Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
Commercial too Christmas?
Has Christmas become a time when we measure the depth of love by the price of the gifts we receive? Has the world not changed at all? Could this be just my perception of it? Maybe now that my own children have grown up and gone on to live their own lives, I’ve lost that child inside. If so, it is my own fault. I let my child inside go and didn't even know it.
Why don't we say "Merry Christmas" much anymore? Is it for the same reason that children can’t say a prayer in schools these days? For the same reason that schools call Christmas vacation, "Winter Break" now? Is it for the same reason that many cities are reluctant to put up Christmas decorations? Christmas is a Christian tradition, that’s for sure, but, the true Spirit of Christmas should be embraced by all people everywhere, regardless of religious beliefs or lack of them. Peace on Earth, goodwill, joy, charity, kindness, generosity and love are all part of the Spirit of Christmas. What kind of person would be offended by these? Are these not the best and highest expressions of humanity?
We cannot blame the ones who do not observe Christmas for making it the glittering commercial frenzy it now appears to be. Rather, it is those of us who embrace it who must shoulder the blame, if that is in fact the correct word. If it has become a commercialized “bling bling” holiday, maybe it is time we look inside ourselves. Are we reluctant to say "Merry Christmas" because we let the Spirit of Christmas get lost in the shuffle of the holiday rush? Are we are embarrassed about what we, ourselves, the ones who embrace the glitziness, have done to Christmas?
Perhaps many of us have lost the child inside and that magical innocence and wide-eyed wonder that can only be felt when you find that child inside. It's true that only when we find that child can we experience the joy of giving for the sake of giving… that happiness of giving from the heart and giving because we want to give. Giving, not because it is expected of us, but giving because it is the true Spirit of the Season we call Christmas. Giving without expecting anything in return is truly giving with the heart and spirit of a child.
This year, I am going to try hard to find that child inside. I am going seek the true Spirit of Christmas and let it shine in my life. When I greet people I’m going to smile and say "Merry Christmas" and mean it. It's not just a Christian tradition, but a deep and beautiful Spirit that transcends all of humankind. Christmas is more than a holiday or religious celebration. Christmas embodies the spirit of love, peace, joy, hope, and compassion. Indeed the very best inside each one of us and it is in each one of us if we find that child inside.
I hope that all of you will find your own "child inside". If you do, the Spirit of Christmas will always shine within you. With a child's heart you can be a messenger for the real Christmas.
No matter what you give this Christmas, the one gift that matters most, is the one that you cannot buy. This Christmas, give the greatest gift of all. Give the gift of love.
…from ALL OF US here at the CrocTalk Zoo
Merry Christmas to all who believe in Peace on Earth!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
GEZA - Final hours of a white Rhino
GEZA - The final hours of a white rhino
by Dr William Fowlds
This is the story of a white
rhino callously mutilated by poachers and left alive with his horns and
part of his face hacked off with pangas
I don’t expect to make sense of it, or the similar rhino deaths that take place daily in my country. I do intend to ensure that the account of this one rhino’s tragic end, will reach into the conscience and hearts of all men and woman, and compel each of us to do something towards stopping the suffering of this magnificent species and others like it.
I count myself truly blessed to be able to live my dream as a wildlife vet in a part of Africa that satisfies my senses and fills my soul. One of my many privileges is that I get to work with rhino in the wild. These living dinosaurs are truly iconic symbols of our successes and failures as custodians of this planet. The current rhino situation is a dying testimony of our conservation efforts. If we are not able to save the rhino from extinction, this flagship species that’s larger than life, what hope do we have of saving the rest?
On that fateful morning in February, I was called by Mike Fuller of Kariega Game Reserve, in the Eastern Cape, who informed me that one of their rhino had been poached. My heart sank, as I relived that dreadful feeling, a few months before, which had hit me when news of a rhino poaching on my own game reserve came through. Knowing how slow the initial crime scene proceedings can take, I expressed my heart-felt remorse and said I would get there later in the morning. There was a silent pause before the sledge-hammer ..... ”William, he is still alive!”
Images of the hacked bone and bloodied tissues I had seen previously came flooding back, doubting the truth of this outrageous claim. As I fumbled for questions to check my own doubts, the description of this poor animal began to take shape. “The horns are gone, it’s a bloody mess”, added Mike. I had seen one picture of a rhino who had suffered the same fate and the anger when I saw it the first time, crowded my thoughts as I tried to listen to directions and get my planned day out of the way.
As I drove rapidly for 30 minutes following the directions; the location, the description and the circumstances around this animal started to sound familiar. I remembered that two rhino from my own reserve, Amakhala, had been moved to Kariega three years before and had been joined by another two animals from a different reserve, making a sub-adult group of four rhino. At least one of these four, was now in an unthinkable situation and I prayed it wasn’t one I knew.
