Animal of the Week: Wedge Tailed Eagle

The wedge tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Australia. With a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters and a length of over one meter, the wedge tailed eagle is an amazing sight soaring through the air. Wedge tailed eagles can be found around Australia, including Tasmania as well as in southern New Guinea. They are comfortable in many habitats including forest, open plains or mountainous regions.

Adult males will hold the same territory throughout the year and one paired will help a female build a nest in the fork of a tree. A wedge tailed eagle pair will often have several nests around their territory. At mating time the pair will perch close together and preen each other. The male will also perform elaborate flying displays including diving downwards at great speeds towards his mate before changing direction and soaring off just a few meters above her. She will either ignore him or join him in flight where she will fly with him upside down or performing tricks such as a loop-the-loop.

Once the eggs are laid incubation lasts for about 45 days. A good season will produce two chicks although it is common for one chick to kill it's sibling. In arid, drought affected areas, pairs may hold off on breeding for several years. The young eagles depend on their parents for food for up to six months after hatching. They leave only when the next breeding season approaches.

Wedge tailed eagles will spend hours soaring around their territory without a wing beat or effort, regularly reaching 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) and sometimes considerably higher. Their keen eyesight extends into the infrared and ultraviolet bands. This helps them spot prey and allows them to see rising thermals, which they can use to gain altitude while expending little energy.

Increased human activity has increased the in some ways been beneficial to the wedge tailed eagle. A large portion of their diet is carrion and with increased amounts of roadkill you can often find wedge tailed eagles feeding on the side of the road. Some times they will congregate around carrion in numbers in their thirties. However it is uncommon for more than one to eat at once. While one is feeding the rest will stand around digesting and waiting their turn.

Since European settlement, the introduced rabbit and Brown Hare have become the primary items of the eagle's diet in many areas. They display considerable adaptability, and have sometimes been known to team up to hunt animals as large as the Red Kangaroo, to cause goats to fall off steep hillsides and injure themselves, or to drive flocks of sheep or kangaroos to isolate a weaker animal. Wedge-tailed Eagles may also kill young calves.

The IUCN conservation of the wedge tailed eagle is "Least Concern", however the Tasmanian subspecies is listed as endangered with fewer than 200 breeding pairs in the wild. One danger to them are wind turbines (click here for a news article). However the increase in road kill and the reduction of the number Tasmanian Devils, another carrion eater, is helping their plight.

Eagle Medicine
Eagle medicine is the connection to the Great Spirit. Eagle soars high above the land and thus is closer to the heavens that man can be. Send your prayers to Eagle, and he will rise above the chaos to meet Great Spirit and return, with a vision for you.

You too must take flight. It is time for you to soar to great heights. You must have a willingness to face the extremes, to push yourself to your limits. Through facing these challenges you will undergo a great spiritual initiation and reach a new zenith of your self growth. It is time to go beyond your dreams.

If eagle has come into your life it is a reminder that it is time to reconnect with the universe and your reasons for being here. What is your path and how are you contributing to the Greater Good? If you are not clear, connect with the eagle, ask him to aid your contact with the Great Spirit. He will bring you answers and then, like eagle, set your eyes on the target and take flight.

In your spiritual pursuits, you must still remember to stay grounded and connected to the Earth. Eagle's strong talons ensures he has a strong grasp wherever he lands. You too must not get lost up in your head with your spiritual pursuits.

Animal of the Week: Panda

Having visited zoos around Australia, Europe and North America I feel like I have seen a lot of animals. I've seen the common place zoo standards like orang utans and giraffes to animals I hadn't heard of until I saw them such as the okapi and fossa. However there is still one well known animal I am yet to see. It seems this mysterious animal is just as hard to find in the wild. Recently an intrepid group of "seekers" dispatched by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) couldn't find a single animal on a five day campaign. The animal in question, the panda. The good news is panda seekers did find footprints and droppings, summarising that 33 pandas resided in the area. Click here to see the full story.

The panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca meaning black and white cat foot) is a bear native to central-western and south western. While some animals around the world have become really adaptive in their diet and will eat whatever is available, the panda's diet still consists of 99% bamboo. There are about 25 different species they will eat. Unfortunately bamboo is difficult to digest and obtain nutrients. This causes the panda to be slow moving in nature. They will tend to sit in one spot and eat all the bamboo within arms reach before moving again. Due to their diet they also have to defecate up to 40 times a day. In captivity they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared feed. Pandas have one more digit than humans, five fingers and a thumb. This thumb is actually a modified sesamoid bone, which helps the giant panda to hold bamboo while eating.

In the wild pandas are generally solitary and territorial animals. They use vocalisations and scent marking to mark their territory. Pandas can climb trees and take shelter in hollow trees and rock crevices. Thus, unlike some other bears they do not hibernate and will more often move up and down the mountain ranges to likable temperature regions throughout the year. Mating happens between March and May when the female comes in to esterous once for a days. Copulation with a male will last for 30 seconds to five minutes and the male will attempt several matings to ensure fertilisation. After 160 days a single cub is born. If twins are born in the wild the mother often will only nurture the strongest and allow the weaker to die. Part of the reason is she is unable to supply milk for two as pandas can't store fat.

Unlike many other endangered animals that are spread around the world to ensure genetic diversity, China keeps a firm grip on pandas in captivity. In the 1970s China would loan pandas to North American and Japanese zoos as a form of diplomacy. However in 1984 this ceased and pandas are now lent out on 10 year loans with a borrowing fee of about $US1 million a year with a provision of any pandas born overseas still belong to China. Since 1998, due to a WWF lawsuit, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service only allows a U.S. zoo to import a panda if the zoo can ensure that the PRC will channel more than half of its loan fee into conservation efforts for the giant panda and its habitat. A 2006 New York Times article outlined the economics of keeping pandas, which costs five times more than that of the next most expensive animal, an elephant.

The panda is listed as Vulnerable by IUCN. Their main threat is habitat destruction, and to a lesser extent poaching. Estimates range between 1,000 and 3,000 still remaining in the wild. Some believe that panda populations are starting to increase. This is largely due to the increase in panda reserves being established. In 2006, there were 40 panda reserves in China, compared to just 13 reserves two decades ago.

Panda Medicine
The panda teaches gentle strength. Although they have the power to attack a human, they rarely do unless they are provoked. You can be strong without flaunting or proving your abilities to the world. If a panda has presented itself before you now is the time to combine your gentleness with strength. Focus on the project with your full attention to avoid problems.

If the panda is bringing you a message about a particular event then know that the early stages will be difficult. When a panda cub is first born it is only three to four ounces, making it's mother nearly a thousand times larger. Initially the mother must help the newborn eat, stay warm and defecate. Life is not easy for a panda in the beginning. This message reflects the beginning of an event or task you have ahead of you. Know though that you can prevail. The panda, although often birthing twins will reject one, leaving it to die. The ability to focus will help you in this event. You too must focus on one path and not get distracted by another less important one.

For those whom panda is a totem, so too is bamboo. Like the panda, bamboo resembles strength but is extremely flexible. It is valued in many Asian countries where it is used for all sorts of things, from being a delicacy to scaffolding. Strength does not have to mean stubbornness. Show flexibility while not breaking from your core principles.

Animal of the Week: Okapi

Part giraffe, part zebra, part antelope is what the "spare parts" animal the okapi look s like. Not discovered until 1901 the okapi lives in tropical rainforests of northeast region of Democratic Republic of Congo. At first sight the okapi may look like it is related to the zebra from it's black and white striped rear. However closer inspection shows how it is the only living relative of the giraffe with it's long, blue, prehensile tongue and the male's short, skin-covered horns called ossicones.

If the okapi is a living relative of the giraffe then why are they much shorter, standing at a height of about 5ft compared to a giraffe that can be up to 17-20ft tall? This is simply the result of evolutionary response to living in different habitats. In the rain forests, branches of leaves are lower so the okapi does not require the height, the giraffe does on the African plains.

Okapis are herbivores, eating tree leaves and buds, grass, ferns, fruit, and fungi. Many of the plant species fed upon by the okapi are poisonous to humans. Faeces analysis has also shown that okapis will eat charcoal from trees burnt by lightning strikes.

