare exhibits, prepare opening and closing statements. The Lawyer must also be prepared to argue motions as well as draft an extensive pretrial memorandum etc. Many clients do not want to pay the additional expense for their Attorneys' trial preparation and would rather settle.

Divorce trials are not similar to the trials that you see on television. Usually, judges have many other matters on the calendar on the day the divorce trial is scheduled. In Many instances, the divorce trial will not start until after 11am. It is not unusual for the court to allow only 2 hours a day for the actual trial. Sometimes the Court will hear less than 2 hours of trial testimony in a day. Therefore a trial can take many days to complete. Some Trials take weeks or months to complete.

Newport Family Court has 1 judge hearing divorce trials. That Judge is also responsible to hear and decide all Family Court matters in Newport County Family Court including Child Support, Divorce, Child Custody, Restraining orders etc. The Judge must resolve all matters scheduled for that day. The Judge cannot cancel all other important family Court business in order to hear a trial in Newport. The Judge must fit the trial into his or her schedule. This usually means that the trial will start after all of the courts business is resolved for that day. Newport County Includes Newport RI, Middletown, Portsmouth and Tiverton.

Kent County has 2 judges handling Divorce, Child Custody, Visitation and Family Court matters. Kent County Family Court includes Warwick, East Greenwich, Coventry and North Kingston.

Washington County Family Court has 1 judge hearing Divorce, Post Divorce Motions, Child Custody, Child support, Adoptions and Family Court matters. Washington county Family Court includes Wakefield, South Kingston and Narragansett etc.

Providence County Family Court includes Providence, Pawtucket, Barrington, Bristol, Warren, East Providence, Cumberland etc.

Why does the system "wear down" divorce litigants?

The Court system is overburdened and judges have many cases on the docket on a given day. If every case went to trial the system would break down. If a substantial percent of cases went to a divorce trial the system would break down. The Rhode Island Family Court Lacks the Judges and resources to have too many cases go to trial.

The Court does not tell you it is trying to wear you down. The Judges may not intend to wear you down. However, the entire process has the practical effect of wearing parties down until they feel that they must settle to cut their losses.

Even though some parties do not want to settle their divorce, they fear that going to trial will be a loss of control. The loss of control is essentially allowing the Trial judge to make decisions rather than the parties agreeing to a negotiated solution controlled by the parties. In a mediated / negotiated resolution, the parties have some control over the outcome even though they may in some ways be dissatisfied with the divorce settlement. Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers often encourage settlement so long as the settlement is fair to the clients under the circumstances.

There is often pressure from the Trial Court Judge both direct and indirect to resolve the matter short of trial. All Judges want to settle cases! Judges rarely want to hear divorce trials.

It is not unusual for a case to go to the day of trial yet settle before the trial starts. Why does this happen? This phenomenon is often caused by clients and their lawyers attempting to get leverage to obtain the best settlement possible. There is obviously gamesmanship inherent in negotiations. Contentious Cases tend to settle immediately before a trial starts. Both sides are essentially driving at each other at 100 miles an hour but one or both usually veer at the last second to avert a collision.

What is the solution to this problem? The only real solution is to settle your divorce in a manner that is fair and equitable and in your best interests under the circumstances. Sometimes this is easier said than done!

Rhode Island Attorneys legal Notice per RI Rules of Professional Responsibility:

The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer / attorney as an expert or specialist in any field of practice.

David Slepkow is a Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer concentrating in Divorce, Family law, Restraining Orders, Child Custody, Child Support, Personal Injury and Car Accidents. Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers

See: RI Family Attorney

Also Visit: Rhode Island Personal Injury Lawyer

This is a video i made for a project in my Gifted class. I think it is very important for the protection and preservation for animals on the verge of extinct...
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Will Email Ever Become Extinct?

by Durotriges

When the first caveman grunted a greeting to another, communication was born for our species. Over time, it has evolved, covering major landmarks such as spoken language, writing, the printing press, postal services, and email. Many of these forms of communication threatened to put previous iterations six feet under; for example, do any of you still send telegraphs? In recent years, as the world crossed the bridge into the mythical land of Web 2.0 (and choirs of angels started singing), our perspective on communication shifted yet again, and an important question has been brought to light: might social networking kill email?

Email, first introduced in the 1970s, became prominent with free webmaila service that began springing up in the late 90s. It offered a huge number of advantages over other forms of communication. Legibility was simple, formatting was beautiful, storage was boundless, and organization was precise. Oh, and did we mention that messages sent were delivered across the globe within minutes? For both individuals and businesses, this leap forward was a massive breakthrough.

As other web-based services have added messaging, however, the need for email is starting to seem redundant. The trend started most substantially when MySpace provided messaging capabilities. Since that time, the direct message, group message, and even instant messaging services have improved substantially. For many people, email sites are used as the less frequent method of communication, with social networks providing a primary and more intricate inbox.

So, is there any reason that email hosting groups shouldnt bow down to social networking sites? Well, there are a few notable items. These include:
1) Attachments

While a few of the social networks allow limited attachment capabilities, they are restrictive. Only smaller attachments can be sent, and astoundingly tiny storage space is allotted.
2) Personal information

Just because you want to send someone a message doesnt necessarily mean you want to give them information on yourself personally. Home town, full name, and even your relationship status are commonly public on social networks. Email provides a shield of comfortable anonymity, especially if youre working with a business and sending emails on their behalf. You dont want to send someone a DM on Twitter and have them be able to start researching you, as a person.
3) Security

While social networks do have certain layers of security in place, they pale in comparison to the precautions being taken by email hosting groups. This is especially important for businesses functioning through electronic messages, where security is vital to both reputation and profitability. If youre sending anything business related, youre going to want to make sure you can encrypt or at least get more protection than a face social media wall.
4) Clutter

Social networks send you a fair deal more mail than just messages from friends. Event invites, requests for your help in Farmville, and even relentless (and annoying) application spam are present in many of these sites. This means that the social network inbox is likely to be much harder to navigate than that of classic webmail.
Is it possible these things will change?

Absolutely.

