Circle of Friends - Guest Blog
Circle of Friends - Guest Blog
ZooGirl in Madagascar! (04-01-10)
Hey, hey, Avalon Fans!
ZooGirl here with another blogisode of my exciting animal adventures! My goal: to meet every animal across the globe and to help any in need, from a tiny ant to a giant hippopotamus!
This time, my adventures took me to the amazing island of Madagascar, home to a group of endangered animals called lemurs. I wanted to see lemurs in their natural habitat before it was too late, so I worked as a research assistant to a biologist who was studying them. With the research she collects, she helps the government create large expanses of land just for the lemurs that is protected from deforestation and humans moving in.
Lemurs are Prosimians, which means they are primates related to monkeys and apes. Madagascar is the only place in the entire world where lemurs live, which makes the island unique. The conservation of lemurs is high priority because humans have already cut down 90% of their rainforest homes. The people of Madagascar cut down trees to build house, for materials such as paper, and to create pastures for their grazing farm animals. This deforestation has caused all lemur species to become endangered, meaning there are very few of them left in the wild.
I spent two wonderful months in the rainforest. My job was to hike through the forest, find a family of lemurs, and sit and watch them all day long. Every day started before the sun came up. I would climb out of my tent in the middle of the forest, surrounded by nothing but trees and wildlife. My research team was made up of myself and four other researchers who were all from Madagascar. They grew up close to the rainforest so were excellent at guiding me through the thick trees.
After a breakfast of rice and eggs we would hike into the rainforest to find the lemurs sleeping in their beds amongst the tree leaves and branches. It is much easier to find lemurs when they are still sleeping, rather than moving swiftly through the trees, so that's why we had to wake up before sunrise. We had to watch each lemur in a family group at all times and record their every behavior, so it was important to have a lot researchers observing and taking notes. In my notebook I wrote down everything they did, including what they ate, what trees they swung from, what family member they talked to, and whose back they might be picking ticks and fleas off.
The lemurs I was researching are called Milne-Edwards' Sifakas (pronounced She-fak.) They are primarily black, but have white patches on their lower back. In order to keep their long silky fur clean, these lemurs have special claws and teeth - known as a toothcomb - that they use to groom each other and keep those furry coats clean. They are one of the largest species of diurnal (meaning they sleep at night and are active during the day) lemurs. On average, they weigh 13 pounds and are about a foot and a half long - not including their tail, which is just about as long as their bodies! Males and females look exactly the same, with big orange eyes, a small adorable face, and little rounded ears.
These sifakas have large thumbs that are movable just like ours, which they use to grip tree branches for resting, swinging, and being at home up in the trees. Spending all your time in trees means you are arboreal, and these lemurs are amazing acrobats! They use vertical clinging and leaping to move from tree to tree. That means they stay upright as they leap, then turn a half circle in mid-air to face the tree they are about to land in. They can leap over 30 feet in one jump alone! To keep up with them I was running through the rainforest, dodging fallen trees, hidden streams, and climbing up mountains sides and over tree stumps.
They spend their entire day hopping from tree to tree looking for something yummy to eat. Sifakas love chowing down on leaves, fruits, seeds, and flowers. I have even seen one hang upside down from its feet to grab a hard to get guava fruit!
They rarely ever come down to the ground, but if they need to get around on the forest floor they stand on their back legs and do a side-step hop with their arms sticking straight out for balance. This looks pretty silly, because their legs are so long they look like uncoordinated kangaroos.
Sifakas hang out with other members of their family and are rarely seen alone. Staying in family groups is very beneficial because they can protect each other from predators, help each other find food, and of course keep each other nice and clean. Females give birth to one or two babies once a year. Not only are baby lemurs the most adorable, cutest baby animal of all time, but they are also very strong. While their mother jumps 30 feet into the air and lands on a tree trunk, the baby clutches onto its mom's back or stomach fur. The babies hold on tight for the whole ride without ever falling off.