Finding an okapi is rather difficult to find in the wild. Living in dense rain forest with their water-proof, multi-coloured coat hides them well. They also have strong hearing and will run when they hear humans. Furthermore, they are generally solitary animals, so you are unlikely to find more than one within an area unless it is a mother with young (usually just one) or during breeding times. Males are territorial and will fight off intruders.

Although okapis are not classified as endangered, they are threatened by habitat destruction and poaching. The world population is estimated at 10,000–20,000. The changing politics of central Africa and the continued loss of habitat threaten the beautiful okapi. Fortunately, in 1952, one-fifth of okapi habitat in Africa’s Ituri Forest was set aside as a wildlife reserve. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, with support from San Diego Zoo Global, other zoos and conservation organizations, and the local people, continues to protect and to support study of this rare and unusual forest dweller.

Okapi Medicine
Okapi medicine is that of silent truth. By listening and not reacting, okapi shows us truth without fear.
Okapi suggests we must learn to remove our self from rigid thinking. Okapi also encourages us to meditate more. It is a time to slip through life unseen and unheard.

Tuning into okapi can also give clairvoyant abilities, for they see both the present and the near future.
The okapi’s black and white stripes are associated with spirit and form, density and light and represent polarity on the earth plane. Those who hold this medicine often carry life lessons relating to polarity.

The okapi expresses the concepts of "being different, uniqueness and individuality". This is one of the okapi's greatest gifts. It can also draw on different energies as needed making.

If the okapi has appeared to you recently, it may be trying to pass on a message related to the above information. It may appear in reality, dreams, pictures, conversations or any other form.

Animal of the Week: Redback Spider

The Redback spider is part of the widow family of spiders gaining their name from the female who is especially recognisable by a red stripe on her abdomen. Although widows are found around the world, Redback’s are endemic to Australia, found throughout the country. Small populations have been found in the U.K, U.A.E, Japan and New Zealand due probably being introduced by being transported by transport planes or ships.

They are considered one of the most dangerous spiders in Australia due to their neurotoxic venom. However less than 20 deaths have ever been reported, probably because the antivenom is commercially and readily available. Most bites are from females spiders which are larger than the males. Records show that most bites occur in the warmer months of December to April in the late afternoon or evening. As the female rarely leave their web it bites are usually due to someone getting too close to her web or placing their hand in a dark space such as a dark hole or wall cavity. Symptoms of a bite include pain and swelling at the bite site, chest and/or abdominal pain and excessive sweating. If bitten by a Redback, apply an ice pack to the bitten area to relieve pain. Do not apply a pressure bandage as venom movement is slow and pressure worsens pain. Seek medical attention and if possible collect the spider for positive identification.

The female is larger at 1cm, compared to the 3-4mm males. Males do not create a web but rather hang around the edges of a female’s web which is distinctly messy, often holding small, white egg sacks. He will make overtures to see if she is ready, but he must be careful as sometimes she mistakes him as prey. It has been found that in order to occupy the female's attention during mating, the male spider offers her his abdomen by standing on his head and 'somersaulting' his abdomen towards her mouthparts. The female begins to squirt digestive juices onto the male's abdomen while the first palp is inserted. If he is not too weak, he will manage to withdraw, and then insert the second palp. She will continue to 'digest' his abdomen. Most males do not survive this process.

Redback spiders will prey on king crickets, trapdoor spiders, and small lizards that get caught in their web. Their predators are two other species of spider, Daddy-long-legs Spiders and White-tailed Spiders. Redbacks can survive for up to 100 days without food. The average male lives for six to seven months while a female will live for two to three years.

Spider Medicine
Spiders are the weavers of the web of life. One myth involves deer one day asking spider why all the lines in her web looked like symbols. Spider replied that she was creating the first alphabet for humans so they could record and pass on knowledge. Deer rebutted and said humans already have pictures that they draw of their experiences. “Earth’s children are growing more complex and future generations will need to know more,” explained spider. Thus, spider has the ability to see the future and create your destiny.

Spider teaches us to do the same. Set up your life and weave your web to attract what you need. Spider also heeds a warning. Do not get distracted or caught up in the web, otherwise you may become the victim of another’s plan or simply the tangle of the web of life.