But there will be plenty of warning before they do, and the changes themselves cannot be slight. When social networks conquer all the territory mentioned above, they may well reign as the new champions of the human communication world. For now, email provides us with a safer, more minimalistic, more secure, and less unnecessarily personal method to send messages

Jon Smith is a writer and is interested in topics related to technology. He is a part-time author at TechWench.com

Deadly Fungus Threatens Frog Extinction

by Mark Witton

The humble frog is a very important part of our ecosystem. Frogs help keep insect populations down and also act as a food source for many other animals at various stages of their life-cycles. A healthy frog population also indicates a healthy waterway. Furthermore, frogs have a huge biomedical value in the production of medicines and vaccines.

But frogs all over the world are under threat - not just from pollution, global warming and general environmental destruction, but from a mysterious fungus - which of course has a human link. Seems we have a hand in just about every aspect of environmental degradation these days.

Up to 170 species of frogs have become extinct over the past 10 years from this fungus and 1,900 species are threatened. Frog Chytridiomycosis is caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and is a global epidemic that is spreading rapidly.

The fungus attacks the skin of frogs and many die as a result of the infection as frogs utilize their skin for respiration. The fungus also attacks the frogs' nervous system.

While the origins of the fungus are unclear, it's thought that the African clawed frog (Xenopus Laevis) may be the culprit. The African clawed frog is a carrier, but is immune the effects of the fungus.

So how did a frog from Africa act as the catalyst for global amphibian devastation? In recent times, the species has become popular as a pet in many countries. In the 1930s and 40s, African clawed frogs were also used all over the world for human pregnancy tests. The frogs brought the fungus along with them and it's just spread from there.

The fungus problem has become so serious that some scientists are now lobbying for a special breeding program, a 'Noah's Ark' for frogs - simply to provide some breathing space while they attempt to find a way to stop the spread of Frog Chytridiomycosis.

Given then widespread nature of the fungus, it's suggested that we should never touch frogs unless we absolutely have to and if we need to do so, to either wear gloves or wash our hands before and after handling.

Michael Bloch is the author and owner of Green Living Tips.com, an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact on the planet.

Are Essay Papers Becoming Extinct?

As someone who's gone through school, you know that the bulk of your schooling was centered around writing. Be it creative writing, essay writing, or simply taking notes, it was something that you couldn't get away from. Of course, with the rise of the Internet and various other applications both for the computer and for your cell phone, you may be wondering whether or not essay papers are in fact becoming extinct. After all, since you can find anything you need on the Internet anyways, what's the point of keeping what some consider a quaint artform alive?

Something to think about is that as technology has advanced, canned writing itself is almost considered an ancient practice. With the continual growth of things like short text messaging, Facebook, dictation software and other tools, actually taking the time to hand write something is seen as tedious and an art form that is dying. Much the same can be said regarding essay papers simply because it is so easy now to find something on the web that fits what you need, a rewrite or repurpose, and then handed in as your own. This of course is not to say that you will get caught however, it is something that is very tempting. Even the way you research has changed.

The library, once used for primary reserach, has given way to the Internet, with its faster speed. Researching an essay paper in the library meant taking out or gathering together many different books each with information on the topic at hand. Then you have to go through and take notes and then distill those notes and write your paper. Now with the Internet, you can find an overwhelming amount of information that you can use in your paper however, something that you need to do is ensure that you can accurately tell what information is relevant and what information is completely incorrect.

Once you've done that, you still need to think about the information that you have obtained and then write a coherent paper.

So the idea that essay papers are becoming extinct is one that is false. True, there are certain aspects of essay writing that have been made a little bit quicker. However, the actual writing process is something that we still need to know how to do. After all, we are also looking at leaving a legacy behind and that will be the written word.

For more info go to essay papers

Erik Heyl is a freelance author and marketer in Canada. I offer press release writing and submission, Wordpress installation and configuration as well as e-book and article creation. I can be reached at www.erikheyl.com

Find More Animals That Are Extinct Articles

Cuckoo Clocks Made Extinct

by Digo_Souza

Cuckoo clocks from the Black Forest have been around since the mid-1700s. Prior to that time, sundials and hourglasses were the usual way to keep time. Cuckoo Clocks are a specialty of the black forest region in Germany. All ages can and will enjoy the sound of a Cuckoo Clock. Cuckoo clocks haven’t changed much in how they work over the centuries. All have a swinging pendulum that counts seconds and all have pipes that signal the hour in the form of the common cuckoo bird call.

Cuckoo clocks have been made in Germany since 1750, when Franz Anton Ketterer of the Black Forest villiage of Schonwald managed to reproduce the cuckoo bird’s song with the clever use of bellows producing two different notes. In the following century, the Black Forest cuckoo clock industry developed rapidly. Cuckoo clocks are almost always mechanical weight driven movement; a very few are spring driven. The weights are made of cast iron in a pine cone shape. Cuckoo Clocks are available in different styles with different movements. Some cuckoo clock designs are quite common – like the Dear Head Top – but over the time many different colors, styles and basic characteristics find their way to the hearts of the customer.

Black Forest cuckoo clocks are definitely among the most popular of all clocks. For centuries, these elegant and sometimes whimsical cuckoo clocks have been one of the most popularly exported productions in Germany. Black forest background music. Made of wood or painted wood these cuckoo clocks proudly stand at top of our most requested items!

Cuckoo clocks have two movements: one-day and eight-day movement. One day movements will sound on every half hour and on the hour.

Cuckoo Clocks are available in different styles with different movements. Some cuckoo clock designs are quite common – like the Dear Head Top – but over the time many different colors, styles and basic characteristics find their way to the hearts of the customer. Cuckoo clocks are heirloom timepieces just like any other mechanical clock and with our technical service support a cuckoo clock purchase from us is sure to become a family favorite. These clocks run by the gravitational pull of weights that hang on long chains.

Lambert Reyes is a proud contributing author and writes articles on several subjects. You can read more of The Professors latest articles on Coo Coo Clocks.