On approaching the location where the rhino had last been seen, I was struck by the tranquil beauty of the place. A small, open area alongside a meandering river with broken vegetation joining up into thickets of valley bushveld on the hill slopes. A picture-book setting which could have been used to depict a piece of heaven. It just didn’t seem possible that somewhere here, there was an animal that was going through a living hell.
Mike could not bring himself to accompany me, having been to hell and back already that morning. I grabbed my small camera and began working my way into the wind to where I was told he was last seen.
The horror of that first encounter will remain branded in my memory forever. In a small clearing enclosed by bush, stood an animal, hardly recognisable as a rhino. His profile completely changed by the absence of those iconic horns attributed to no other species. More nauseating than that, the skull and soft tissue trauma extended down into the remnants of his face, through the outer layer of bones, to expose the underlying nasal passages.
Initially he stood on three legs with his mouth on the ground. Then he became more aware of my presence and lifted his head up revealing pieces of loose flesh which hung semi-detached from his deformed and bloodied face. He struggled forward and turned in my direction, his left front leg provided no support and could only be dragged behind him. To compensate for this, he used his mutilated muzzle and nose as a crutch and staggered forward toward me. His one eye was injured and clouded over, adding to his horrific appearance.
At first I stood shocked in front of the sight before me, then I struggled to comprehend the extent and implications of the jagged edges and plunging cavities extending into his skull. As he shuffled closer in my direction, now scarcely 15 meters away, the realisation of his pain overwhelmed me. I had been so stunned by the inconceivable, I had neglected to consider the pain. What possible way could I have any reference of understanding the agony he was in? How long had he been like this? Were his efforts to approach me a weakened attempt of aggression towards the source of his suffering or was there a desperate comprehension of finality, a broken spirit crying out to die.
I crouched down trying to steady my shaking hand which held the camera, as I realised that this was possibly Geza, the young rhino I had sent to this sanctuary three years ago. Thoughts and emotions raged through my head. How low had we fallen to inflict so much suffering on such a magnificent creature whose care had been entrusted to us? Could any reason justify this happening? Without thinking I apologised under my breath, “I am sorry boy, I am so, so sorry.” His breathing quickened in response to the sound. Was he trying to smell me, was this their characteristic huffing which is part of natural investigatory behaviour or was this a pathetic version of rhino aggression in response to a source of threat. I was close enough to see the blood bubbling inside his skull cavities and wondered how every breath must add to the agony, the cold air flowing over inflamed tissues and exposed nerves.
I expected at any moment for his suffering to snap into a full blown rage, but it never came. I backed away slowly and he kept staggering in my direction, not showing any aggression, just one agonising effort after another. For a moment the thought even crossed my mind that this animal, in an incomprehensible amount of pain, acting completely out of character, could be desperately seeking something, anything, to take away the pain.
I didn’t trust my own eyes to recall the detail of these injuries and so I recorded some images, and backed away from this vortex of emotions and pain. On the walk back to the vehicle where Mike now waited, the weight of responsibility began to descend on my shoulders. This poor animal, suffering at the hands of my own species, through at least one night of absolute agony, now relied on me for relief from this torture. My gut instincts told me he had little chance of healing even though I had experienced rhino making some spectacular recoveries from severe injuries. I recalled having heard of a few other cases of rhino having survived and scrambled for the details somewhere in my swirling mind.
Thinking I should be fairly hardened to trauma and the sight of poached rhino and mutilated bodies, I had to re-assess my own reaction to what I had just seen. This took things to a new level. This stirred up anger and despair and regret and shame more than anything I had ever experienced. This brought the suffering of this and many other rhino right into the living room of my soul.
Surely, I would never be able to think of a rhino poaching in the same way ever again. If we are shaped by our experiences, then this experience was a watershed moment in my life. Part of that watershed was out of my control, but the other part involved decisions which were optional and would take me across an ethical line which had been formed by a lifetime of nurturing and training.
Knowing that this reserve relied on my professional opinion on what to do next, I buried my personal emotions and approached Mike with three recommendations. Firstly, I confirmed their fears that, in my opinion, there was no chance of saving this life and the most humane thing to do would be to end this tragedy by euthanasia for this animal. Secondly, I asked for time to consult with some of the other vets who had experienced similar survivors just in case there might be some hope for this animal.
Thirdly, with considerable trepidation, I asked if they would consider allowing the world to see the horrendous suffering that was taking place a short distance from where we stood. The practicalities, though, would involve getting a camera on site to take broadcast quality footage, something that would take a few hours to happen in this remote part of the reserve.
Could a vet, who is supposed to care deeply for animals; who is trained to be the mouthpiece for those that can’t speak for themselves; who more than most should understand the extent of suffering that this animal had gone through and was still enduring, be at ethical liberty to extend the suffering of this animal a little longer. Would those who do care, and even those who purport not to care, be shocked out of their complacency at the sight of such inhumanity?