The spider’s body is the shape of the ∞ symbol, being made up of a prosoma (head part) and an abdomen. Thus spider also reminds us life offers us an infinite number of choices. Their eight legs also represent the four winds of change and the four directions in the medicine wheel OR the quarters and cross quarters of a magical circle.

Animal of the Week: Grizzly Bear

The grizzly bear is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America. It is thought to have descended from the Ussuri brown bear that crossed from the Russia to Alaska about 100,000 years ago. The word grizzly refers to their grey hairs within their fur that give them a grizzled look. However in 1815, American naturalist George Ord, mistook this for the word "grisly" and gave the animal the Latin biological name of Ursus arctos horribilis.

Although grizzlies are within the order of Carnivora and have the digestive system of a carnivore their diet is that of an omnivore. Their main prey includes moose, deer, sheep, elk, bison, caribou and even black bears. In coastal areas they will also eat salmon, trout and bass. This higher protein diet tends to make them larger than inland grizzlies. Other parts of their diet are made up of tubers, berries, nuts and grasses. In some areas they will also eat landbugs, ants and bees.

Grizzlies' strongest sense is smell. Some scientists believe grizzlies can smell something up to 29 kilometers (18 miles) away. This can lead to them pursuing carrion or catches of other animals.
An interesting battle for food has been commonly observed between grizzlies and grey wolves. Often a grizzly will sniff out when a pack of grey wolves has caught something like an elk. The grizzly will try and take over the carcus but not without a good flight from the wolves. The wolves will use tactics such as one wolf distracting the grizzly while the others feed. Sometimes the grizzly will come under attck from several wolves. The attack is normally in the form of a few nips from the wolves in the hind legs. To combat this the grizzly will simply sit down and defend itself from all directions.

Gizzlies play a vital role in the ecosystems within which they live. Apart from being an apex predator they also aid germination of some plants. When eating whole fruits they will later excrete the seeds were they have been observed to successfully grow. Spruce trees near salmon populated rivers have also been found to be richer in nitrogen, due to salmon carcasses being carried into the forests by the grizzlies. This acts as a form of fertilizer. Grizzlies foraging also helps to airate soil.

A common myth is that grizzlies, as well as other bears, hybernate. This is not actually true, rather they go into a state of dormancy. In true hibernation, an animals body temperature drops to a few degrees above freezing and if disturbed it takes a couple of hours to wake up. Although grizzlies temperature is somewhat lower than normal, it isn't as low as true hibernators. During winter sleep, bears are alert and easily aroused. True hibernators such as ground squirrels, marmots, etc rouse themselves several times during the winter to eliminate body wastes. Bears, on the other hand, do not urinate or defecate during their winter sleep.They will genrally, settle in to their often self-dug dens after the first serious snowfall as it is then safer from other predators. Females will give birth during this time. They generally give birth to between one and four cubs, every three years. At birth, the cubs will weigh about 500g and will survive by cuddling up to their mother and drinking her milk. Their life span in the wild is between 15 and 18 years, in captivity 28-32 years.

Grizzlies used to exist all the way down to Mexico but their range has reduce over the years due to human actions. One popular place for seeing them is within Yellowstone National Park. Unfortunately just 600 grizzly bears remaining in Greater Yellowstone and now the federal government is challenging the Greater Yellowstone Coalition's 2009 court victory that put the bears back on the Endangered Species list. Although numbers have increased in recent years, many believe that it is too early to relax the conservation of these magnificent animals. With continued pressure of further development there is a risk that grizzly habitat may become diminished.

Can you imagine travelling to Yellowstone and knowing that there are no grizzly's left. Click here to sign the petition requesting that Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar keep grizzly bears on the Endangered List and thus ensuring they are still around for your next visit to the park!                                    

Bear Medicine
In many traditions the bear symbolises healing. To the Ainu people of the northern islands of Japan, the bear was a mountain God. Among Finno-Ugric people the bear was God of Heaven. In India, bears are believed to prevent sickness.

The bear is also known for it's dormancy in winter. It retreats to the dark cave or den to be by itself. This is part of the bear's survival adaptations, giving them strength for the next cycle's warm weather. Resting in winter can help you to be prepared and strong for the next Spring.

If bear has come before you it may be time for you to retreat to your inner cave for a while. Go inward, reflect, rest and relax and heal yourself from the inside out.