Article Submission by Article Marketing Robot

Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

A few nice animals that are extinct images I found:

NYC - AMNH: Stegosaurus

Image by wallyg
Stegosaurus means "roofed reptile." Its "roof" is made up of the large plates along the ridge of the animal's back. What were they for? Originally, paleontologists speculated that the plates represented a type of armor, used for protection. But the surfaces of the plates are crisscrossed with grooves for blood vessels, indicating that they were covered with skin when the animal was alive. This led later paleontologists to speculate that the plates were used for controlling body temperature—like solar collectors or heat radiators. While that is an interesting hypothesis, it cannot be tested scientifically, since all stegosaurs are extinct. This is one of the many cases in which scientists do not have conclusive answers. Extinct dinosaurs present us with many such mysteries.

Stegosaurus offers more mysteries, such as how it could function with its tiny brain. The image of dinosaurs as massive beasts with walnut-sized brains is not true of many dinosaurs, but it is true of Stegosaurus. It has even been suggested that Stegosaurus had a second brain to control its hindquarters, since the one in its head seems to be too small to manage the entire beast. But it was, and it did. Stegosaurus had only one, small brain.

Still another mystery involves Stegosaurus's front legs. As a baby fossil, the front legs are straight up and down. As an adult fossil, however, they are splayed out to the side. Which is correct? We're not sure, since they seem to fit both ways.

Thylacine pelvis

Image by Merryjack
Collector unknown, date unknown, officially extinct 1936.

"The thylacine was noted as having a stiff and somewhat awkward gait, making it unable to run at high speed. It could also perform a bipedal hop, in a fashion similar to a kangaroo—demonstrated at various times by captive specimens. Guiler speculates that this was used as an accelerated form of motion when the animal became alarmed. The animal was also able to balance on its hind legs and stand upright for brief periods." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacine

June 2012 Specimen of the Month: Ichthyosaurus intermedius

Image by wagnerfreeinstitute
Ichthyosaurs were large marine reptiles resembling dolphins that lived during the Mesozoic Era - 250 million years ago (mya) to 65 mya. The name “Ichthyosaur” is Greek for “Fish lizard.” They were not dinosaurs but a separate group of marine vertebrates abundant during the Jurassic period. They had a wide geographic range and are estimated to have lived on earth for over 100 million years, disappearing around 65-90 mya. Ichthyosaurs were the top predator of the seas until they were replaced by Plesiosaurs in the Cretaceous period. Fossils indicate that they ate fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and possibly other small reptiles.

Ichthyosaurs ranged in size, averaging 6-13 feet in length. Some species were smaller and some were much larger (up to 75 feet). Their large eyes and thick earbones gave them acute sight and hearing. They had long snouts with many teeth, a dorsal fin and fin-like limbs. Their long flexible bodies were built for speed and probably undulated like eels to move through the water. It is believed that they evolved from a land-based reptile that moved back into the water. Although they couldn’t leave the water, they breathed air and gave birth to live young.

Ichthyosaurus is a genus of Ichthyosaur from the Jurassic period found in Europe. They averaged 6-7 feet in length, making them one of the smaller Ichthyosaurs. Mary Anning, a woman who made five major fossil discoveries, found the first complete fossil in 1811 in Lyme Regis, England (she was 12 years old). It was an Ichthyosaurus and it became the first extinct animal known to the world and caused great debate among Christians and the scientific community. Mary Anning’s discoveries were often described by male paleontologists, one of them being William D. Conybeare. He was an English geologist, palaeontologist and clergyman famous for his work done on marine reptile fossils. He described her findings, including the Ichthyosaurus and his drawing is included here.

The Wagner Free Institute has a number of Ichthyosaur fossils, including skeletons that hang on the west wall of the museum. The specimen highlighted here can be found in case 54A and is just a fossil of the head. It was purchased from a sale in New York State in 1869.

Panda Bears - No Need to Be Extinct

by Digo_Souza

The panda bear, also known as the giant panda bear, is native to central-western and southwestern China. Panda bears have distinct physical features including large, patches of black fur around their eyes, over their ears and across their round body, which is covered in white fur. Their bodies are round due to their diet. Though classified as a carnivore, the panda bear has a diet which consists mainly of bamboo; panda bears will occasionally eat other foods like honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges and bananas.

The average panda bear eats as much as 20 to 30 pounds of bamboo shoots a day. Because panda bears consume a diet low in nutrition, it is important for it to keep its digestive tract full. The limited energy input imposed on it by its diet has affected the panda's behavior. The Giant Panda tends to limit its social interactions and avoids steeply sloping terrain in order to limit its energy expenditures. To learn more about the panda bear's diet and behavior, read environmental magazines like Smithsonian, Audubon and Preservation magazine.

In the wild, panda bears' life expectancy is about 14 to 20 years; in habitats managed by humans the expectancy goes up to approximately 30 years.

Panda bears are listed as endangered species. The latest estimate of pandas living in the wild is 1,600, according to National Geographic magazine. The greatest threats to the panda species is habitat loss and a low birthrate. Poaching by locals and by foreigners is also a threat to the survival of panda bears.

Efforts to sustain the panda bear population are international. In China there is a panda sanctuary called the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries in the province of Sichuan, protection by law from the Chinese government and other wildlife reserves.

In the U.S., researchers at zoos like the San Diego Zoo are studying pandas' behaviors and needs in hopes of learning how to better care for the animals. Some of the behaviors and needs being studied are panda bears' scent marking, nutritional needs and how they communicate with each other. In addition, worldwide environmental organizations like the World Wide Fund for Nature are working on saving pandas.

For more, visit http://www.magazines.com/category/environmental

Song: Eternity by Robbie William recently some of them were rediscovered/possible rediscovered ;) like: Yunnan Box Turtle: officially critically endangered G...
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Why are watches not extinct?

by Tim Evanson

Watches were once some necessary products for every adult, kind of like cell phones in the present world. It was the only convenient way to get the time in the 80s. But time changes, now we can know the time everywhere, from computers, cell phones or even regular calculators, almost all the digital products. Watches are not necessary any more, and the demands have been dropping steeply, but why are watched not extinct?

