TICKETS HERE !!!!!!

Barreleye Fish

Deep-sea creatures are known for adapting to their pitch-black habitat in amazing ways.

Barreleye fish are known for their transparent head and tubular eyes that are very good at

collecting light, and improving their vision in low light environments. If you look closely at the

picture, you may think that the two circles above the mouth are its eyes, but they are more like

nostrils. Their eyes are just below the green-looking-leaves inside their transparent head. Since

their eyes are inside their head, their head needs to be transparent in order for them to see. Their

ultra-sensitive tubular eyes help them search for faint silhouettes of prey lurking up above. The

green pigments in their eyes filter out sunlight coming from the surface of the ocean, which help

them to spot the bioluminescent glow of jellyfish and other animals – which is why they are

always looking upwards. Aside from their magnificent “headlamp,” they have large flat fins that

allow them to remain motionless in the water.

Barreleye fish video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zoygy-8PTtU

References:

https://www.mbari.org/barreleye-fish-with-tubular-eyes-and-transparent-head/

https://www.kidsdiscover.com/quick-reads/pacific-barreleye-fish-with-a-see-through-head/

A Battle Under the Sea

Known for their aggressive and territorial behavior, sarcastic fringeheads live up to their name.

They are solitary creatures and live in shells, crevices, and sometimes empty bottles from

pollution. They have needlelike teeth and will attack anyone that comes near their territory.

When another animal gets too close, they will open and shut their mouth, acting as a warning

signal. When they suspect another sarcastic fringehead intruding their space, they will try to

intimidate them by opening their mouth really wide so they can appear bigger. When the

intrusion leads to a fight, both will attack each other with their mouths open and pressed together.

The one with the smaller mouth will usually lose the battle and will swim off to find a new

home.

Watch two sarcastic fringeheads fight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRV961d0TP4

Resources:

https://blog.padi.com/2016/02/22/sarcastic-fringehead/

Port Jackson Shark

Port Jackson sharks are found on the southern coasts of Australia. They can eat and breathe at the

same time, unlike other sharks who swim with their mouths open to force water over their gills.

Their front teeth are sharp and their back teeth are flat, which allows them to grind up

crustaceans and mollusk. When they open their mouth, they look as if they are sticking their

tongue out! A recent research study suggests that Port Jackson sharks have distinct personalities

– similar to humans – that impact how they respond to stress and risk-taking. It is important to

remember that all species of sharks differ from one another, and it is wrong to categorize sharks

as one species - not all of them are dangerous. The odds of getting attacked and killed by a shark

are 1 in 3,749 - humans kill approximately 100 million sharks every year!

Port Jackson Sharks swimming in their natural habitat in Sydney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK-5VtIuC0g

References:

https://www.sharksider.com/port-jackson-shark/

Microplastics

Since the 1950’s, 9.2 billion tons of plastic have been produced – which is equivalent to the

weight of 1,600 great pyramids in Egypt. Most of these plastics end up as trash. However,

single-use plastics like plastic bags, straws, and packaging products are more harmful because

they are often not recycled. Plastics are not biodegradable, but instead, break down into tiny

pieces of plastic called microplastics. Even synthetic fibers from clothes and beads found in

personal hygiene products are forms of plastic. Microplastics are found in our ocean which

marine animals often mistake as food, which then travels up the food chain. It is estimated that

the average American adult consumes about 126 to 142 microplastics a day, and inhales about

132 to 170.

How you can help:

Reduce the amount of single-use plastics that you use!

Tedx Talk on microplastics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjsrmFUmyh4

References:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/microplastics-spread-throughout-dee

p-sea-monterey-canyon/

Straw Pollution

In the U.S., 500 million straws are used every day and 8.3 billion of them end up in our ocean.

Although plastic straws are small and durable, they can injure and kill many marine animals like

sea birds, sea turtles, seals, and sea otters. Marine animals will often mistake plastic straws for

food and will eat them. More than 1 million sea birds choke from plastic straws every year!

Straws are something that we can live without. If you absolutely need to use a straw, use

stainless steel or bamboo straws that are reusable, instead.

California becomes the first state in the U.S. to ban plastic straws! The law bans sit-down

restaurants from serving their customers plastic straws. Unfortunately this law does not apply to

to-go cups or takeaway drinks.

