Tattoo by Stephen Knight.
This curious creature can be found only in Australia along the eastern shore. One of the strangest mammals on earth, the platypus lays leathery eggs similar to a snake or lizard. Instead of nipples, the female platypus secretes milk from two round patches of skin, which the young slurp up with rhythmic sweeps of their stubby bill. Males are unique too, having a venomous spur on each of their hind legs. The toxin these spurs deliver is strong enough to kill a small dog!
Tattoo by Tony Sklepic.
While most know that zebras’ stripes serve as camouflage for protection from predators (when grouped together, their stripes make it hard for a predator to see just a single individual), there remains the conundrum of: Is it a black coat with white stripes, or a white coat with black stripes? Continue reading
A lot has been happening here at Bush Warriors and some great thing are on our horizons, which we will soon be sharing with you. Our global tribe has grown bigger and stronger, and some major influential figures in entertainment, business, and politics are keeping an eye on us and our activities.
As you know, the Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation’s Tattoo of the Day has been a huge success around the world, with both tattoo and wildlife lovers.
Tattoo by Phil Garcia.
Known for their loud barks, playful nature, and intelligence, California sea lions are a prolific species that can be found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. They are listed as being of ‘least concern’ on the IUCN, can often be found resting together at favored haul-out sites. Weather fluctuations during El Nino have produced harmful algae blooms. These toxic blooms result in a build up of domoic acid, which causes sea lions (and other animals, even humans) to have seizures, tremors, head waving, unresponsiveness, and characteristic intermittent scratching behavior. First reported in 1998, hundreds of these animals are affected annually by the deadly bloom. Domoic acid poisoning is the single most important toxic cause of illness and mortality in sea lions. The Galapagos sea lion, a close relative to the California sea lion, is worse off in terms of conservation status. Listed as ‘endangered’, the species has faced large die-offs during El Nino years, and disease outbreaks have occurred with the introduction of domestic dogs to the islands of San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Isabela.
Remember: Tattoos are forever… and so is extinction. To see all of the FANTASTIC art featured on Bush Warriors Tattoo of the Day, and to learn more about this initiative, please click here. You can also share photos of your own wildlife tattoos and enjoy others’ at our Facebook group, Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation.
Tattoo by Den.
This curious creature can be found only in Australia along the eastern shore. One of the strangest mammals on earth, the platypus lays leathery eggs similar to a snake or lizard. Instead of nipples, the female platypus secretes milk from two round patches of skin, which the young slurp up with rhythmic sweeps of their stubby bill. Males are unique too, having a venomous spur on each of their hind legs. The toxin these spurs deliver is strong enough to kill a small dog!
While the platypus is listed by the IUCN as a species of ‘least concern’ and is protected by the Australian government, there are several emerging threats to their continued existence. Mortality rates are increasing along their northern range, as a result of intensified patterns of flooding and drought driven by global climate change. Also, poor land management has caused bank erosion, stream sedimentation, poor water quality, and heavy metal contamination. The continuation of these practices will only lend to further mortality and decreased reproduction.
Remember: Tattoos are forever… and so is extinction. To see all of the FANTASTIC art featured on Bush Warriors Tattoo of the Day, and to learn more about this initiative, please click here. You can also share photos of your own wildlife tattoos and enjoy others’ at our Facebook group, Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation.
Tattoo by Jeff Gogue.
The Ring-Tailed Lemur is a primate native to Madagascar. They are considered ‘near threatened’ by the IUCN, and their numbers are declining. The two greatest threats to this lemur are hunting and habitat loss. Scientists believe this species’ population has undergone reduction of at least 20-25% over just the last 24 years.
Madagascar is one of the most fascinating places on earth. An isolated island, it is responsible for 36% of all primate families and houses all of the world’s 50+ species of lemurs. Researchers continuously find new species of plants and animals on the island. In fact, a new lemur species was discovered just last week. It is a long-tongued, squirrel-size lemur and has yet to be named. The species was first found in 1995 by Conservation International President and primatologist, Russ Mittermeier. However, he was unable to follow up on his find until this past October.
“It is particularly remarkable that we continue to find new species of lemurs and many other plants and animals in this heavily impacted country, which has already lost 90 percent or more of its original vegetation,” said Mittermeier. Indeed, Madagascar suffers from some of the most extensive habitat destruction and deforestation on our planet. This new discovery highlights the fact that we are likely losing species faster than we can find them.