Some wrist watches are still expensive because they become a symbol of fame and prestige like Rolex. Business men wear this kind of wrist watch to show their success and great credit standing situation. These watches are more like a masculine jewelry for men, and they would never out of the market, because the demands always exist. But the sales would not be very great since not everyone can afford one.

And the regular inexpensive watches are not extinct because there’re still some demands in the market. Some seniors who have difficulties getting around with modern digital products like cell phones still prefer watches. And there are some young people who are fond of the old fashion love wrist watches.

Besides, women’s watches are changing according to the new demands. Wrist watches for women are becoming more fashionable with modern elements and stylish designs. These watches are not designed to show time to girls, but to decorate their wrists like bracelet. Some watches look even better than regular bracelets. And ladies can match different watches with their apparel.

Moreover, there’re some watch enthusiastics who just love watches and collect them. For these people, watches are like treasure to them. They think watches can have an intensely personal connection to the wearer, and as such, make a better heirloom than almost anything else as the new owner can wear it every day and be reminded of its original owner.

Hehe is an editor of wholesale electronics and cool gadgets website. In his 18, he began to be involved in business area and study how to be a great businessman by himself. Now, he is a marketing expert.

Some of the extinct animals that I thought were kinda cool, hope you enjoy!
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

Some cool animals that are extinct images:

Dinosaurs, Crystal Palace

Image by Pete Reed
The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs are sculptures that were commissioned in 1852 and unveiled in 1854. When the Crystal Palace was moved to Sydenham Hill after the Great Exhibition, the new Crystal Palace Company commissioned Benjamin Waterhouse (a sculptor) and Sir Richard Owen (a biologist and palaeontologist) to build life-sized models of extinct animals. In the end, the funding ran out, and some of the planned sculptures remained uncompleted.

The reconstructions were based on fossils from the Natural History Museum, and skeletons of modern animals. They predated the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species by several years, and at the time were controversial. Within 40 years, science had moved on, and the models were recognised as being unrealistic. They fell into disrepair, but were restored in 2002, and were grade-1 listed in 2007.

When I was a child I had a dinosaur book with pictures of these, and I have waited for almost half a century to see the real thing. Today I finally made it. After all that time, I was prepared to be disappointed, and slightly surprised that I wasn't.

Dinosaurs, Crystal Palace

Image by Pete Reed
The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs are sculptures that were commissioned in 1852 and unveiled in 1854. When the Crystal Palace was moved to Sydenham Hill after the Great Exhibition, the new Crystal Palace Company commissioned Benjamin Waterhouse (a sculptor) and Sir Richard Owen (a biologist and palaeontologist) to build life-sized models of extinct animals. In the end, the funding ran out, and some of the planned sculptures remained uncompleted.

The reconstructions were based on fossils from the Natural History Museum, and skeletons of modern animals. They predated the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species by several years, and at the time were controversial. Within 40 years, science had moved on, and the models were recognised as being unrealistic. They fell into disrepair, but were restored in 2002, and were grade-1 listed in 2007.

When I was a child I had a dinosaur book with pictures of these, and I have waited for almost half a century to see the real thing. Today I finally made it. After all that time, I was prepared to be disappointed, and slightly surprised that I wasn't.

Dinosaurs, Crystal Palace

Image by Pete Reed
The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs are sculptures that were commissioned in 1852 and unveiled in 1854. When the Crystal Palace was moved to Sydenham Hill after the Great Exhibition, the new Crystal Palace Company commissioned Benjamin Waterhouse (a sculptor) and Sir Richard Owen (a biologist and palaeontologist) to build life-sized models of extinct animals. In the end, the funding ran out, and some of the planned sculptures remained uncompleted.

The reconstructions were based on fossils from the Natural History Museum, and skeletons of modern animals. They predated the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species by several years, and at the time were controversial. Within 40 years, science had moved on, and the models were recognised as being unrealistic. They fell into disrepair, but were restored in 2002, and were grade-1 listed in 2007.

When I was a child I had a dinosaur book with pictures of these, and I have waited for almost half a century to see the real thing. Today I finally made it. After all that time, I was prepared to be disappointed, and slightly surprised that I wasn't.

The Bald Eagle Defies Extinction

by smiteme

Many Americans feared the extinction of their national symbol, but the bald eagle has been slowing growing in numbers and largely recovered from its earlier decline. The bald eagle was found to be endangered in 1940 and a law was passed, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, to protect it from hunting. Once the threat from hunting was gone, the species found its numbers declining further by the ingestion of DDT. In 1963 the numbers of breeding pairs was only 417, leading to the 1973 inclusion in the list of endangered species.

Instead of the expected extinction of the species, the bald eagle has executed a miraculous rise in the number of breeding pairs. Today the number of bald eagle breeding pairs is almost 10,000 and it is no longer listed on the endangered species list. The birds will not be abandoned by wildlife experts, however. The bald eagle's numbers will be monitored for a few years to make sure they do not begin to decline again. If the monitoring shows a decline in the number of breeding pairs, experts can then move to get the bird back onto the endangered species list.

There are legal protections for the bald eagle even without the endangered species list, such as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. There is also protection afforded to the eagles from an act passed in 1918- the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This treaty ensured that not only were migratory birds protected in the United States, but from hunting and trade in several other countries as well. This act provides protection in Canada and Mexico for the eagles that migrate across the border and makes it illegal for their nest and eggs, and even their feathers, to be bought or sold.

Bald eagles have further benefited from the DDT ban of 1972.

The toxic chemical penetrated the entire food chain, resulting in the deaths of eagles as well as many other bird species. This pesticide spread from fields to waterways and then to eagles. When the eagles caught fish from these lakes and streams, the fish had already been contaminated. DDT kept bald eagles from being able to create eggshells with enough calcium to keep them strong enough to support the embryos. DDT devastated the bald eagle population, as mother eagles were unable to incubate the thin eggs, often cracking them in the nest. With DDT now gone, the number of bald eagles can continue to grow.