The request sounded irrational to my own ears, and I wrestled with the thought of it. For the previous three years our association of private game reserves had built up measures to combat the looming threat of rhino poaching. I had seen the mortality figures escalate in 2009 and double again in 2010 despite a series of attempts to curb the carnage. Seven animals had been poached during this escalation within 60km’s of me, and there was still no sign of the public or the law enforcement agencies finding the will to stop it.
Many of the animals poached were being immobilised with veterinary drugs before having their horns and underlying skull bones hacked off with pangas and axes. The assumption is that these animals are under anaesthetic and so don’t feel anything. I assure you, they feel; as, in many instances, the amount of drug used does not kill the rhino. If they don’t bleed to death, they wake up under circumstances which I am finding difficult to describe.
I had always wondered why the poachers made such a mess of the rhino’s faces when their modus operandi suggested that these were well organised criminals. The sight of Geza that terrible day brought the realisation that many of these animals were probably still alive and responsive to the mutilation that they were being subjected to; hence the panga marks chaotically arranged around the facial areas.
My mind was telling me that to keep this animal alive was wrong, but somewhere inside I felt certain that the story of this despicable suffering could get to even the most hardened minds. The people driving the demand for this bizarre product, who say they take rhino horn to feel good - surely, they couldn’t feel good knowing that animals are suffering to this degree at their hands. If they could, in some way, be made to feel part of the massacre, then perhaps this cruel and senseless killing might stop.
It was agreed to call in a camera to get the footage while I phoned colleagues for second opinions. For the next three hours I went back several times and agonised over my decisions while watching his condition deteriorate. During those hours I learned that this rhino was indeed “Geza” – the Naughty One - a male born on Amakhala, the reserve on which I live. He was born in January 2006 as the second calf of “Nomabongo” – the Proud Lady. His mother was the first rhino to come to our reserve, which like many in our area, was a reserve which had transformed previous farm land into protected areas.
I vividly recall the day Nomabongo arrived in 2003. Her presence, just one rhino, immediately transformed the whole atmosphere of that landscape from farmland into wild land. I also remembered the first week of Geza’s life. Unlike Nomabongo’s first calf, which she hid from us for 6 weeks, the “Proud Lady” showed off her boy calf within a few days of giving birth to him and a photographer friend captured these moments in some breathtaking photos.
Geza's name came about because from a very early age he would challenge older rhino in a mischievous manner and then bundle back to the safety of his ever protective mother. In social gatherings with other mothers and calves, Geza was always the instigator in the interactions, always playful to a point of seeming to show-off.
Typical of normal rhino social structures, when Geza was two and a half years old his mother pushed him away as she prepared to give birth to her next calf. During this time Geza joined up with another rhino cow and her female calf named Landiwe, who was born in May 2006.
Geza stayed with Landiwe and her mother. The mother provided the protection from mature bulls that Geza now needed as he was still not old or big enough to protect himself. This grouping remained until it was decided to remove some rhino off our reserve and Geza and Landiwe were relocated in August 2008 as a pair. They adapted well, as they knew each other and, as young rhino in a new environment, this helped ensure a successful relocation.
The group of four young rhino, were the first to be introduced into this section of this sanctuary and their presence there had the same effect of transforming the reserve back to wild land. Now two and half years on, Geza was critically injured and the other rhino had disappeared into the thicket vegetation. Even if they were still alive, this event would ensure their removal from this area and with them a part of the soul of the land would die too.
As the hours passed slowly by, the location of the actual poaching was discovered and a crime scene investigation commenced, piecing together the train of events which had taken place there. A large pool of blood marked Geza’s initial fall and where the hacking took place. Pieces of flesh and bone lay in the blood stained grass nearby. He had stood up at some stage and staggered about ten paces before falling on a small tree, where, judging by the signs of his struggling, he had lain for some time. Again, a large area of blood stained earth bore testimony to his solitary ordeal. Every dozen or so paces another pool of blood marked where he had stood a while. I imagined his body going through the phases of drug recovery which, without an antidote, would have taken him through cycles of semi-consciousness before he was plunged back into the reality of his painful wounds. It could not be accurately ascertained how long he had been left in this state. Could this have possibly happened two nights ago? We were not sure. The possibility of this was too much to comprehend so, for now, I kept it out of my mind.
His front left leg had been cut off from circulation while he struggled on his side and this accounted for his eye injuries too. When cells get starved of oxygen they die off and release inflammatory chemicals inducing a cycle of swelling, pressure and pain ending in necrosis. By the time Geza was found, he had lost all use of his left front leg. Through blood loss, shock, dehydration and pain this animal was paying dearly for man’s senseless greed.
The wait for what seemed like ages eventually passed. The camera-crew arrived and I was finally able to bring this nightmare to an end. The most humane way to end it all was to administer an overdose of opioid anaesthetic. The method would have to be the same way the poachers did it, with a dart. A heavy calibre bullet to the brain would ensure finality - no return to hell.
