Lets save the planet

All the time, people are leaving trash in the wrong place. Most of our trash gets stuck in the oceans, where sea creatures either mistake them as food, or don't see them, and choke on them or drown with it wrapped around their fins. You can help by picking up trash wherever you go (doing it safely, of course) reusing, recycling, and making sure your own trash goes into the right place. 

All the time, people are leaving trash in the wrong place. Most of our trash gets stuck in the oceans, where sea creatures either mistake them as food, or don't see them, and choke on them or drown with it wrapped around their fins. You can help by picking up trash wherever you go (doing it safely, of course) reusing, recycling, and making sure your own trash goes into the right place. 

Forests are being cut down for so many reasons. Some because people more woods, others because they need land. What ever the cause, deforestation destroys animal's habitats and can ultimately lead to their extinction. To help, be careful when you use paper. Try reusing paper with only 1 side filled as scratch paper.

Galapagos penguins are the only penguin found north of the equator. Most call home in  Fernandina Island, and the west coast of Isabela Island. Cool waters from the Humboldt and Cromwell currents keep the penguins at the right temperature, allowing them to live in such a dry climate. Weighing around 5.5 pounds, and 19 inches in length, these are one of the smallest temperate penguins in the world. Galapagos penguins nest on average twice a year with two eggs per clutch. Just like the penguins on and near the South Pole, they live for fifteen to twenty years. These birds are threatened by pollution, bycatch, climate change, and people introducing new species like cats, who are predators, and dogs, who can carry diseases that spread to penguins. Due to these actions and events, less than 2,000 Galapagos penguins roam the earth. 

Gray wolves are the largest member or the dog family. They can live about 6-8 years in the wild. These wolves live in packs and are also called timber wolves. The average size of these predators is 3 - 5 feet long and the tail is usually 1 - 2 feet long. Females typically weigh 60 - 100 pounds, and males weigh 70 - 145 pounds. Though the wolves in the north are generally larger than those in the south. Today, gray wolves have populations in Alaska, northern Michigan, wetern Montana, northern Wisconsin, northern Idaho, northeast Oregon, and the Yellowstone area of Wyoming. Wolves can thrive in many habitats, such as tundras, woodlands, forests, and grasslands. Although wolves hunt mammals such as deer, bison, moose, beaver, or hares, they were also hunted by humans, which is why they became endangered.

Lemur leaf frogs are very interesting creatures. Their feet, hands, and flank are yellow, and their bellies are white. A thick black line goes around each eye. They also have some black spots on their back, like small paint splatters. But this is just their colors in the day! At night, this species turns brown and gets dark gray eyes. Color can also be affected by their activity. Lemur leaf frogs are quite small, with the females 4-5 centimeters and the males 3-4 centimeters. These frogs are territorial and males will aggressively defend their territory. They live in Costa Rica, Panama, and some areas of Columbia. Their lifespan is 5-10 years. This species has lost over 80% of its population in Panama in the last 10 years because of an infectious disease called chytridiomycosis.

There are SO many dogs in shelters that are just so sweet and smart. A lot of people think that dogs from shelters are "bad" somehow, but the truth is, they probably just had bad owners. If you adopt a dog, you get a best friend who gives unconditional love. If you can't adopt, donate to a shelter. Your money will be gong to a good cause. Or you could even give toys and blankets. See what your local shelter neeeds!

Cats are wonderful pets that don't require too much work. Many people say that cats are just lazy and have no personality, but they are actually super entertaining and different from each other. You can get cuddly cats or playful cats. As a bonus, cats are almost always litter box trained! Some easy cat toys can be made my sticking a feather or pipe cleaner into a wine cork. It can be dangled for cats to bat and play with.

There are also other animals you can find at shelters, like bunnies, hamsters, guinea pigs, and birds. You can help any of these animals by getting food, supplies, or toys for any of these adorable creatures. If you still don't know what to get, just give money or ask the shelter what they they need. You might even be able to find a wish list on their website.