For more bald eagle facts, bald eagle statues [http://www.oodlesonbaldeagles.com/category/bald-eagle-shopping], and other bald eagle information visit http://www.OodlesOnBaldEagles.com

More Animals That Are Extinct Articles

seminolecanyon097

A few nice animals that are extinct images I found:

seminolecanyon097

Image by mlhradio
Seminole Canyon State Park, Val Verde County, Texas. One of the more remote state parks, tucked into the southwest corner of Texas about an hour's drive west of Del Rio.

This area has been inhabited since the very earliest days that humans set foot in North America, going back nearly 12,000 years - back during the last Ice Age when the land was more verdant with now-extinct animals still roaming the surrounding prairies and forest. But over the millenia, the climate changed to its current, arid desert landscape - and the Indians adapted.

All through these years, the local Indians drew pictograms all over the surrounding canyon walls and caves. In the dry climate, protected by overhanging rock walls, many of these pictograms survived through the ages. Some of the more famous sites, such as the Fate Bell and Panther Cave, are the feature attractions of Seminole Canyon, and can be visited by guided tour through the park.

However, I have not yet visited these sites - instead focusing on other areas of the park. On the first visit (March 9th, 2008), I arrived after the park had closed for the day. I walked along the short 'Windmill Trail', a small loop near the visitor's center. This trail leads down to a small year-round spring and the ruins of a water catchment system that was used by local settlers over the past hundred years.

The return trip (September 27, 2008) was much more fruitful - I chose to hike the Rio Grande River Trail, a six-mile out-and-back loop that leads to the far corner of the park, almost a stone's throw from Old Mexico. With recent rains it was fairly lively and green, with countless butterflies passing through on their annual migration. The trail starts alongside the original 'Loop Trail', the 1882 railroad alignment that was abandoned a decade later when a less strenuous route was forged and the Pecos River High Bridge was built.

The trail itself is pretty boring - a flat, featureless hike across a nondescript desert plain. But the main highlight of the hike quickly comes into view. There is a mile-long spur shooting off to the left called the Pressa Trail, which leads to an overlook looking down at a three-way intersection in the Seminole Canyon below. Here, the waters from Lake Amistad many miles away along the Rio Grande peter out; to the right, the waters are wide and deep, muddied from the recent rainstorms. To the left, the two forks of Seminole Canyon are mostly dry. From the top of the overlook, sheer cliffs lead staight down over a hundred feet to the waters below. The view is, well, *breathtaking* - and worth the trip.

Back on the main trail, a few miles later it comes to an abrupt end at the junction where Seminole Canyon merges with the Rio Grande. The location overlooks the Panther Cave pictograms, on the opposite shore far below, accessible only by boat. To the right, a few hundred yards away, are the hills of Mexico. Here, the water is deeper, the canyons steeper, the chasm wider. An impressive view, although not as amazing as the Pressa Trail overlook.

From here, it is a straight hike back along the south portion of the loop, my only companion a great horned toad trying to hide in the gravel of the trail. I would like to return to this park to take the guided tours, and there are other tours available nearby on private land to other pictogram sites as well. And I am told this park is also fabulous for bird watchers as well.

seminolecanyon151

Image by mlhradio
Seminole Canyon State Park, Val Verde County, Texas. One of the more remote state parks, tucked into the southwest corner of Texas about an hour's drive west of Del Rio.

This area has been inhabited since the very earliest days that humans set foot in North America, going back nearly 12,000 years - back during the last Ice Age when the land was more verdant with now-extinct animals still roaming the surrounding prairies and forest. But over the millenia, the climate changed to its current, arid desert landscape - and the Indians adapted.

All through these years, the local Indians drew pictograms all over the surrounding canyon walls and caves. In the dry climate, protected by overhanging rock walls, many of these pictograms survived through the ages. Some of the more famous sites, such as the Fate Bell and Panther Cave, are the feature attractions of Seminole Canyon, and can be visited by guided tour through the park.

However, I have not yet visited these sites - instead focusing on other areas of the park. On the first visit (March 9th, 2008), I arrived after the park had closed for the day. I walked along the short 'Windmill Trail', a small loop near the visitor's center. This trail leads down to a small year-round spring and the ruins of a water catchment system that was used by local settlers over the past hundred years.

The return trip (September 27, 2008) was much more fruitful - I chose to hike the Rio Grande River Trail, a six-mile out-and-back loop that leads to the far corner of the park, almost a stone's throw from Old Mexico. With recent rains it was fairly lively and green, with countless butterflies passing through on their annual migration. The trail starts alongside the original 'Loop Trail', the 1882 railroad alignment that was abandoned a decade later when a less strenuous route was forged and the Pecos River High Bridge was built.

The trail itself is pretty boring - a flat, featureless hike across a nondescript desert plain. But the main highlight of the hike quickly comes into view. There is a mile-long spur shooting off to the left called the Pressa Trail, which leads to an overlook looking down at a three-way intersection in the Seminole Canyon below. Here, the waters from Lake Amistad many miles away along the Rio Grande peter out; to the right, the waters are wide and deep, muddied from the recent rainstorms. To the left, the two forks of Seminole Canyon are mostly dry. From the top of the overlook, sheer cliffs lead staight down over a hundred feet to the waters below. The view is, well, *breathtaking* - and worth the trip.

Back on the main trail, a few miles later it comes to an abrupt end at the junction where Seminole Canyon merges with the Rio Grande. The location overlooks the Panther Cave pictograms, on the opposite shore far below, accessible only by boat. To the right, a few hundred yards away, are the hills of Mexico. Here, the water is deeper, the canyons steeper, the chasm wider. An impressive view, although not as amazing as the Pressa Trail overlook.

From here, it is a straight hike back along the south portion of the loop, my only companion a great horned toad trying to hide in the gravel of the trail. I would like to return to this park to take the guided tours, and there are other tours available nearby on private land to other pictogram sites as well. And I am told this park is also fabulous for bird watchers as well.

Prevent Extinction: Engage Your Contacts

by smiteme

Social media has become the new platform for advertising, marketing, and most importantly a communication channel and exchange for your brand. It seems that most businesses, both big and small, are making sure that they have profiles and pages in Facebook, Twitter and other social sites so they can reach and engage a wide audience.