As the dart penetrated his skin I wondered if this rhino had any mental association of being darted all those long hours before and the agony that ensued. Would he recognise that dart impact and the ordeal that followed shortly after? Would any feelings of helplessness suddenly be overcome by one final fit of rage as I would expect it to be? His response was to take only a few paces in our direction as the dart penetrated, before his injuries stopped his advance.
Within a few minutes the drugs were taking effect and even though his final conscious moments could have been extremely painful, I knew that the pain would be subsiding as he began to slip away. One final close up inspection of his wounds confirmed there was no going back and I injected more anaesthetic directly into his bloodstream. A sense of relief mingled with sadness, disgust and shame descended over that small piece of Africa, which for long hours had been gripped in tension and violation. The heavy bullet slammed though his skull, with the noise and shock wave blasting out across the landscape, heralding the end to a tortured and agonising struggle.
Geza, the Naughty One, who had touched my heart as a playful calf, died while I held my hand over his intact eye, his shaking body growing still and peaceful. Geza, who had his horns and part of his face hacked off while he was still alive by poachers feeding a chain of careless greed and ignorant demand. Will this rhino, whose suffering I prolonged, so that the world could get a visual glimpse of this tragedy, end up as just another statistic in a war that rages on? Or, will this rhino’s ordeal touch us in a way that compels us to do something about it? What I have witnessed ensures that I will never find peace until the killing stops.
As I write this, news reaches me of seven more rhino killed yesterday. Please help all of us on the frontline of this war against rhino poaching. If we can’t save the rhino, what hope do we have of saving the rest?
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Dr William Fowlds.
Monday, November 19, 2012
CrocTalk = Conservation / Education at it's Best!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Croc/Gator Jaws Sensitive as Fingertips
Thank you Jon Bardin (novemember 8th 2012)
Crocodile and alligator jaws are covered with an array of tiny sensors that make them more sensitive than a human fingertip, according to a paper published Thursday in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The surprising discovery explains the purpose of the sensors, which was previously unknown.
The tiny bumps, which can be found on the jaws and inside the mouths of alligators and crocodiles -- as well as all over the bodies of crocs -- conceal a vast network of nerve fibers that extend from the skin to the brain via a small hole in the skull. Before now, researchers had used the bumps to tell different species of crocs apart.
Nevertheless, no one had much of a sense of what they did. Some thought they detected how much salt was present in the water, aiding navigation, while others thought they helped the animals detect ripples in the water.
Duncan Leitch and Ken Catania of Vanderbilt University set out to settle the mystery. And when they cut away at one of the small sensors, they found the network of nerve fibers hiding underneath. This suggests the bumps are involved in sensing the world around the animals.
But what, exactly, do they sense? Given past theories about water salinity, Leitch and Catania first tried changing the amount of salt in water around the bump while measuring whether the nerve fibers became active. Nothing. The same was true for changing the electrical field. But when they tickled the sensor with a tiny hair, the nerves immediately became active — and it worked with a touch that we wouldn’t even feel on our fingertips.
All it required, the researchers report, was pressing the sensor down a mere four-millionths of a meter.
To confirm this supersensitivity, the researchers observed crocodiles in a tank and recorded what happened when food brushed against their jaws. They found that the animals snapped their jaws on the food within 50 to 100 milliseconds of contact, an incredibly fast reaction.
Leitch
and Catania believe the animals developed these bumps to allow them to
be better hunters in the water, and to aid them in caring for their
young. Crocodiles and alligators use their jaws to remove young from
their eggs and to carry them around, tasks that extreme sensitivity
would certainly help.
Crocodile and alligator jaws are covered with an array of tiny sensors that make them more sensitive than a human fingertip, according to a paper published Thursday in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The surprising discovery explains the purpose of the sensors, which was previously unknown.
The tiny bumps, which can be found on the jaws and inside the mouths of alligators and crocodiles -- as well as all over the bodies of crocs -- conceal a vast network of nerve fibers that extend from the skin to the brain via a small hole in the skull. Before now, researchers had used the bumps to tell different species of crocs apart.
Nevertheless, no one had much of a sense of what they did. Some thought they detected how much salt was present in the water, aiding navigation, while others thought they helped the animals detect ripples in the water.
Duncan Leitch and Ken Catania of Vanderbilt University set out to settle the mystery. And when they cut away at one of the small sensors, they found the network of nerve fibers hiding underneath. This suggests the bumps are involved in sensing the world around the animals.
But what, exactly, do they sense? Given past theories about water salinity, Leitch and Catania first tried changing the amount of salt in water around the bump while measuring whether the nerve fibers became active. Nothing. The same was true for changing the electrical field. But when they tickled the sensor with a tiny hair, the nerves immediately became active — and it worked with a touch that we wouldn’t even feel on our fingertips.
All it required, the researchers report, was pressing the sensor down a mere four-millionths of a meter.