People rarely venture into the deep rainforest, so lemurs had no reason to fear humans and thought of us as just another animal co-existing with them. After a couple weeks following them, the lemurs got very used to having us sitting quietly under the trees where they were eating or sleeping. As researchers, it was very important that we not disturb the lemurs' everyday lives. We had to blend in with the forest as much as possible. As cute as they were, they are wild animals, so we couldn't touch them.
There were a few special moments when a lemur would hop down to a tree right in front of my face, almost landing on my shoulders! I loved these moments but had to keep very still and very quiet because I didn't want to scare the lemur away. Since I sat as still as a log, the lemur would continue to munch of leaves right in front of me, as if I wasn't even there, until it spotted a scrumptious piece of fruit on the neighboring tree and moved on.
Most of the time it was pouring rain. I was covered head to toe in rain gear, but I still ended up soaking wet. I didn't mind the rain that much; it was what the big drops brought down from the trees-LEECHES! Small leeches, or blood sucking worms, lived on the tree leaves. As the rain fell, the leeches fell with it. They are very small and somehow made their way through my clothing and onto my skin, where they would suck my blood until they were full. It wasn't scary or painful since they were about the size of a quarter - I just didn't like sharing my blood. But being a researcher in the field means you're exposed to all the elements of nature, just like the animals you are observing.
We followed the lemurs all day until they got sleepy and found that perfect tree to settle down for bed. They would form a long fluffy line-up of lemur bodies on the largest tree branch as they snuggled together to stay warm for the night. Leaving them to their lemur dreams, the team walked back to camp for our dinner and bedtime. The next day we would wake up and do it all again.
Although it was hard work, it was totally worth it! Being able to sit in the rainforest observing the wildlife is an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Getting excited about animals in the wild and wanting to help them is the first step to saving species that are disappearing right under our noses. I am going to keep a protective eye out and a loving heart open to all the animals we share planet Earth with. Until my next adventure, this is ZooGirl signing off! Paws off to all the animal lovers out there!
Kitty Fostering (11-24-09)
Hi, everybody! I'm Judith and I'd like to tell you about my volunteer job. I work with the Humane Society of Nevada as a kitten foster mom. Over the last six years, I've fostered more than one hundred kittens.
The local shelter gives me kittens that are too small to be adopted, and I feed them, play with them, and take care of them. In a few months, when they're old enough and strong enough, they go back to the shelter to be spayed or neutered. Then they're ready to find good homes.
Kittens are awfully fragile when they're young, and if they're abandoned and get cold or hungry that can take away their strength. Most of my kittens were found because their mother was a stray and went into someone's garage or under their shed to have her kittens. One mother cat climbed into someone's car in a parking lot and had two kittens in the back seat! I've also gotten kittens that were sent to the shelter because their mom's owner couldn't find homes for them. This is why it's important to have your pets spayed or neutered-there are enough kittens around already!
The best part of fostering is watching the kittens grow. At first they're small and shy, but then one day there will be a little purr and the next day a big purr, and then soon the kittens are climbing into my lap going, "Pet me!"
I've only had a few batches of bottle-babies, but they're very memorable. When they're only a few days old they don't even look like kittens. Their ears are folded down, their eyes are closed, they have little round heads like monkeys, and their paws feel just like raspberries. After they eat their tummies are big and round. When their eyes first open they're blue, and for a little while they point in two different directions until they get their eyeballs sorted out!
Every kitten has a unique personality. Some are sweeter, some are braver, and some talk more. They make different sounds, too. When they're tiny they just say, "Mya!" a lot, but when they get bigger they can whir and chirp. One kitten could say, "Nyo! Nyo!" when I went off to do something else without her!
Here are some interesting kitty facts I have discovered: the most common color for cats is black. The most rare color is white; I've only had one white kitten in all this time! Did you know that tortoiseshell and calico cats are almost always girls, and yellow tabby cats are most often boys? And of course, we all know that a happy sleeping kitty releases good magic.
Since I started fostering, two cats have brought kittens to me. Once a homeless cat brought me her kitten even though she wouldn't let me catch her, and once an outdoor cat that belongs to my neighbor found a stray kitten and brought it to me. They were both beautiful kittens and both got good homes. Is it just chance, or did they somehow know I'd take good care of their kittens? Could it be animal magic?