Dozens of accounts, thousands of likers and followers mean nothing

It's not enough to merely set up an account on these social sites, make the occasional updates, and hope for the best. Though your business may have a Facebook page or you may have a Facebook profile for your business persona that has hundreds or even thousands of "likers", are you really sure that you're engaging the attention of your audience? Or have they merely clicked the "Like" button on your page and then quickly forgot all about it?

Recently, Brian Carter at allfacebook.com posted some shocking statistics. These were compiled by PageLever, and it shows that most business fan pages in Facebook that have a huge number of fans actually get a lower percentage of their fans seeing their daily posts. In fact, those who have more than a million fans, actually reach less than 3% of their fans through their posts.

You see, Facebook uses an algorithm called EdgeRank to decide which posts a user will see in his newsfeed. Basically, it uses a combination of the user's engagement with the brand, how connected he is with it, and how good and fresh the content is. So the more a user interacts and connects with your brand, the more likely it is that your daily posts will appear in the user's newsfeed.

Liking and following is only the beginning

But isn't it enough that the user likes you or your page? Doesn't that mean that your posts should appear in his newsfeed? No, it doesn't.

It's not enough that a user clicks the like button on your page and becomes a fan. They need interact more with your brand, by commenting on your status, liking your updates, reposting your content, and engaging with you.

The more a user interacts with your brand through social media, the more likely it is that he is a true consumer of your brand, which means your efforts at engaging him is effective. But if you have thousands of fans, and you only get one or two comments or likes every time you update, then it means your marketing efforts using social media need a major overhaul.

So how do you address this? How do you stop your brand from becoming extinct in social media and start engaging your fans?

Fail to plan, plan to fail

First, you need a plan. Though some people think using social media for marketing is easy, it's actually pretty complicated. You can't just jump in and hope for the best. You need to make sure you have a plan and that you stick to it. Think of what your objectives are and what steps you need to take to achieve these goals.

Ask and listen – are important online as they are in offline engagement

Next, evaluate the content you have on your page. Do you think you're effectively engaging your audience in the updates and posts you create? You need to find a way to make your audience interact more with your brand. A couple of ways to do this is to create polls and surveys, ask for feedback regarding your products or services, and hold interesting promotions and contests for your fans.

You can also consider including photos and videos in your updates, as these seem to be well-received by most people. As they say, a photo is worth a thousand words, and most people are visual creatures who enjoy seeing nice photos and watching a good video. You can also encourage your fans to share your posts if they like them.

Avoid allowing your brand to become extinct in these social media platforms. Make sure you appear in people's newsfeeds, so it's important that you engage them with the content you offer. Once you encourage more interaction,  you will definitely see better success in your social communication; people will have a chance to sample your character and competence and you will begin to harness the power of online (and even offline) word of mouth.

Maria Elena Duron, CEO (chief engagement officer), buzz2bucks | a word of mouth marketing firm, is skilled at making networks "work" and harnessing powerful online and offline buzz, she facilitates online visibility services and word of mouth coaching and workshops – taking companies and professionals from buzz-worthy to bucks-worthy, http://buzz2bucks.com."

These animals have gone extinct since the start of the 21st century. The Baiji Dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) , West African Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis long...
Video Rating: 4 / 5

More Animals That Are Extinct Articles

The Sixth Great Extinction

by smiteme

Scientists tell us that over the last half billion years, there have previously been 5 periods where massive numbers of the earth's species became extinct.

The first great extinction occurred around 440 million years ago and the culprit is thought to have been climate change. 85 percent of marine animal species disappeared.

The second great extinction happened around 370 million years ago with many species of fish and 70% of marine invertebrates vanishing. Again, climate change is thought responsible.

245 million years ago, the third great extinction occurred; the largest of all. 95 percent of all animal species perished. Climate change may have played a role.

210 million years ago saw another mass extinction primarily consisting of marine creatures, but also some land animals. This was the fourth great extinction.

The fifth great extinction, the one most of us are familiar with, occurred around 65 million years when dinosaurs ruled the planet. This extinction was possibly caused by the impact of a comet or a massive volcanic explosion that interfered with earth's ecosystem. Practically all dinosaur species disappeared and mammals emerged - and from those mammals, man evolved.

The sixth great extinction is now - we are witnessing it; in fact for the first time in this planet's history, a single species is responsible - humans. It's an achievement of the worst possible kind.

10,000 years ago, global human population was somewhere between 1 and 10 million people. We now number over 6.6 billion. Our seemingly endless thirst for resources means we are losing up to 27,000 species of plants, animals, insects, fungi, bacteria each year - just from tropical forest habitats.

The last 10 years has seen the overall number of threatened species increasing in all taxonomic groups according to the 2006 IUCN Red List.

While extinction is a normal part of evolution, the current extinction rate is anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than at any time over the past 60 million years.

That being the case, I don't think this period of time being called the sixth great extinction is an exaggeration. Some say that the sixth great extinction will rival the third - 90-95% of all species will vanish over a very short period unless we dramatically change our ways.

On my walk through the bush this morning, I watched some little birds I've grown fond of that I haven't been able to identify yet. They are as curious of me as I of them. They are very delicate, no bigger than my thumb, have a beautiful splash of red on their breast and a lovely song. Given they seem to be confined to a rather small area of scrub and favor certain plants, I wondered if they'll still be around for much longer for me to marvel at.

Aside from the loss of beauty and diversity when a singles species becomes extinct, the disappearance of one species can be the trigger for the vanishing of many more that may be dependent upon it. We are also losing species useful for treating human illness; many we will never know of their therapeutic value as they are extinct already. Who knows, the cure and vaccination for cancer or AIDS that medicine has been searching so long for may disappear from our planet.. today.

Aggressive cancer is mindless - it only consumes, destroys the host and in the process destroys itself. Cancer and humanity have a lot in common.

Michael Bloch is the author and owner of Green Living Tips.com, an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact on the planet.

Related Animals That Are Extinct Articles

ecosystem/fauna/ Fresh Water Crab(Gecarcinucidae)

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

ecosystem/fauna/ Fresh Water Crab(Gecarcinucidae)

Image by satshot2010
Ambyvalley road,Lonavala,Mah.India
taking baby steps in this Big,Bad World!