Remember: Tattoos are forever… and so is extinction. To see all of the FANTASTIC art featured on Bush Warriors Tattoo of the Day, and to learn more about this initiative, please click here. You can also share photos of your own wildlife tattoos and enjoy others’ at our Facebook group, Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation.
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Tattoo by Pepa Heller.
After the media frenzy that has ensued following the bizarre and rare shark attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh, it’s no wonder so many people have an unnatural fear of these prehistoric creatures. Sharks are not furry and cuddly. Even still, they possess a beauty that tugs at the fabric of our egos. Powerful and sleek, they glide through the ocean with elegant efficiency. Four hundred million years of evolution has resulted in one of the most efficient marine predators, making the shark one of nature’s most fascinating examples of natural selection.
While some might think the shark is the ultimate predator, it is really humans that are truly the killers. Man is hunting many shark populations to the brink of extinction. Roughly 73 million sharks are killed for their fins every year. Some shark populations have declined by as much as 99% in the past 35 years and there are no multinational limits on shark fishing anywhere in the world, let alone regulations for international waters. Studies have shown that when shark populations crash, the impact cascades down through the food chain, often in unpredictable and deleterious ways. We depend on oceans to give us life on this planet, the marine ecosystem relies on these predators, and now these magnificent creatures are relying on us.
Remember: Tattoos are forever… and so is extinction. To see all of the FANTASTIC art featured on Bush Warriors Tattoo of the Day, and to learn more about this initiative, please click here. You can also share photos of your own wildlife tattoos and enjoy others’ at our Facebook group, Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation.
Tattoo by Jason Goldberg.
The Red Panda is a small, arboreal, omnivorous mammal that is listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is found in China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and India. Sadly, red panda populations are undergoing a significant decline and it’s estimated there are now fewer than 10,000 mature individuals remaining in the wild.
To save the red panda, we must first protect its habitat, as habitat loss is the number one threat to their existence. Logging and other types of deforestation have reduced a great deal of the forests this animal relies on. These activities have also upset the delicate balance that exists between the forest’s dense root systems and the soil. In Nepal, the lack of the dense root systems has caused the rich soil to cascade down mountainsides during monsoons, burying communities, destroying habitat, and leaving human and animal death in its wake.
In Bhutan, this critter is hunted for its fur, which is used to make hats. In China, Red Panda pelts can be found in many local markets and poaching pressures have furthered population decines, and has even led to extinction in some areas. Red Pandas are protected in all of the countries where they are found, with the exception of Myanmar. In China, the species fortunately receives increased protection where it occurs within Giant Panda reserves.
Remember: Tattoos are forever… and so is extinction. To see all of the FANTASTIC art featured on Bush Warriors Tattoo of the Day, and to learn more about this initiative, please click here. You can also share photos of your own wildlife tattoos and enjoy others’ at our Facebook group, Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation.
Tattoo by Oleg Turyanskiy.
A few interesting facts about lions:
Remember: Tattoos are forever… and so is extinction. To see all of the FANTASTIC art featured on Bush Warriors Tattoo of the Day, and to learn more about this initiative, please click here. You can also share photos of your own wildlife tattoos and enjoy others’ at our Facebook group, Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation.
Tattoo by Hayley Lakeman.
Sea otters are social animals that can sometimes be found floating in groups (called rafts) of more than 100 individuals. They spend the majority of their time in the water, even giving birth in the frigid sea. Their coat is invaluable- keeping the animal’s skin dry. Unlike other marine mammals that have a thick layer of blubber to keep warm, sea otters have a thick underfur that traps air to form an insulating, waterproof barrier against the cold water. This fur can consist of up to one million hairs per square inch! If a sea otter’s coat is soiled or contaminated with foreign substances, like oil, it will lose its insulating properties and the otters can die from hypothermia as a result.
Due to the fur trade in the early 1900’s, the number of otters plummeted from over one million to a mere 2,000. Intense conservation efforts in California, Alaska, and Canada has helped to stabilize their numbers. Although the sea otter population is considered stable, subpopulations in some areas are continuing to decline for unknown reasons. Sea otters are currently listed as ‘endangered’ on the IUCN Red List, and continue to be threatened by oil spills, chemical and biological pollutants, habitat loss and degradation, reduced food sources, disease, fishing gear entrapment, and conflict with shellfish fisheries.
Remember: Tattoos are forever… and so is extinction. To see all of the FANTASTIC art featured on Bush Warriors Tattoo of the Day, and to learn more about this initiative, please click here. You can also share photos of your own wildlife tattoos and enjoy others’ at our Facebook group, Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation.
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