Director, Centre for Coastal Environmental Conservation (CCEC), Bangladesh
Today’s Date: 14 March 2007
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
Yellow Monitor Lizard, a key stone but endangered species of Sundarban (UNESCO declared World Heritage site) region made me dedicated to undertake for its conservation because the lizards are used as a bait for crab harvesting by promoting nature conservation ethics and occupational ethics among the Sundarban crab collectors. Moreover I was brought up in the village and fears while seeing them in our wild gardens and ditches when it came to home yard for eating chicks. I have the experience to observe fighting between snake and lizard several times at the back side of our home full of weeds, ditch, pond and canal linked with river.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
My village named Shialidanga under Batiaghata Upazilla of Khulna District of Bangladesh where different flora, fauna covered the area including Yellow Monitor Lizard.
Now? The wild garden, herbs and thicket disappears due to increased salinity caused by global warming.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Monkey because they are our immediate ancestors and good friend of deer by warn them making noise and throwing branches from the top of the tree in order to escape the deer from tiger at the Sundarban Mangrove Reserved Forests (SMRF)
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
Climate Change is the greatest environmental threat that the humankind has faced so far and the impacts are high for the low-lying countries situated at low altitude and nearby sea such as Bangladesh and Maldeep. Due to adverse impact of the global climate change, we will loose our Sundarban (our shelter prevent from frequent cyclone, flood and tidal bore) by next 50 years thus loose our buffer thus our pride and image of the Bengal tiger, the flagship species.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
a) ACT NOW for the conservation of our mother Earth, the planet, the nature
b) Show yourself by doing before instruct others for doing
c) Think globally and act locally
Thanks to my sister Michelle McIlroy for designing the logo!
March 26, 2007
March 10, 2007
Paul Smith
FAUNA Paraguay (www.faunaparaguay.com)
Today’s Date: 7 March 07
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
Seeing a giraffe in the zoo for the first time when I was still in a pram!
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
andalucia spain
Now? still andalucia, but also paraguay a beautiful but little visited country. San Rafael NP is the most beautiful place on earth, unfortunately it might not be around for much longer!
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
don’t have a particular favourite, least favourite is the Aedes aegyptii mosquito!
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
facing is now the biggest challenge of convincing people that it really is important! Govts know it’s important but don’t care, people in the street need to know that it is something that directly affects them! In the future I fear it might be too late to do anything about it!
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
learn to observe instead of just looking - a little bit of knowledge about an animal or plant makes it that much more beautiful and opens up doors to a whole new world of appreciation
Today’s Date: 7 March 07
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
Seeing a giraffe in the zoo for the first time when I was still in a pram!
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
andalucia spain
Now? still andalucia, but also paraguay a beautiful but little visited country. San Rafael NP is the most beautiful place on earth, unfortunately it might not be around for much longer!
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
don’t have a particular favourite, least favourite is the Aedes aegyptii mosquito!
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
facing is now the biggest challenge of convincing people that it really is important! Govts know it’s important but don’t care, people in the street need to know that it is something that directly affects them! In the future I fear it might be too late to do anything about it!
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
learn to observe instead of just looking - a little bit of knowledge about an animal or plant makes it that much more beautiful and opens up doors to a whole new world of appreciation
March 06, 2007
Fernando Simal
Manager, Washington Slagbaai National Park, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles
Today's Date: 28 02 07
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
There are too many, can’t pick one in particular.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
No, too many can’t pick one.
Now? No, too many, can’t pick one.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
No one in particular, I enjoy the set up of how the ecosystems work and truly enjoy all animals and plants. As a rock climber I envy the geckos, that’s it.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
People. Educating people, changing people perceptions. Improving social conditions, I can’t expect a person to understand and accept environmental issues if the person is hungry and can’t provide properly for his / her family. On the developed countries change the perception of the more I have the happier I will be.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Stop overpopulating and stop over consuming.
Today's Date: 28 02 07
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
There are too many, can’t pick one in particular.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
No, too many can’t pick one.
Now? No, too many, can’t pick one.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
No one in particular, I enjoy the set up of how the ecosystems work and truly enjoy all animals and plants. As a rock climber I envy the geckos, that’s it.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
People. Educating people, changing people perceptions. Improving social conditions, I can’t expect a person to understand and accept environmental issues if the person is hungry and can’t provide properly for his / her family. On the developed countries change the perception of the more I have the happier I will be.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Stop overpopulating and stop over consuming.
Steve West
biology teacher, Carlsbad High School and president, Chihuahuan Desert Conservation Alliance
Today's Date: 1 March 2007
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
These questions are difficult because there are so many possible answers. This is one of the tough ones. Cave Swallow. I started a banding program on this species in 1978 and have continued it to this year. We have banded over 18,000 individuals and have learned so much about this largely forgotten species. Seen some great country, caves and worked with over 5000 people in the project since its inception.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
Rattlesnake Springs, a small piece of National Park Service property that was purchased to provide water for the park but has turned into a great spot for neotropical migrants, T/E species and a small slice of good riparian area in the Chihuahuan Desert.
Now? Each summer I leave the country and explore a new area and have loved every place I visited. 2006-Australia, 2005-Ecuadore, 2004-Brasil, 2003-Mexico, 2002- arctic Canada, etc.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Hard to say. When I made my first trip to Africa in 1997, someone asked me what my favorite bird was. I answered Giraffe without hesitation. I know it's not a bird but it was the neatest thing I saw on the trip. I guess everything I see is my favorite.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
Overpopulation, which is fueling the threats of climate change and habitat destruction.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Every day, do something, however small, that helps the planet and all of its inhabitants.
Today's Date: 1 March 2007
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
These questions are difficult because there are so many possible answers. This is one of the tough ones. Cave Swallow. I started a banding program on this species in 1978 and have continued it to this year. We have banded over 18,000 individuals and have learned so much about this largely forgotten species. Seen some great country, caves and worked with over 5000 people in the project since its inception.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
Rattlesnake Springs, a small piece of National Park Service property that was purchased to provide water for the park but has turned into a great spot for neotropical migrants, T/E species and a small slice of good riparian area in the Chihuahuan Desert.
Now? Each summer I leave the country and explore a new area and have loved every place I visited. 2006-Australia, 2005-Ecuadore, 2004-Brasil, 2003-Mexico, 2002- arctic Canada, etc.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Hard to say. When I made my first trip to Africa in 1997, someone asked me what my favorite bird was. I answered Giraffe without hesitation. I know it's not a bird but it was the neatest thing I saw on the trip. I guess everything I see is my favorite.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
Overpopulation, which is fueling the threats of climate change and habitat destruction.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Every day, do something, however small, that helps the planet and all of its inhabitants.
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