Two thirds of all species of freshwater crab maybe at risk of going extinct, with one in six species particularly vulnerable, according to a new survey.
That makes freshwater crabs among the most threatened of all groups of animals assessed so far.
The study is the first global assessment of the extinction risk for any group of freshwater invertebrates.
Crab species in southeast Asia are the most at risk, from habitat destruction, pollution and drainage.
Scientists from the Zoological Society of London and Northern Michigan University led the survey, which produced the first International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species for the 1280 known species of freshwater crab.
Of those, the survey found that 227 species should be considered as near threatened, vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
For another 628 species, not enough data exists to adequately assess their future, says the survey published in the journal Biological Conservation.
However, while the most optimistic scenario is that 16% of all species are at risk, the worst case scenario suggests the figure could be as high as 65%, or two-thirds of all species.
Keystone species
Freshwater crabs are essential to many freshwater ecosystems. Some feed on fallen leaves and algae, while other species help cycle nutrients by eating vast quantities of detritus.
The crabs themselves are an important source of food for a range of birds such as herons and kingfishers, reptiles such as monitor lizards and crocodiles and amphibians such as frogs and toads. Mammals that like to dine on freshwater crabs include otters, mongooses, civets as well as wild boar and even macaque monkeys.
Because most species require pristine water to survive, they are also excellent indicators of good water quality.
But species are increasingly being impacted by habitat destruction and pollution.


Most vulnerable are crabs living in southeast Asia, which is also home to the greatest diversity of species.
source:BBC-Earth News

October 2011 Specimen of the Month: Asian and African Elephant Skulls

Image by wagnerfreeinstitute
Elephantidae is the last remaining family of the order Proboscidea, which are mammals distinguished by tusks and a long trunk. Most Proboscidea went extinct during the last ice age, but two genus of the family Elephantidae exist today, the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) and the African Elephant (Loxodonta africana). The Wagner Free Institute of Science has skulls of both Asian and African elephants on display, as well as bones from a mastodon, an extinct relative of elephants that belongs to the order Probocidea. The elephant skulls at the Wagner can be found sitting on top of case #73 in the center of the museum.

Elephants are the largest living terrestrial animals on earth. African elephants, which weigh up to 14,000 pounds, are larger than Asian elephants, which weigh up to 11,000 pounds. They can live for 70 years and have a complex matriarchal family system. Females live in tight-knit family groups led by the eldest female. Males live in these family groups until they are around 14 years old, at which point they leave the group and live a relatively solitary life. Elephants are one of the most intelligent species on earth, with similar levels of intelligence as cetaceans and non-human primates. They are self-aware and have a complex communication system with a wide range of emotional expression.

Elephants once roamed most parts of the globe. Today they are isolated to a few locations in Africa and Asia and their numbers have dwindled to an estimated 500,000. Asian elephants are listed as endangered while African elephants are listed as threatened. Most threats that elephants face are human-induced: poaching for ivory and habitat loss. Additionally, a set of lethal elephant herpesviruses are infecting both wild and captive elephant populations.

The African elephant skull at the Wagner Free Institute of Science was purchased from Edward Gerrard & Sons (London) in 1889 at the same time as the Horse skeleton which sits in the center of the Wagner’s exhibition hall. At that time, Joseph Leidy was the President of the Faculty at the Wagner Free Institute and was instrumental in acquiring many of the taxidermy specimens and skeletons that you see in the museum today.

Our first Weeknights at the Wagner lecture of the Fall 2011 season is on Thursday, October 6th and it will feature elephants. “Elephants: Past, Present, Future?” by Virginia Riddle Pearson will cover the evolution and complex life history of elephants and the perilous future these sentient beings face due to the ivory poaching crisis, to relentless agricultural expansion onto elephant rangeland and migration routes, and to the lethal elephant herpesviruses, the current focus of her research. More information can be found at: wagnerfreeinstitute.org/

seminolecanyon077

Image by mlhradio
This long berm is what remains of the original railroad grade. Seminole Canyon State Park, Val Verde County, Texas. One of the more remote state parks, tucked into the southwest corner of Texas about an hour's drive west of Del Rio.

This area has been inhabited since the very earliest days that humans set foot in North America, going back nearly 12,000 years - back during the last Ice Age when the land was more verdant with now-extinct animals still roaming the surrounding prairies and forest. But over the millenia, the climate changed to its current, arid desert landscape - and the Indians adapted.

All through these years, the local Indians drew pictograms all over the surrounding canyon walls and caves. In the dry climate, protected by overhanging rock walls, many of these pictograms survived through the ages. Some of the more famous sites, such as the Fate Bell and Panther Cave, are the feature attractions of Seminole Canyon, and can be visited by guided tour through the park.

However, I have not yet visited these sites - instead focusing on other areas of the park. On the first visit (March 9th, 2008), I arrived after the park had closed for the day. I walked along the short 'Windmill Trail', a small loop near the visitor's center. This trail leads down to a small year-round spring and the ruins of a water catchment system that was used by local settlers over the past hundred years.

The return trip (September 27, 2008) was much more fruitful - I chose to hike the Rio Grande River Trail, a six-mile out-and-back loop that leads to the far corner of the park, almost a stone's throw from Old Mexico. With recent rains it was fairly lively and green, with countless butterflies passing through on their annual migration. The trail starts alongside the original 'Loop Trail', the 1882 railroad alignment that was abandoned a decade later when a less strenuous route was forged and the Pecos River High Bridge was built.

The trail itself is pretty boring - a flat, featureless hike across a nondescript desert plain. But the main highlight of the hike quickly comes into view. There is a mile-long spur shooting off to the left called the Pressa Trail, which leads to an overlook looking down at a three-way intersection in the Seminole Canyon below. Here, the waters from Lake Amistad many miles away along the Rio Grande peter out; to the right, the waters are wide and deep, muddied from the recent rainstorms. To the left, the two forks of Seminole Canyon are mostly dry. From the top of the overlook, sheer cliffs lead staight down over a hundred feet to the waters below. The view is, well, *breathtaking* - and worth the trip.