To confirm this supersensitivity, the researchers observed crocodiles in a tank and recorded what happened when food brushed against their jaws. They found that the animals snapped their jaws on the food within 50 to 100 milliseconds of contact, an incredibly fast reaction.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Yes I can’t!
Yes I can’t!
It seems the older I get the more things I discover that I can’t do. Now I know when it comes to motivational speaking and inspiration speaking we are supposed to tell the world that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. But in actual fact there are some things that I cannot do, and I have yet to find anyone that can. Now none of these things are necessarily life threatening, they are more just things to be aware of that will make you life more ideal.
1. Yes I can’t, talk and listen at the same time. The fact is if I am talking I can hear, but I cannot listen. There is a definite difference. When I am talking I am focused on what I am saying and forming the next thought I am about to speak about. There is no room for me to actually listen to what might be being said at the same time as I am talking. I have yet to find someone who can do both. So what? Well what that means is if you are talking to someone about something important and they are talking at the same time, neither of you are communicating with the other. The person you are addressing is not listening. So one of you has to shut up. Even if you start to talk louder (BTW loudest talker never wins, they are just louder) your audience can hear you but are not listening.
2. Yes I can’t, focus ALL my energy on more than 1 priority at a time. I have written about this before, but it’s important too note that you can only have 1 priority. All the other things on your list of “priorities” fall 2nd, 3rd and 4th. By it’s definition priority is singular. You can only have one. So it you are splitting your focus between two different but very important task… ALL your energy is not being concentrated on 1. (I’m not good at math but even I can figure that out). So the tip here is to determine what you are going to focus on… because that then becomes your #1 Priority. If the other things on your list do not manifest and you wonder why.. it’s because you are not given them ALL the attention,energy and focus they deserve… they are not your priority. NOW YOU KNOW!
3. Yes I can’t, Hold two different vibrations at the same time. This is great actually because we are in control of what vibration we hold. Vibration is just another words for feeling. We cannot feel good and feel bad at the same time. We cannot get a positive result from a negative vibe or feeling. We cannot get a negative result from a positive feeling. A good attitude gets a good result. I can change the results I am getting by changing the feelings I have and I am in control of how I feel. I have not found anyone that can hold two different vibrations at the exact same time. So… (you have heard this before) change you mind change your life.
It seems the older I get the more things I discover that I can’t do. Now I know when it comes to motivational speaking and inspiration speaking we are supposed to tell the world that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. But in actual fact there are some things that I cannot do, and I have yet to find anyone that can. Now none of these things are necessarily life threatening, they are more just things to be aware of that will make you life more ideal.
1. Yes I can’t, talk and listen at the same time. The fact is if I am talking I can hear, but I cannot listen. There is a definite difference. When I am talking I am focused on what I am saying and forming the next thought I am about to speak about. There is no room for me to actually listen to what might be being said at the same time as I am talking. I have yet to find someone who can do both. So what? Well what that means is if you are talking to someone about something important and they are talking at the same time, neither of you are communicating with the other. The person you are addressing is not listening. So one of you has to shut up. Even if you start to talk louder (BTW loudest talker never wins, they are just louder) your audience can hear you but are not listening.
2. Yes I can’t, focus ALL my energy on more than 1 priority at a time. I have written about this before, but it’s important too note that you can only have 1 priority. All the other things on your list of “priorities” fall 2nd, 3rd and 4th. By it’s definition priority is singular. You can only have one. So it you are splitting your focus between two different but very important task… ALL your energy is not being concentrated on 1. (I’m not good at math but even I can figure that out). So the tip here is to determine what you are going to focus on… because that then becomes your #1 Priority. If the other things on your list do not manifest and you wonder why.. it’s because you are not given them ALL the attention,energy and focus they deserve… they are not your priority. NOW YOU KNOW!
3. Yes I can’t, Hold two different vibrations at the same time. This is great actually because we are in control of what vibration we hold. Vibration is just another words for feeling. We cannot feel good and feel bad at the same time. We cannot get a positive result from a negative vibe or feeling. We cannot get a negative result from a positive feeling. A good attitude gets a good result. I can change the results I am getting by changing the feelings I have and I am in control of how I feel. I have not found anyone that can hold two different vibrations at the exact same time. So… (you have heard this before) change you mind change your life.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Alligator Love: Gators Sometimes Mate For Life - ABC News
Alligator Love: Gators Sometimes Mate For Life - ABC News
In working with our six species here at CrocTalk Conservation for the many years I’ve been doing so I have found that the American Alligator in particular, Alli and Lucy McGator have been showing an increasing personal action towards protecting what they may consider to be a “mate”…Me.
It’s been increasingly obvious that these two females, in simple words, show aggression towards anyone who gets close to me (in their environment) during cleaning for example. Remember this is in a captive environment so when I saw this article this morning written by Lee Dye it seemed very familiar to us here at CrocTalk that we are living this experience here everyday.