Animal of the Week: Albatross

Albatrosses are a group of large sea birds found around the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific. They are absent from the North Atlantic, although fossil remains show they once occurred there too. Of all the flying birds they are some of the largest with the species the Great Albatross having the widest wingspan of any living bird exceeding 340 cm (11.2 ft). All albatrosses have the great flying ability, using dynamic soaring and slope soaring to fly great distances with little exertion. They can stay in the air for hours on end without resting or even having to flap their wings.

Albatrosses are carnivores with a diet consisting mainly of fish, krill and squid. They obtain this via scavenging, surface fishing or diving. They do not migrate each year in search of food but rather radio tracking has revealed they will disperse over large areas in search of food. When it comes to water they simply live of sea water. They get rid of the salt which drips from its ‘tube-nose’, which makes it look like the bird is crying.

When it comes to breeding they will form large colonies on coastal areas. They prefer very remote islands with little human interruption and will quite happily nest amongst other species of albatross. A male-female pair will form a bond that will last for several years to life after a male has attracted her with a ritualised mating dance. The breeding process is a lengthy one as it can take a year from egg laying to fledgling. Considering they only lay one egg per breeding cycle, this is a huge investment. Depending on the species the chick will be in the air within 3-10 months.

Of the 21 species recognised by the IUCN, 19 are considered Threatened. Factors affecting their survival include feral animals such as rats and cats and over fishing declining their food stocks. However a horrific threat is caused by long line fishing. The birds are attracted by the smell of the bait but then become hooked in the lines and drown. An estimated 100,000 birds are killed this way each year. Unregulated pirate fisheries exacerbate the problem.

Organisations such as BirdLife International (www.birdlife.org and www.savethealbatross.org  are working so that relevant international agreements are implemented that will benefit both the birds and the legal fishing industry. They also work locally with fisherman to improve practices. To find out how you can help save the albatross visit http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/albatross/howyoucanhelp/

Since albatrosses depend on the wind to fly and sailors depend on the wind to sail, the albatross became a good omen to sailors. The albatross features in a poem about what happened to a sailor when he killed an albatross. The poem is called 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'.

Albatross Medicine
The albatross signifies long periods of time. The breeding and chick rearing process is a lengthy period plus these birds are renowned for their ability to soar for long periods of time. People who have been drawn to the albatross may be seen as dreamers or unfocused, drifting from one focus to the next without a strong commitment. However as they albatross patiently awaits for the right opportunity, they teach us to do the same. Be open and aware of signs and when they come you must act. Once you have found what you need, it can sustain you for a long time, even the rest of your life.

Animal of the Week: Raccoon

The raccoon although considered a pest by some, is one of the most adaptable mammals in the Northern Hemisphere. Although it’s primary habitat is the forests of North America, it’s versatility has enabled them to successful live in urban areas. Raccoons boast extremely dexterous front paws plus a high level of intelligence. Studies have shown that raccoons can remember solutions from tasks from three years ago. Due to accidental escapes and deliberate introductions raccoons are now also found in Europe and Japan.

Racoons were originally believe to be solitary animals but evidence exists suggesting small groups of related females and separately, unrelated males will defend a territory from intruders. In captivity raccoons have lived to up to 20 years but in the wild the average life span is only two to three years. In the wild the coyote, fisher, bobcat, red fox, and great horned owl prey upon raccoons while in urban areas humans, especially cars are their biggest danger. Good news is that the racoon is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Endangered List.

Raspberries, black cherries, beechnuts, acorns, corn, apples, and fungi are some plant materials prominent in the diet of the omnivorous raccoon. Birds such as ducks and their eggs, turtles and their eggs, mice, voles, bats, cottontails, muskrats, ground and tree squirrels, fish, snakes, and frogs are examples of raccoon prey. Invertebrates (insects, earthworms, freshwater mussels, and especially crayfish) are a major dietary component, too. The raccoon eats both the flesh of dead animals (carrion) and garbage. It was once believed that raccoons wash all their food but this is a myth. They have been observed washing food in captivity but this is now believed to be behaviour to reenact finding food in aquatic environments.