Want to foster? This is a big decision that your whole family has to make together. Here's what you need:
Can't foster? Here are some other ways you can help:
The most important thing is to let your heart reach out. Ask yourself, "What do I love?" And then ask, "How can I help the things I love?" And make that your quest.
For more information, contact The Humane Society of the United States: www.humanesociety.org/kids
Speaking Up for Animals (04-28-09)
Hi, Avalon fans! My name is Heidi. I work for The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal welfare organization. Some of my first memories are of wanting to help animals. When I was 10, my family gave a much-needed home to a shelter dog named Gretchen. As a teenager, I started volunteering for my local animal shelter, walking, playing with, or just hanging out with dogs who were scared, not knowing where they were or what their future would be. I studied pre-veterinary medicine in college and got a job as a veterinary technician. Day after day, I talked with people who didn't understand how to care for an animal properly, or that certain animals don't make good pets. I decided I wanted to help educate people on a large scale.
In my last year of college, I learned about a master's degree at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine called Animals & Public Policy. I could learn all about peoples' views of animals, laws, and other ways to protect them. Right away, I knew this was for me. That program led me to a career in animal protection. First, I did small projects for The Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary, the Massachusetts SPCA, and even a university in Sweden. Most of these jobs involved writing, research, and teaching about animal welfare. All this helped me get my first full-time job in an animal shelter planning fundraising events and projects to promote the shelter's message. But I still wanted to do more to teach others. That is what led me to come to The HSUS's youth division.
As someone who loves animals, I know that hearing about cruelty can make you feel sad and overwhelmed. But luckily we don't have to feel helpless. Kids have the power to make a big difference! Haley Ham was just 10 when her dogs were poisoned with a stew containing deadly antifreeze. She turned her sadness and anger into action by contacting lawmakers in her state. Haley's state senators in Tennessee agreed to help, and they passed a bill that requires a bittering agent be added to antifreeze so it tastes bad to animals. Twelve-year old Mimi Ausland of Oregon started the website Freekibble.com to collect food for the dogs at her local animal shelter. More than 170,000 pieces of kibble were collected in the first month, increasing to 180,000 pieces the next month. Pet stores and local businesses chipped in, and now she's started Freekibblekat.com, which collects food for cats in shelters. After learning about the Canadian seal hunt, Martin Welych-Flanagan, a 3rd-grader from New York, formed a "seal savers" club at his school. The Club members make bracelets with messages like "Save a Seal" and sell them for $1 each. All the money they earn goes to help The HSUS put an end to the seal hunt.
If you want to help animals, my advice is: choose an issue or two that you care about deeply, learn all you can, and make your voice heard, especially to your lawmakers. Don't be shy. It's their job to listen to your concerns and work for the community they serve. That includes you! Your passion will be infectious and there truly is power in numbers. I love an old slogan of The HSUS: "Animals...It's Their World, Too!"
We've made it easy for young people to be part of the work of The HSUS. At our websites just for students in grades K-6 (www.humanesociety.org/kids) and middle and high-school (www.humanesociety.org/teens), you can read about the issues, learn how to take action, and do step-by-step projects through our Mission: Humane program. We'll work with you one-on-one if you need help along the way.
That is why I am a big fan of Avalon, for making animals--and young people who help-the main characters. With inspiration from Avalon and support from groups like The HSUS, I hope you'll be a voice for animals in need.
Rani and my second puppy, Zinfindel (02-21-09)
Hi, everyone! My name is Rani and I have a very fun, very exciting volunteer job. I am a Puppy Raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind. That means I get to teach a puppy, and play with them, until they're ready to go to a Guide Dog campus in California or Oregon and learn to become a guide dog for someone who is blind.
Guide Dogs for the Blind is a non-profit organization that pairs blind people with dogs who are trained to lead them through the city, parks, grocery stores, anywhere they want to go. These magnificent dogs are trained to do an amazing job, from walking on escalators to sitting under a table at a restaurant without begging for a treat.