Back on the main trail, a few miles later it comes to an abrupt end at the junction where Seminole Canyon merges with the Rio Grande. The location overlooks the Panther Cave pictograms, on the opposite shore far below, accessible only by boat. To the right, a few hundred yards away, are the hills of Mexico. Here, the water is deeper, the canyons steeper, the chasm wider. An impressive view, although not as amazing as the Pressa Trail overlook.

From here, it is a straight hike back along the south portion of the loop, my only companion a great horned toad trying to hide in the gravel of the trail. I would like to return to this park to take the guided tours, and there are other tours available nearby on private land to other pictogram sites as well. And I am told this park is also fabulous for bird watchers as well.

Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

Some cool animals that are extinct images:

seminolecanyon126

Image by mlhradio
Seminole Canyon State Park, Val Verde County, Texas. One of the more remote state parks, tucked into the southwest corner of Texas about an hour's drive west of Del Rio.

This area has been inhabited since the very earliest days that humans set foot in North America, going back nearly 12,000 years - back during the last Ice Age when the land was more verdant with now-extinct animals still roaming the surrounding prairies and forest. But over the millenia, the climate changed to its current, arid desert landscape - and the Indians adapted.

All through these years, the local Indians drew pictograms all over the surrounding canyon walls and caves. In the dry climate, protected by overhanging rock walls, many of these pictograms survived through the ages. Some of the more famous sites, such as the Fate Bell and Panther Cave, are the feature attractions of Seminole Canyon, and can be visited by guided tour through the park.

However, I have not yet visited these sites - instead focusing on other areas of the park. On the first visit (March 9th, 2008), I arrived after the park had closed for the day. I walked along the short 'Windmill Trail', a small loop near the visitor's center. This trail leads down to a small year-round spring and the ruins of a water catchment system that was used by local settlers over the past hundred years.

The return trip (September 27, 2008) was much more fruitful - I chose to hike the Rio Grande River Trail, a six-mile out-and-back loop that leads to the far corner of the park, almost a stone's throw from Old Mexico. With recent rains it was fairly lively and green, with countless butterflies passing through on their annual migration. The trail starts alongside the original 'Loop Trail', the 1882 railroad alignment that was abandoned a decade later when a less strenuous route was forged and the Pecos River High Bridge was built.

The trail itself is pretty boring - a flat, featureless hike across a nondescript desert plain. But the main highlight of the hike quickly comes into view. There is a mile-long spur shooting off to the left called the Pressa Trail, which leads to an overlook looking down at a three-way intersection in the Seminole Canyon below. Here, the waters from Lake Amistad many miles away along the Rio Grande peter out; to the right, the waters are wide and deep, muddied from the recent rainstorms. To the left, the two forks of Seminole Canyon are mostly dry. From the top of the overlook, sheer cliffs lead staight down over a hundred feet to the waters below. The view is, well, *breathtaking* - and worth the trip.

Back on the main trail, a few miles later it comes to an abrupt end at the junction where Seminole Canyon merges with the Rio Grande. The location overlooks the Panther Cave pictograms, on the opposite shore far below, accessible only by boat. To the right, a few hundred yards away, are the hills of Mexico. Here, the water is deeper, the canyons steeper, the chasm wider. An impressive view, although not as amazing as the Pressa Trail overlook.

From here, it is a straight hike back along the south portion of the loop, my only companion a great horned toad trying to hide in the gravel of the trail. I would like to return to this park to take the guided tours, and there are other tours available nearby on private land to other pictogram sites as well. And I am told this park is also fabulous for bird watchers as well.

Gone From the Earth - Extinct Animals

by Martin LaBar

The Tyrannosaurus Rex is one of the most famous extinct animals. He was the largest carnivorous land animal of all time, measuring forty-three feet long and sixteen and a half feet high, with a weight that may have approached seven tons. He had a huge skull (but a small brain), balanced by a long tail. His hind legs were large and powerful, but his forelimbs were very small and they only had two digits on them.

T. Rex fossils have been found in North America, and these date back to the last years of the Cretaceous Period. This was roughly sixty-five million years ago. He was one of the last dinosaurs on earth before the extinction-causing event that befell all the dinosaurs. There have been more than thirty fossil structures unearthed that archaeologists identify as T. rex.

Another interesting mammal on the extinct animals list is the Quagga, which is a wild animal, half horse, half zebra. Scientists have since genetically manipulated genes to create a Zorse, which is also a horse-zebra hybrid. The original Quagga's have been extinct in the wild since 1883. These animals had zebra markings only on the front part of their body - the back part was usually a mousy dun color. Their name came from a Khoikhoi word for Zebra.

The Quagga was originally put into the mammal class as its own species, Equus Quagga. But scientists realized that this was no simple Zebra they were looking at. Quagga were hunted to extinction for their hides and meat, and to save feed for domestic animals. The Quagga was the first of the extinct animals to have researchers study its DNA.

The Tasmanian Tiger has been extinct since 1936. This was the largest carnivorous marsupial alive in modern times.

The breed originated in New Guinea and Australia, and it was also called the Tasmanian Wolf, and locally, where they were found, as Tazzy Tiger or Tiger.

The Tasmanian Tiger survived on the isle of Tasmania for thousands of years after it had disappeared from Australia. There were Tasmanian Tiger hunts, which helped to cause its extinction, but it was also affected by human encroachment on their lands, as well as dogs being introduced to their areas, and diseases affecting them.

Steller's Sea Cow went extinct in 1768. It used to be found near the Bering Sea, where it was discovered in 1741. The sea cow grew to about twenty-six feet in length, and weighed up to three tons. It looked much like a larger version of the seal, but it had a tail like a whale, and two stout forearms. According to the man who discovered the animals, he said they never came out on the shore, but always lived in the water. He also said that the animal had thick black skin like the bark of an oak tree.

These are just a few of the extinct animals that no longer roam - or swim - the earth.

Read about fox facts and horse facts at the About Animals website.