I’ll be writing a more personal in depth opinion shortly…enjoy
In working with our six species here at CrocTalk Conservation for the many years I’ve been doing so I have found that the American Alligator in particular, Alli and Lucy McGator have been showing an increasing personal action towards protecting what they may consider to be a “mate”…Me.
It’s been increasingly obvious that these two females, in simple words, show aggression towards anyone who gets close to me (in their environment) during cleaning for example. Remember this is in a captive environment so when I saw this article this morning written by Lee Dye it seemed very familiar to us here at CrocTalk that we are living this experience here everyday.
I’ll be writing a more personal in depth opinion shortly…enjoy
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
ADD Affect Your Family or Friends?
I realize that this topic is really off focus of the basic purpose of
this blog theme BUT I believe it is so important when one tries to
understand ADD especially in one of our friends, family members or
partners. I need to understand better so I need to be more educated in
this disorder because just ignoring it does not make it go away.
I'm becoming more aware that there are so many adults living unknown to the frustrations of symptoms that affect their relationships with family, friends and business dealings.This is a great article but just touches the surface.
Tess Thompson wrote:
Patients with symptoms of adult attention deficit disorderare often bored with monotonous and repetitive tasks. They also have problems with organization and planning. The most common trait that that has been observed is that of postponement of tasks that need immediate attention, even at the risk of suffering a loss, monetary or otherwise. College students have trouble in focusing on lectures and completing their assignments in time. As adults with ADD are mostly impulsive too, this often leads to monetary issues, which is one of the main reasons for a broken romantic relationship or a troubled relationship with others.Problems with relationships transpire mostly because the frustration and anger in those with symptoms of adult attention deficit disorder cools off as easily as it occurs. While others carry the hurt and anger after the event or argument, the ADD adult is left wondering as to what happened and why others are still annoyed. In addition, they are termed as egoistic and immature since they are incapable of following up on commitments.
Once an individual has been diagnosed with and is on adult ADD medication, it is vital that the family has a proper and extensive understanding of the diagnoses and how the behaviors related with ADD can affect the entire family. The family may be required to deal with conditions like depression, anxiety, over indulgence in alcohol, and other conditions that manifest due prevalence of ADD.
If one of the two adults in a married relationship exhibits ADD symptoms, it is important that both are susceptible to each other’s weaknesses and strengths to enable the relationship to fructify and evolve positively. In such cases both the spouses become supplementary to each other, one of them has periods of spontaneity and the other acts like a stabilizer.
In cases where the non-ADD spouse fails to appreciate the procrastination and other inabilities of the ADD spouse as being medical conditions, the ADD spouse often resorts to strange behaviors in search of novel situations. Such behaviors often manifest in the form of over spending and extra marital affairs.
Most likely, once treatment of ADD starts, couples tend to expect miracles from the cure forgetting that adult ADD medication takes time to cure and may even lead to certain temporary side effects. This leads to negating the efforts already made towards nurturing relationships with ADD patients. For this purpose, family or couples therapy has to be a central part of the overall treatment. It is imperative to remember that it takes a long time to cultivate adult ADD relationships and it may take an equally long time to make long-term changes.
Adult ADD may be an explanation but that does not mean that it be made an excuse. Instead, if an effort is made to comprehend the strengths and weaknesses it may lead to managing the conditions successfully and help in developing strategies to convert those very symptoms to an advantage.
http://www.nativeremedies.com/articles/adult-add-and-relationships.html
I'm becoming more aware that there are so many adults living unknown to the frustrations of symptoms that affect their relationships with family, friends and business dealings.This is a great article but just touches the surface.
Tess Thompson wrote:
Patients with symptoms of adult attention deficit disorderare often bored with monotonous and repetitive tasks. They also have problems with organization and planning. The most common trait that that has been observed is that of postponement of tasks that need immediate attention, even at the risk of suffering a loss, monetary or otherwise. College students have trouble in focusing on lectures and completing their assignments in time. As adults with ADD are mostly impulsive too, this often leads to monetary issues, which is one of the main reasons for a broken romantic relationship or a troubled relationship with others.Problems with relationships transpire mostly because the frustration and anger in those with symptoms of adult attention deficit disorder cools off as easily as it occurs. While others carry the hurt and anger after the event or argument, the ADD adult is left wondering as to what happened and why others are still annoyed. In addition, they are termed as egoistic and immature since they are incapable of following up on commitments.
Once an individual has been diagnosed with and is on adult ADD medication, it is vital that the family has a proper and extensive understanding of the diagnoses and how the behaviors related with ADD can affect the entire family. The family may be required to deal with conditions like depression, anxiety, over indulgence in alcohol, and other conditions that manifest due prevalence of ADD.