Raccoon distribution - native and introduced

Raccoons are best known for the black eye masks resembling that of a bandit or villain. This has given them a reputation for mischief both in mythology and in today’s popular belief. There are different beliefs on how the mask assists raccoons in day to day life. Some believe that the contrast between this and lighter rings around the eyes help with communication via facial posturing and expression. Another belief is that the black reduces glare, thus increasing visual ability at night.

The most important sense for raccoons is touch. They have extremely sensitive pads on their paws with almost two-thirds of the area responsible for sensory perception in the raccoon's cerebral cortex is specialized for the interpretation of tactile impulses. This is more than in any other studied animal. When it comes to vision, raccoons are believed to be colour blind or at least have a poor ability in distinguishing colours. However they seem to be great at recognising green light.

If you are having problems with raccoons, here is a helpful website http://www.raccoonfacts.net/

Native American Folk Tale
Ever wonder how raccoon got his mask? The Seneca tribe tells the following story;
A long time ago, Raccoon had no mask. It was the coldest winter ever. Raccoon had to follow people around and steal food. One night, my people lit a fire to keep them warm. It was a cold night. The fire had gone out. Raccoon quietly crept up to the longhouse. Raccoon put his nose down to sniff out the food. His nose fell on the hot ashes of the fire, which had burned out only recently. It stung horribly, and Raccoon put his nose in the snow to cool it down. Now the ashes are stuck to Raccoons face forever. The moral of the story is not to steal from people, for there are consequences.

Raccoon Medicine
Much of raccoon medicine revolves around their famous mask. Raccoons are able to disguise themselves and sneak around subtly. Do you need to do the same? Raccoon medicine can teach you how to become dexterous in the masks you wear. The raccoon holds the knowledge of how to change our faces. Raccoon holds the knowledge of transformation through masks and disguise. This knowledge can be applied to religious and ritual practices or within normal everyday life. Do you need to present a different face to people for greater success? Are you hiding your true self? Are others hiding their true self? Raccoon can help you find the answers.

Raccoon also encourages us to use this skills to benefit those less fortunate than us. Raccoon is like the good Samaritan or Robin Hood. Ensure that you are using your versatile skills for the greater good.

If a raccoon has shown up, you may see its influence for an extended time. If you are trying to make changes or endeavoring to hide changes you are making from others until you are in a better position, plan on using about a 20-week cycle. You will find it more effective.

Animal of the Week: Cougar

The cougar, also known as the mountain lion, puma, mountain cat, catamount, mountain screamer, painter or panther, is the second largest cat in the Americas following the jaguar. It actually holds the Guinness record for the most amount of names. It has over 40 in English alone! This is probably due to it’s wide distribution. It has the widest range of all American land animals ranging from the northern Yukon in Canada to south in the Andes. Due to over hunting the cougar’s presence in the east coast of North America has been almost eliminated. However in recent years there have been sightings in Chicago, Connecticut and Quebec.

The cougar, although growing to a size of 65kgs (145lbs) is more closely related to the domestic cat than the Big Cats (lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards). It is the largest cat that can purr. Cougars have a great skill set which has ensured their survival throughout their range. They cat leap vertically over 5m (16ft), and horizontally more than 13.7m (45ft). That means they could jump over a school bus the long way. They are also the fastest animal in the Americans, capable of a top speed of 65kph (40mph). Cougars can also climb trees and swim.

The cougar's range

The cougar is a apex predator, helping maintain populations of other species in it’s habitat. In various regions, it must compete with other predators, such as the larger jaguar, brown bears, grey wolves and in Florida the American alligator. Yellowstone National Park completed a fascinating study of inter-predator relationships and found that brown or American black bears visited 24% of cougar kills in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, successfully seizing just 10% of carcasses. When it comes confrontations with the grey wolf, the outcome depends on numbers. A pack of grey wolves has been witnessed killing a cougar and her kittens, while a cougar can easily kill as solo grey wolf. In the southern portion of its range, the cougar and jaguar share overlapping territory. The jaguar tends to take larger prey and the cougar smaller where they overlap, reducing the cougar's size in these areas.

