In 1900 there were 100,000 cheetahs in the world. By 2006, due to loss of habitat and prey, the number of cheetahs has declined to just 12,000. That's why I founded KidsLoveAnimals.com, which is dedicated to educating kids and their families about endangered species. If you love animals, please bookmark this site. In future posts we will take you along on our personal journey to Save the Animals through our KIDSLOVEANIMALS.com DVD series.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Reticulated Giraffes of Samburu

Do you remember the scene in Jurassic Park when Sam Neill & Laura Dern see a living dinosaur for the first time? Their jaws dropped and they stood there in complete and utter awe. That's the way I felt when I saw my first reticulated giraffes in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. These gentle giants stand as tall as 18 feet (5.486 meters) and move with such brilliant majesty and grace. See for yourself by watching the video clip from "KidsLoveAnimals.com's African Safari" DVD.
  • CLICK here to watch these RETICULATED GIRAFFES on VIDEO
  • (If the audio sounds funny, hit pause for a second and let the video download a bit before you hit play again.)
  • CLICK here to watch same video clip at Google Video

  • How many vertebrae do you think that giraffes have in their necks?
    a). Seven
    b). Ten
    c). Fifteen
    Take a guess and I'll answer this question in my next post.

    Tuesday, January 24, 2006

    Walking With Giants - African Elephants

    African elephants are the world's largest land mammal and can weigh as much as 13,000 pounds (5,896.7 kg). Males may grow to be 21 feet (6.4m) in length and with their trunks they can reach as high as 23 feet (7m) to grab leaves from trees.

    At Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon, you can make special arrangements to walk with elephants, or even give them a bath. It's amazing to get up close and personal with elephants and touch their rubbery hairy skin.
  • wildlifesafari.org

  • Click here to learn more!

  • Have you ever touched an elephant?

    Thursday, January 19, 2006

    The Big Cats of the Masai Mara - Kenya, East Africa

    Lions are common in the Mara and can be found during the day resting in the shade of bushes and trees along the small streams that cut through the savanna.



    Unlike lions, who live groups, leopards are solitary cats. They usually hunt at night and spend their days resting high up in trees, safely out of reach from lions and hyenas.

    Because leopards and the lions tend to hunt at night, cheetahs hunt during the light of day to avoid confrontation. In addition, cheetahs are often found in the middle of grassy plains where they can watch out for both prey and predators.

  • Click here to see another big cat at FREAKS OF NATURE

  • Click here to see a silly cartoon about lions in Kenya
  • Sunday, January 15, 2006

    Can You Identify This Zebra?

    This is the largest of the three species of zebras, and it is mainly found in Northern Kenya and parts of Ethiopia. It is estimated that there are fewer than 3500 of these animals left in the world. Of this number, 17% of them live on land that is owned by the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

    WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS ZEBRA?

    A) Grevy's Zebra
    B) Mountain Zebra
    C) Plains Zebra

  • CLICK HERE FOR CLUES TO THIS QUESTION
  • Wednesday, January 11, 2006

    Burchell's aka Plains or Common Zebra

    Of the two species of zebras in Kenya, the Plains Zebra is the most common. I photographed this zebra in Masai Mara National Reserve.
    To learn more about zebras, go to:
  • www.awf.org/wildlives/151
  •