Wildlife Matters

VOLU

ME 1

MATTERS

Why should you care about wildlife

WOLVES

MatterFind out why inside

Be the changePage 5

MAR

CH 2

012

editorrsquos Note

Hello

My NaMe is aMaNda Good aNd i aM aN aNiMal advocate i aM a studeNt studyiNG Wildlife care aNd aN e-MaGaziNe is a Great Way to Help aNiMals tHe Most iMportaNt Way to Help save aNiMals is by educatiNG people about WHy We sHould care about Wildlife My MissioN iN tHis MaGaziNe is to Give you aN iNside look about HoW Wildlife iMpacts our lives aNd HoW every liviNG creature effects aNd affects tHe eartH We are all coNNected to a Greater circle aNd i believe tHat it is every HuMaN beiNGs respoNsibility to do tHeir part iN creatiNG a future tHat is Happy aNd HealtHy for all liviNG creatures

1 2

We share the Waterthe sKY

the LanD

Now is the timeto join togetherto protect our worldor we could lose allit gives us To learn how you can help order your freeWorld Wildlife FundAction Kit

table of coNteNts

Be the Change

3 4

Matters

Wolves

Social Media

Endangered Species

About Procyon

be tHe cHaNGeBy Amanda Good

Be nice to people

Take responsiblity

for your actions

Think before you act

Educate yourself

Listen

Take responsiblity for your health

Think outside the box

Take a stand and empower yourself

Be understanding

Be conscious of the Environment

Learn something new

Be yourself

Respect yourself Respect others

Respect the planet

Smile

Practice what you preach

Forgive

LoveDonate

Volunteer

Believe in yourself

Ask more questionsBe creative

Recycle

Conserve

Plant a tree

5 6

MattersWhY shouLD You care aBout the

environment anD WiLDLifeBy Amanda Good

7

It is important to understand what wildlife is before we can begin

to understand why it is important Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms Wildlife is found in all ecosystems Throughout each and every part of the world there is some form of distinct wildlife

According to Clemson Extension Wildlife and Wildlife Management the meaning of wildlife changed in the 1960rsquos as a more holistic viewpoint became popular during that time and has grown immensely since then

In 1973 the Endangered Species Act recognized fish and wildlife as any member of the animal kingdom including without limitation any mammal bird fish amphibian

What is Wildlife

reptile mollusk crustacean arthropod or other invertebrates (animals without a backbone) However wildlife should include all animals and their associated habitats ldquoIf we are to look at the big picture it seems unnecessary to define the term wildlife along the usually rigid and non-functional lines of a taxonomist How can we understand the ecology of a great blue heron without a thorough knowledge of the heronrsquos food source Further the relationship of an animal to its habitat is so interconnected as to add confusion in attempts to restrict the term wildliferdquo Therefore when defining wildlife ldquoWildlife Mattersrdquo believes the term includes all living organisms out of the direct control of man including undomesticated or cultivated plants and animals

Trumpeter Swan on NestNational Park Service Photography

8

ldquoThe Earthrsquos biodiversity supports human life and society We depend on other organisms at least to some degree for virtually every element of our lives Our food our medicines chemicals a variety of building materials and much of our clothing derive from living things Even fossil fuels such as coal and oil which supply most of the worldrsquos power are formed from organisms that lived millions of years ago About 90 percent of all the calories that people consume are supplied by only about

Importance of Wildlife

100 kinds of plants though there are tens of thousands of kinds of plants we might use as food As the human population continues to grow and as agricultural land becomes increasingly limited the few species of plants that supply our food may no longer be sufficient Soon people may need to look to other species to find food crops for the future But by then biodiversity may have diminished beyond hoperdquo

By Think Quest

MattersWhY shouLD You care aBout the

environment anD WiLDLifeBy Amanda Good

7

It is important to understand what wildlife is before we can begin

to understand why it is important Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms Wildlife is found in all ecosystems Throughout each and every part of the world there is some form of distinct wildlife

According to Clemson Extension Wildlife and Wildlife Management the meaning of wildlife changed in the 1960rsquos as a more holistic viewpoint became popular during that time and has grown immensely since then

In 1973 the Endangered Species Act recognized fish and wildlife as any member of the animal kingdom including without limitation any mammal bird fish amphibian

What is Wildlife

reptile mollusk crustacean arthropod or other invertebrates (animals without a backbone) However wildlife should include all animals and their associated habitats ldquoIf we are to look at the big picture it seems unnecessary to define the term wildlife along the usually rigid and non-functional lines of a taxonomist How can we understand the ecology of a great blue heron without a thorough knowledge of the heronrsquos food source Further the relationship of an animal to its habitat is so interconnected as to add confusion in attempts to restrict the term wildliferdquo Therefore when defining wildlife ldquoWildlife Mattersrdquo believes the term includes all living organisms out of the direct control of man including undomesticated or cultivated plants and animals