I raised my first dog, London, during my senior year of high school as part of an Animal Companion Science class. London went with me to the grocery store, the mall, the movies, all my classes, and even walked with me at my graduation ceremony. When I had to give him up it was one of the hardest things I had to do, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world. I got to know a wonderful dog for an entire year, and unlike math class, this homework sometimes chewed up my socks! He was my first dog and will always have a special place in my heart.
Training for very young puppies means going outside to play, being around other dogs, and learning to be handled by people without getting scared or worried. It's important to make sure they're comfortable around people. As a puppy raiser my job is to get them used to walking around malls, stores, and anywhere else I go without them having accidents and being scared. I also have to teach them to sit, stay, down and come. After they get to the Guide Dog campus in Oregon or California they are trained to lead their blind person. My job is to get them socialized enough so they can concentrate on what they're doing and be friendly to other dogs as well, without having to run and play while working. One of the hardest parts is to make sure that my puppy isn't trying to run around and play with other people and animals while I'm shopping or sitting in the classroom. Puppies can turn a ten minute shopping run into a forty minute adventure when people ask what you're doing, why you have a dog, and your puppy grabs some food off of the bottom shelf.
Guide Dogs for the Blind uses Labrador Retrievers as guides and sometimes Golden Retrievers as well, but mostly labs because they're the perfect dog for this kind of work. Labs have the perfect temperament and personality for the job. They're friendly with people and love to be around them, too, so it's a great fit.
To give back someone who's been at your side and who you've worked your best to train is one of the hardest things to do. But without these dogs, many blind people would find it much harder to get around. Knowing my puppy will be helping someone have a better life is one of the greatest feelings in the world.
In the world of Avalon, the bond between animals and people is important. The bond between an animal that helps better your life and someone else's life is strong, too. Training and raising a dog to be the best it can be is an experience that will change you forever. All the proof you need is to watch one of these animals guide someone through a store, or out on a daily walk. To those people, this dog is the greatest friend in the world.
For more information about Guide Dogs for the Blind check out their website, www.guidedogs.com.
ZooGirl (12-05-08)
Hey, guys! My name is Sarah Arnoff, aka "ZooGirl." I'm Rachel's bud and a big fan of Avalon. I'm also a zoologist, which means my job is studying and working with all sorts of different animals around the world. I have loved animals since I was small child. Growing up I was always holding on to one member of my overly large stuffed animal collection and wore clothing covered in animal prints, including my favorite tiger striped converse shoes. I started my career with animals in high school where I volunteered as a zookeeper at my local zoo. In college, I volunteered with the Bronx Zoo in New York. I was assigned the Reptile House-whoa! Some of the crazy responsibilities I had there included cleaning out a giant python's cage and feeding him rats! I also wrangled Chinese crocodiles, avoided getting eaten by the immensely large Cuban Crocodiles, and kept a Gant River Turtle happy by stroking his shell while preparing and feeding lunch to all the snakes, turtles, frogs, and crocodiles. From there I moved to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. This time I was assigned the Small Mammal House where I was in charge of taking care of various species of small monkeys, lemurs, armadillos, and porcupines. My absolute favorite part of the day was my daily afternoon visit with my lemur (a monkey-like animal that lives in the rainforests of Madagascar) friend named Ceory. I would walk into her large cage with a hand-full of snacks and she would come hopping down from the highest branch, jump onto a branch right in front of me, and stretch out her arm right above her head-meaning she wanted me to start scratching her armpit! This was also her favorite part of the day, as well, me hand feeding her while I scratched her armpits! I guess lemurs are ticklish!
After I finished college I began to prepare for graduate school so I could get my degree in Zoology. It was time for some real field work. I finally got a job in South Africa, located on the Southern tip of the African continent. I was so excited to travel to Africa since so many amazing and wonderful animals live there. So I left the craziness of New York City and went to live in the African wild. I worked in a game reserve, which is a large protected piece of land where animals can live in peace and are protected from poachers or people that want to kill them. People from all over the world come there to observe these animals in their natural home. I worked on tagging and collaring many animals-and making new friends!
My job in Africa also introduced me to my favorite species of animal, the African Wild Dog.