Cougars utilise the stalk-and-ambush method to hunt a variety of animals from insects to large ungulates (hoofed animal). Depending on their range cougars will catch animals such as big-horned sheep, elk, deer, elk, moose, armadillos, capybaras as well as livestock. Studies of cougar hunting suggest they will kill a large ungulate about every two weeks. This increases to about once every three days when a mother has cubs. The cougar will drag the catch to it’s favoured spot where it is hidden and revisited it over several days to eat.

One of the two cougars at Toronto Zoo

Fortunately the cougar is considered of Least Concern on the IUCN endangered list. It is listed as CITES I forbidding the export of live animals or parts. Cougars are protected in Canada and much of South American however regulated hunting is still permitted in the USA.

Cougar Medicine
Due to it’s power and grace the cougar appears in mythology and beliefs throughout the Americas. The sky and thunder god of the Inca, Viracocha, is associated with the cougar. In North America, to the Apache and Walapai of Arizona, the wail of the cougar was a harbinger of death. You can hear the call in the video below. Amongst the Anishinaabe the cougar or puma clan was responsible for healing and protection of the people.

The cougar or mountain lion holds similar metaphysical traits to that of it’s larger counterpart on the plains of Africa, the African Lion. The cougar stands for leadership. Cougar encourages you to take leadership of your life and the situations you are in. Do not allow someone else to dictate your destiny. Like a mother cougar, you may have developing kits looking up to you. If so, you must protect and guide them to also be great leaders.

Animal Of The Week: Jaguar

The jaguar is the third largest of the Big Cats, smaller only to the lion and tiger. One source of confusion for some is the differences between a jaguar and a leopard as they are both similar looking spotted big cats. Firstly you would find a jaguar in the Americas from Southern United States and Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Leopards, on the other hand, are found are found in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

The build of a jaguar tends to be more stocky and muscular than that of the leopard. Spots on both jaguars and leopards will vary from individual to individual as well as between species but in general, the jaguar coat has larger rosettes in smaller numbers. The rosettes usually are darker, have thicker lines, and enclose smaller spots. The leopard's coat has smaller, fainter rosettes in larger numbers. Leopard rosettes usually don't enclose spots. However one similarity is melanism, the condition which makes the coat appear black. In both species, the rosettes can sometimes be seen in the right light.
A melanistic jaguar occurs in about 3-6% of the population. Although melanistic jaguars appear all black, under the right light you will see the black rosettes over a black background. Whereas some mutations may disadvantage animals in the wild, this variation in colour does not seem to, hence the commonness of the trait.

Evidence exists that there is also a colony of non-native melanistic jaguars or leopards inhabiting the rainforests around Sydney, Australia. A local report compiled statements from over 450 individuals recounting their stories of sighting large black cats in the area and confidential NSW Government documents regarding the matter proved wildlife authorities were so concerned about the big cats and the danger to humans, they commissioned an expert to catch it. Click here to read the Sydney Morning Herald story.

Jaguars play an important role in the rainforest ecosystems in which they live. Being a predator at the top of the food chain (apex predator) they ensure that numbers of the animals they prey on are kept under control. When hunting they are stalk and ambush predators and will willingly go into water if necessary. Once they catch their prey they use their strong jaws to crush the skull, an unusual technique for cats. Their choice of prey has been identified as up to about 87 different animals including caiman (a form of small alligator), deer, capybara, tapirs, peccaries, dogs, foxes, anacondas, frogs, mice, birds, fish, sloths, monkeys, turtles and armadillos. Some jaguars will also take domestic livestock, including adult cattle and horses. Jaguars, like all big cats (except lions) are solitary animals only coming together to mate throughout the year or when a female is raising cubs.

Jaguars are listed as Near Threatened by IUCN. Their range still remains large but is reducing due to deforestation. Direct human actions are also causing a decrease in jaguar numbers. International trade in jaguars and their parts is illegal but poachers are still an issue. Jaguars can often come off second best when they come in to conflict with local farmers or ranchers defending their livestock.

Jaguar Medicine
The jaguar has been respected by many cultures through time including the ancient civilizations of the Mayans and Aztecs. It was a animal revered for it’s power and stealth. One Mayan myth discusses how the jaguar would watch over humans looking for any dishonourable behaviour. Jaguar would devour individuals, either in real life or in dreams, bring justice for their misdeeds.