Trumpeter Swan on NestNational Park Service Photography

8

ldquoThe Earthrsquos biodiversity supports human life and society We depend on other organisms at least to some degree for virtually every element of our lives Our food our medicines chemicals a variety of building materials and much of our clothing derive from living things Even fossil fuels such as coal and oil which supply most of the worldrsquos power are formed from organisms that lived millions of years ago About 90 percent of all the calories that people consume are supplied by only about

Importance of Wildlife

100 kinds of plants though there are tens of thousands of kinds of plants we might use as food As the human population continues to grow and as agricultural land becomes increasingly limited the few species of plants that supply our food may no longer be sufficient Soon people may need to look to other species to find food crops for the future But by then biodiversity may have diminished beyond hoperdquo

By Think Quest

Wolves MatterWolves of ontario

By Amanda Good

About Wolves

The elusive wolf is known as a symbol for many aboriginal groups

in Ontario Wolves are found throughout Ontario and their populations continue through the southern boundary of the Canadian Shield towards Hudson Bay lowlands There are two kinds of wolves found in Ontario the gray wold and the eastern wolf The coyote is a part of the wolf family and since the wolves and coyotes territory overlaps interbreeding occurs It is extremely difficult to distinguish an eastern wolf from a coyote

Wolves live in packs ranging from two to nine wolves per pack The largest pack documented in Ontario was 19 wolves according to the ministry of natural resources Breeding season occurs during late January to March and peaks during February Females begin breeding at the age of two however the dominant

female and male are generally the only wolves that breed Female wolves will give birth to a litter of approximately three to eight pups depending on food availability Most wolves will eventually leave the pack they were born into to start their own or join another pack

Why do Wolves Matter

One of the most controversial topics in the Wildlife field is whether or not animals sustain the ecosystem The simple answer is ldquoyesrdquo Wolves play a key role in sustaining and maintaining the ecosystems in Ontario They prey on many types of mammals such as white-tailed deer moose woodland caribou elk and beaver They maintain these populations so that there is a healthy balance If wolves ceased to exist we would be overrun by white-tailed deer white-tailed deer feed on tree lichens and bark if they became

over populated there simply would not be enough tree lichens and bark to sustain the population within Ontario These animals matter as they are what sustain the ecosystems within our communities Wolves also provide food for scavengers

Wolves also generate eco-tourism wildlife photography cultural benefits and economic opportunities They are often a representation of loyalty cooperation love and care for the family and community of Aboriginal groups Their pelts are often used in ceremonial purposes in that community and are an integral part of that culture according to the Ministry of Natural Resources

ldquoThese animals matter as they are what sustain the ecosystems

within our communitiesrdquo

9 10

social MediaDaviD icke speaks

11 12

spotliGHtenDangereD species

Red-Headed Woodpecker

Photography Fred Walsh

Features A vivid red head neck and breast make the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) easily recognizable This medium-size bird (20cm) lives in open woodland and woodland edges especially in oak savannahs and riparian forest which can often be found in parks golf courses and cemetaries These habitats contain a higher density of dead trees which they commonly use for nesting and perching It is an omnivorous species feeding on insects in the summer and nuts in the winter

Status Special Concern Provincially Threatened Nationally

Range The Red-headed Woodpecker lives in southern Ontario where it is widespread but rare Outside Ontario it lives in Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba and Quebec and it is relatively common in the United States Range Maps

Threats The Red-headed Woodpecker population has declined by more than 60in Ontario in the last 20 years because of habitat loss due to forestry and agricultural practices and competition from European Starling for nest sites In some areas birds get killed on the roads when they are foraging for insects The removal of dead trees is in which it nests is also believed to be a significant factor in its decline

Protection The Red-headed Woodpecker is protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act There is no management of the species in Ontario

Information provided by the

13 14

httpwwwtinaburkecomblog_filesbird_bluefrontedamazon_zuckermanjpg

becoMe aN advocateinformation

Conservation is an effort to maintain and use natural resources wisely in an attempt to ensure that those resources will be available for future generations

Preservation is a component or part of conservation in which natural systems are left alone without human disturbance or manipulation Preservationist feel natural resources should be protected unspoiled and untouched by humans

Management is also a component of conservation that usually means controlling directing or manipulating wildlife populations and their habitats

Wildlife WordsWebsites

About Procyon

Procyon Wildlife is dedicated to working with our communities in an effort to help wild animals in need of care Our goals are to rescue rehabilitate and safely release these animals and to promote public appreciation for wildlife preservation

Procyon Wildlife is provincially licensed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and is located in Beeton Ontario Compassionate members of local and surrounding communities bring needy animals they have found to our facility for care Each year Procyon Wildlife cares for hundreds of orphaned and injured wild animals Animals are cared for by veterinarian Dr Cynthia Post and our trained staff of dedicated volunteers The animals are released into their original natural habitats as soon as they are healthy and able to fend for themselves

15 16