If one of the two adults in a married relationship exhibits ADD symptoms, it is important that both are susceptible to each other’s weaknesses and strengths to enable the relationship to fructify and evolve positively. In such cases both the spouses become supplementary to each other, one of them has periods of spontaneity and the other acts like a stabilizer.
In cases where the non-ADD spouse fails to appreciate the procrastination and other inabilities of the ADD spouse as being medical conditions, the ADD spouse often resorts to strange behaviors in search of novel situations. Such behaviors often manifest in the form of over spending and extra marital affairs.
Most likely, once treatment of ADD starts, couples tend to expect miracles from the cure forgetting that adult ADD medication takes time to cure and may even lead to certain temporary side effects. This leads to negating the efforts already made towards nurturing relationships with ADD patients. For this purpose, family or couples therapy has to be a central part of the overall treatment. It is imperative to remember that it takes a long time to cultivate adult ADD relationships and it may take an equally long time to make long-term changes.
Adult ADD may be an explanation but that does not mean that it be made an excuse. Instead, if an effort is made to comprehend the strengths and weaknesses it may lead to managing the conditions successfully and help in developing strategies to convert those very symptoms to an advantage.
http://www.nativeremedies.com/articles/adult-add-and-relationships.html
Children - Animal Relationship
"Animals teach us about our own characteristics.
Ask a child what is the power of an alligator, tortoise, turtle or a wild cat.
They will tell you.
So ask yourself what any animal means.
If children can do it, so can you. It is about learned wisdom.
It’s about dreams. It’s about good energy. It’s about loving all animals.
We provide this experience at CrocTalk in a language we all can understand.”
Animals are awesome. Okay, I am biased – I have had an innate interest and love for animals since I was a kid, and I currently study their behavior and evolution. But still, hopefully you agree with me on some level.
You know who else tends to think that animals are awesome? Kids. Children, generally speaking, love animals. Just look at the things that encompass the lives of children in our society: Cartoons, fables, story books, toys, and of course Disney… All heavily rely on animals as their selling points to our youngsters.
I think we should be buying into our children’s love for animals in a slightly different way: In education. Often, when trying to teach children something, half the battle lies in gaining their interest of the subject. By using animals, you may well find that you have got over that first hurdle already. And there are lots of ways in which we can use animals in education.
The most obvious example is probably the classroom pet. Some of us may fondly remember having a classroom pet. I remember mine was a Bearded Dragon. Holding him and hand feeding him crickets and worms is something I've never forgotten. We all took turns in the cleaning as well. His name was Bert! The use of animals in education in any capacity seems to be widely varied, with little structure and few guidelines. But whether through the use of classroom pets, specially-trained visiting animals, or even just through discussion about wildlife and field trips to zoos, parks, or simply out into the playground, kids can see animals in their natural habitat. I think any and all of these can offer a huge benefit to children’s social and emotional development.
Not a huge amount of research has been done looking at the use of animals in the classroom, or indeed of the human-animal bond in general. However, school children with developmental disabilities seem to have significantly more positive social interactions with each other and their teacher when an animal or a recognizable animated character ( plush stuffy of an animal) is visible in an environment such as CrocTalk Zoo or other animal facilities where an abundance of a variety of animals are visible.
I also believe that preschool children are more likely to share their stickers with other children about favorite animals which may lead us to believe that interactions with live animals could lead to an increase in positive social behaviors in general. I'm developing some stickers of our animals in particular here at CrocTalk for all of our classroom guests.
Animals have also been shown to decrease physiological signs of stress (i.e. lower heart rate and blood pressure) in clinical settings, for instance in senior centers when the y are able to interact with a dog or recognizable "pet" or in our case when we take a small crocodile and some tortoises to their center. The classroom can also be a stressful place for some children too, and if a child shows less physiological stress, it is reasonable to assume that they will benefit more from the overall school experience if an atmosphere that includes animals is prevalent.
Despite the need for more research into what exactly is going on here between children and animals, it is reasonable to assume that it can potentially have a significantly positive impact on a child’s development. Although there are still many questions to answer regarding the underlying mechanisms, in the meantime, schools should take advantage of this positive effect and try to incorporate animal behavior and welfare into the curriculum as much as possible.
I think by teaching a child about animals,
their behavior and their welfare, you are also teaching them some basics
of biology, psychology, physiology, evolution, ecology, and important
life skills like care and responsibility. I can’t help but feel that
incorporating field trips to facilities such as CrocTalk Zoo which
exhibits crocodiles, African wild cats, tortoises and turtles and so
much more in a safe clean environment is a win-win situation for
everyone.
www.croctalk.com
www.theedugator.com
Thank you J.G.Goldman in part
Ask a child what is the power of an alligator, tortoise, turtle or a wild cat.
They will tell you.
So ask yourself what any animal means.
If children can do it, so can you. It is about learned wisdom.
It’s about dreams. It’s about good energy. It’s about loving all animals.
We provide this experience at CrocTalk in a language we all can understand.”