Jaguar medicine reminds us that we must use our power for the greatest good, just as jaguar does, using it’s power to maintain the balance of the ecosystem. We must show compassion, behaviour impeccably and live with integrity. In other words, listen to your higher self rather than the ego and use your personal power for obtaining your highest potential.

Animal Of The Week: the Snowy Owl

The Snowy Owl is one of the largest species of owl and in North America on average is the heaviest owl. In summer Snowy Owls are found in the Arctic tundra of the northernmost stretches of Alaska, Canada and Eurasia. In winter they will migrate south. They have been reported as far south as Texas, Georgia, the American Gulf states, southern Russia, northern China and even the Caribbean.

The thought of living in the Arctic Circle for many of us is a daunting one but the Snowy Owl is well adapted to life in this habitat. The feathers of males are practically all white, while females and young do have dark spots making camouflage easy. Their feathers are also very thick and extend all the way to their talons.

While trees are the chosen nesting place for most birds, these are few and far between in the regions where the Snowy Owl inhabits. They usually build their nest on the ground, preferably on a boulder or mound of dirt. They will sometimes take over abandoned eagle nests. The female will lay 5-14 eggs, one every other around May. They will hatch approximately five weeks later, making them all Geminis and Cancers. Both parents will protect the nest and help raise the young.

Snowy Owls main diet consists of lemmings, mice and other rodents. A Snowy Owl must eat about 7-10 rodents a day and will eat up to 1,600 lemmings a year! Other prey when rodents are in short supply includes hares, muskrats, marmots, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, prairie dogs, rats, moles, ptarmigan, ducks, geese, shorebirds, ring-necked pheasants, grouse, American coots, grebes, gulls, songbirds, and even other raptors, including other owl species. While most owls are nocturnal the Snowy Owl will hunt just as successfully in day light or at night time. They show great patience and will sit and wait for prey. Once their prey is identified they will attack from the ground or air. They also will take fish near the surface of the water by swooping on them.

Once their prey is caught they will eat the entire animal. Snowy Owls like others owl species have developed a special way of dealing with the unwanted parts of the prey they eat. Several hours after an owl eats, the fur, bones, teeth & feathers of its prey are still in the gizzard are compressed into a pellet the same shape as the gizzard. Once formed, the pellet moves up from the gizzard to the proventriculus, where it remains before being regurgitated. Owls can't eat while a fully formed pellet is present, blocking the digestive track. When an Owl is ready to produce a pellet it usually closes its eyes, gets a funny look in its face, doesn't want to fly and, when the pellet is ready to come out, the beak is opened and the pellet simply drops out. Other birds of prey, such as hawks, also produce pellets but the owl’s digestive juices are less acidic than those of other birds of prey, so there is more material present to form a pellet.

If you are ever trying to locate a Snowy Owl, you are unlikely to hear them calling as they tend to remain silent outside of the breeding season. During the breeding season males have a loud, booming "hoo, hoo" given as a territorial advertisement or mating call. Females rarely hoot. Its attack call is a guttural "krufff-guh-guh-guk". When excited it may emit a loud "hooo-uh, hooo-uh, hooo-uh, wuh-wuh-wuh". Other sounds are dog-like barks, rattling cackles, shrieks, hissing, and bill-snapping. Nestlings "cheep" up to 2 weeks of age, then hiss and squeal.

The good news is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Conservation list.


Snowy Owl Medicine
The Snowy Owl uses great patience to hunt and teaches us to do the same. Be patient and know that what you need will come. Also know that when the time comes, you are equipped with what you need to handle the situation, just as the snow owl is adapted to living in the icy climates and hunt and digest their prey. Like all owl they are associated with wisdom and prophecy, having the ability to see the unseen, know the unknown. Snowy Owls seem to have the ability to migrate to places where food is plentiful and foresee famine areas.

Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, female arts, crafts, justice and skill. She is often depicted with an owl on her shoulder or head. It is said the owl would reveal unknown truths, thus ensuring what she spoke was always the truth.

For the Oglala Lakota Indians, (one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people) the Snowy Owl represents the North and the north wind. They also were admired and respected by the tribe. Warriors that excelled in combat wore a cap of owl feathers to symbolize their bravery.