How you can help:

1. Reduce your plastic straw dependency.

2. Bring your own reusable straw when getting drinks.

Plastic straw pollution video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nYIkv6uoQY

References:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/07/news-plastic-drinking-straw-history-

ban/

https://www.businessinsider.com/california-straw-ban-restaurants-what-you-need-to-know-2018-

9

https://www.greenmatters.com/p/how-plastic-straws-affect-ocean-turtles

Pink dolphins live in narrow strips of coastline throughout the Indo-Pacific and Asia. They are

usually gray when born, but then take on various pinkish hues as they age. Their blood vessels

make their skin turn pink when they are active – similar to when our cheeks turn red after a

tough session at the gym. They prey on small fish from the river channels that flow into the

ocean. Their scientific name is Sousa chinensis, and their common names are Indo-pacific

Humpback Dolphin, or the Chinese White Dolphin. When a river meets a sea it is called an

estuary. Sadly, the estuaries where these dolphins live and feed have the highest levels of human

impact. Pollution from residences, agriculture, and land-based industries flow through the rivers

and into the ocean – thus destroying nutrient rich ecosystems at river mouths. Further, the coasts

are packed with fishing gear and fish farms, making it hard for dolphins to swim and get around.

Pink dolphins are listed as “nearly threatened.” If we reduce pollution in our waterways and stop

construction along our coasts, small diverse populations of marine animals, like pink dolphins,

can thrive and live happily.

Visit sailorsforthesea.org to find out how you can help pink dolphins.

Facts about pink dolphins video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QljKK0Stpho

Pink dolphins are disappearing in Hong Kong Video:

https://youtu.be/4qds3GBHqMU

References:

https://www.sailorsforthesea.org/programs/ocean-watch/plight-pink-dolphin

https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/creatura-blog/2014/08/indo-pacific-humpback-d

olphin/

Have you ever wondered how a starfish can eat and digest their food? Starfish have unique

digestive systems. Their mouth is located on the underside of their body, and their anus on the

upper side of their body. They also have tube feet with tiny projections that enable them to move

and catch prey. When a starfish eats a clam, they will push their stomach out of their mouth and

into the clam, digesting it completely in its own shell. Starfish is the common name for their

group name “sea stars” and they are related to sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and brittle stars –

starfish are not fish at all. Starfish are predators and eat anything that they can come across,

making them important predators in the shallow ecosystem. In comparison to sharks and wolves,

starfish are keystone species. Without starfish, the ecosystem, in which they live, would

dramatically change. In an experimental removal of starfish on the west coast of North America,

resulted in a rapid increased growth of mussels that crowded out other species, and dominated

the community. Starfish in that ecosystem are important for keeping mussel populations low so

other species can flourish.

What happens when starfish are removed from the ecosystem video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN5KzBVxNl4

References:

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/videos/41-role-of-starfish-in-the-ecosystem

https://science.jrank.org/pages/3758/Keystone-Species-Keystone-predators-herbivores.html

One of the many reasons why it is difficult to own a wolf or a wolf dog is because of their

nutritional needs – they have different digestive systems than domesticated dogs. A dog’s

digestive system has adapted over thousands of years, which enable them to process grains that is

found in dog food. However, a wolf cannot process grains. They require a raw meat diet, and a

lot of it - wolves can consume up to 25% of their body weight in a single sitting! Further, wolves

not only require raw meat, but organs, bones, and fur, which is similar to what they would

normally eat in their natural environment. Providing this special diet is very difficult and costly

for a wolf and wolf dog owner.

The video below shows a wolf dog eating:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goPrdqRtAt8

Resources:

https://saintfranciswolfsanctuary.org/wolves-as-pets/

https://www.thesprucepets.com/pet-wolfdogs-1237356

These adorable penguins are found on the south-western coast of Africa. In the past 30 years

there has been a 50% decline of their species and only about 20,000 breeding pairs are left – they

could possibly become extinct in our lifetime. There are many reasons for their population

decline such as oil spills, overfishing of their prey (sardines and anchovies), and guano

harvesting for fertilizer. When there are fewer fish in the sea, other predators such as seals will

target these penguins for food. Thankfully in recent years, the South African government banned

fishing in areas surrounding penguin colonies. Further, conservationists such as The South

African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) offer a rehabilitation

center for injured and malnourished adult penguins and abandoned penguin chicks.