These magnificent animals are related to the wolves found in North America. They are critically endangered and need our help to save their disappearing population. Many of these Wild Dogs have been killed or pushed out of their homes by humans that need their land to make their own houses and grow crops, so I found my first mission: I had to help save them! Many people living in Africa are scared of Wild Dogs, thinking that they will eat their livestock or hurt them, but the truth is, Wild Dogs are more scared of us then we are of them! My job was looking after the Wild Dogs, making sure they were safe and happy. Every day I would drive for miles and miles looking for the dogs, making sure they were hunting and getting enough food. When I did find them I would write down everything they did, ate, who they played with, talked to, and associated with. As a zoologist, one of our main jobs is collecting scientific data on animals, meaning taking notes when observing an animal in their wild home. The more information you have on an animal the easier it is to save those that are threatened or disappearing from our planet.
Together we can all make a difference to save animals! By educating the world about animals, getting people excited about helping out, and even just caring for them will make a difference. Hundreds of species are being killed daily as the human population grows bigger and bigger and need more and more of the animals' land. Without animals, our planet will not only be a very boring place but also be thrown completely out of whack! I love animals more than anything and it would make me so sad to see them disappear from our beautiful planet- so I am doing everything I can to stop it. My goal: to meet every animal in the wild and try and make sure that they will always have their wild homes to live in.
Until the next adventure, this is ZooGirl (Sarah), signing off!
Music is Magic! (11-13-08)
Hello, Avalon readers! My name is Debra Davis, and I write a lot of the songs for Avalon and the musical lyrics that are in the books. I guess you could say I'm the fourth member of Be*Tween! I love the Avalon series because it is so creative and all about girl power and being kind to other people and animals and respecting nature. Avalon stories are so colorful and exciting that it's easy to write songs for these stories and characters.
As a singer and a songwriter, my life has been wrapped around music since I was very young. I'm always singing a song in my head (or out loud!), singing to the radio or CDs, and writing my own music to tell my story and share my feelings. Music is a storyteller, weaving a magical spell of sounds and lyrics to enchant, entertain, and share true emotions. Music helps you understand yourself and others, too. After all, music is a common language everyone all over the world can recognize.
And music really does make powerful magic. Whether it's a catchy melody, a driving rhythm, sparkling harmonies or all of the above that captures our ears, music makes us feel something when we hear it. A song can make us smile, cry, celebrate, reminisce, laugh, think or chill out, and music always makes us grow and become stronger. And sharing music with friends is the most fun of all!
Keep reading, keep listening and singing along making music with Avalon!
Frankie's Blog (10-07-08)
Hi, all Avalon fans! I am so excited to have this opportunity to be the first fan of Avalon and Rachel Roberts to write to all of you. My name is Frankie (Francesca), I am 13 years old, and I live in Northern California. I found my first Avalon book, The Song of the Unicorns, at my school's book fair when I was 9 years old. The book immediately captured my attention because it was filled with magic, adventure, and animals. I read the book within a week and then searched the book front to back to see if there was another book about Avalon. Needless to say, I was very happy to find out Avalon: Web of Magic was a series of books that I was able to read over the next few years.
My connection with Rachel and the books of Avalon, have a lot to do with the love for animals. I live on a ranch north of San Francisco, California with my family. I am the 5th generation of a dairy family. On our ranch we milk and raise cows. I also show my cows in competitions at the local fairs. On the ranch there are more than 600 cows, and I personally own 10 of them. Some of their names are Sarah, Nelsi, Aurelia, Judy, Emily, Adriane, and Rachel (yes, I named her after Rachel Roberts and some of the other names are from characters of Avalon, too). Other animals on our ranch include dogs, cats, bunnies, and 2 fish. Sometimes we get to take care of our neighbor's lambs. Someday maybe Rachel will come out to our ranch when she's in need of a new animal character for her books. ; )
Well, I hope this is going to be a new start for all of us "Avalon fans" to connect and share our stories of why we love Rachel and her magical books!!!! Everyone, do not forget to go out and get, Spellsinger, so we can discuss Rachel's newest book on this blog.
-Frankie