Animals are awesome. Okay, I am biased – I have had an innate interest and love for animals since I was a kid, and I currently study their behavior and evolution. But still, hopefully you agree with me on some level.
You know who else tends to think that animals are awesome? Kids. Children, generally speaking, love animals. Just look at the things that encompass the lives of children in our society: Cartoons, fables, story books, toys, and of course Disney… All heavily rely on animals as their selling points to our youngsters.
I think we should be buying into our children’s love for animals in a slightly different way: In education. Often, when trying to teach children something, half the battle lies in gaining their interest of the subject. By using animals, you may well find that you have got over that first hurdle already. And there are lots of ways in which we can use animals in education.
The most obvious example is probably the classroom pet. Some of us may fondly remember having a classroom pet. I remember mine was a Bearded Dragon. Holding him and hand feeding him crickets and worms is something I've never forgotten. We all took turns in the cleaning as well. His name was Bert! The use of animals in education in any capacity seems to be widely varied, with little structure and few guidelines. But whether through the use of classroom pets, specially-trained visiting animals, or even just through discussion about wildlife and field trips to zoos, parks, or simply out into the playground, kids can see animals in their natural habitat. I think any and all of these can offer a huge benefit to children’s social and emotional development.
Not a huge amount of research has been done looking at the use of animals in the classroom, or indeed of the human-animal bond in general. However, school children with developmental disabilities seem to have significantly more positive social interactions with each other and their teacher when an animal or a recognizable animated character ( plush stuffy of an animal) is visible in an environment such as CrocTalk Zoo or other animal facilities where an abundance of a variety of animals are visible.
I also believe that preschool children are more likely to share their stickers with other children about favorite animals which may lead us to believe that interactions with live animals could lead to an increase in positive social behaviors in general. I'm developing some stickers of our animals in particular here at CrocTalk for all of our classroom guests.
Animals have also been shown to decrease physiological signs of stress (i.e. lower heart rate and blood pressure) in clinical settings, for instance in senior centers when the y are able to interact with a dog or recognizable "pet" or in our case when we take a small crocodile and some tortoises to their center. The classroom can also be a stressful place for some children too, and if a child shows less physiological stress, it is reasonable to assume that they will benefit more from the overall school experience if an atmosphere that includes animals is prevalent.
Despite the need for more research into what exactly is going on here between children and animals, it is reasonable to assume that it can potentially have a significantly positive impact on a child’s development. Although there are still many questions to answer regarding the underlying mechanisms, in the meantime, schools should take advantage of this positive effect and try to incorporate animal behavior and welfare into the curriculum as much as possible.
www.croctalk.com
www.theedugator.com
Thank you J.G.Goldman in part
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Croctalk's Blog (theedugator) — WordPress
Welcome folks,
Well, where do I start. I've never had a blog before so this will be my first attempt. Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I've set this up to basically speak about the progress of Croctalk, conservation efforts and updates of the facility and any news relative to our growth, expansion, fundraising etc.
First of all I am Very Grateful for all the community support that CrocTalk has received over the years. It's been a tough go but we teach "dreams" here with our school groups, youth and special needs organizations as well. Plain and simple...my moto is...
"if you have any dreams or ambitions, NEVER GIVE UP! If possible get a good education, stay at home as long as you can (sorry Mom's and Dad's) but NEVER let anyone tell you you can't do something. As long as it's moral and legal and makes YOU feel good inside.
So, that being said, lets get on with the show! I'm going to need some help here folks so remember I'm open to all helpful hints...whatever's on your mind. Keep it clean!!
Cheers
Doug Illman
Well, where do I start. I've never had a blog before so this will be my first attempt. Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I've set this up to basically speak about the progress of Croctalk, conservation efforts and updates of the facility and any news relative to our growth, expansion, fundraising etc.
First of all I am Very Grateful for all the community support that CrocTalk has received over the years. It's been a tough go but we teach "dreams" here with our school groups, youth and special needs organizations as well. Plain and simple...my moto is...
"if you have any dreams or ambitions, NEVER GIVE UP! If possible get a good education, stay at home as long as you can (sorry Mom's and Dad's) but NEVER let anyone tell you you can't do something. As long as it's moral and legal and makes YOU feel good inside.
So, that being said, lets get on with the show! I'm going to need some help here folks so remember I'm open to all helpful hints...whatever's on your mind. Keep it clean!!
Cheers
Doug Illman
Monday, October 15, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Kamloops Daily News
Teresa the Traveler came to visit CrocTalks facility in Kelowna last week. We had a lot of fun entertaing eachother and giving her some insight about our conservation efforts and t5he study and research we here about these wonderful animals. The result? Great photos can been seen at www.wheretogoandhowtogetther.com and of course www.teresathetravelor.com. Also lots of newes at www.croctalk.com as wellCheers
Doug Illman
Director of Operations
CrocTalk Zoo
Kelowna BC
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