Take a look inside of the SANCCOB rescue center:

https://youtu.be/wwH3fygSNVU

Follow the link below to help with the conservation of African penguins:

https://sanccob.co.za/adopt/

Resources:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/07/endangered-african-penguins-get-boost/

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697810/132604504

Did you know that you are 30 times more likely to get struck by lightning than being bitten by a

shark? Sharks do not actively hunt humans. There would be more cases of shark attacks since

humans are easy targets. People are attacked by sharks because they are mistaken as fish or seals

- whereas humans hunt sharks for their meat and organs. Further, sharks are very different from

one another, and only about a dozen out of 520 shark species pose a risk for humans. Knowing

the habits and behaviors of different sharks can help people stay safe.

Jaws and Paws Foundation aims to remove the stigma that sharks are a dangerous species. In

fact, sharks play many roles in maintaining a healthy balance within our largest ecosystem. One

of their many contributions is removing sick and dying fish which help prevent the spread of

diseases. Sharks help prey populations stay healthy so that generations of sea life can thrive and

flourish.

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmz3My3nUi0

Resources:

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sharkseat.html

https://eu.oceana.org/en/importance-sharks-0

Photo credit from Instagram: @sujugasim

Painted wolves are the second most endangered carnivores in Africa - with a population decline

of 99% in the past century. They are neither wolves or dogs and cannot breed with a wolf or a

dog. They are called painted wolves because of the color of their fur – brown and mottled

caramel - and because of their evolutionary development and behavior. They are often confused

with hyenas, but hyenas are more closely related with cats and mongoose. In comparison to

sharks who are deemed “killers” of the ocean, painted wolves have a bad reputation as well.

Locals believe that painted wolves are responsible for killing all of their livestock. Even though

this is rarely the case, the result is often fatal and they are either shot or poisoned. Painted wolves

are also accidental victims of bushmeat snares that are used by poachers to trap wild animals like

antelope. When one painted wolf gets trapped in a snare, members of their pack will come and

help but unfortunately become trapped as well. Another threat to their survival is habitat loss.

When their habitats shrink they are at risk of running into lion territories, catching infectious

diseases from dogs, or getting hit and injured by vehicles on newly built roads. Nicholas Dyer

photographs these beautiful creatures in hopes of capturing the public’s interest for furthering

conservation efforts.

To learn more about conservation efforts follow the link below:

https://paintedwolf.org/

Follow the link below if you want to contribute the survival of their species

https://www.endangeredwolfcenter.org/adopt/african-painted-dogs/

Watch the video below to learn more about painted wolves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxGMszYR4m0

Resources:

https://www.livescience.com/64889-painted-wolves-the-colorful-carnivores-of-the-african-wild.

html

https://www.bbcearth.com/blog/?article=whats-in-a-name-why-we-call-them-painted-wolves

Come to our new Jaws and Paws sanctuary, meet our founder and wolf pack, and drink wine! Proceeds go to our wolf dogs and rescue animals! CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS!

Buy tickets for our first ever donor event. Proceeds help us pay for veterinary bills for our wolves, habitat construction, nutrition, animal care, and conservation efforts in the wild. Meet our founder Anjali Ranadive, and receive a presentation from her on wolf conservation and wolf hybrid rescue. Eat vegan appetizers, drink vegan wine, and meet our wolf pack!

TICKETS HERE : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wolves-and-wine-tickets-72189427521

The growing demand for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has put seahorses at risk for

extinction. South East Asia and West Africa are the biggest seahorse trading exports – 37 million

are caught in the wild every year. Seahorses are dried, sold, then mixed with herbs and boiled as

tea for curing certain ailments – although none have been supported by scientific evidence.

Additionally, fishing gear such as crab nets, trawl nets, and gill nets capture and kill seahorses by

accident. When fisherman throw these nets in the ocean, the nets catch everything in its path;

including coral reefs and seagrass where these seahorses live! Eleven species of seahorses has

dropped by thirty and fifty percent over the past fifteen years. Captive breeding is the process of

maintaining animals in controlled environments (zoos, wildlife reserves, conservation facilities)

and may be a solution to help the future of these species.

Visit projectseahorse.org to learn how you can help

Resources:

https://oceana.org/blog/millions-seahorses-wind-dead-black-market-senseless-reason

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/22543/20190610/seahorses-are-being-threatened-by-illeg

al-harvesting.htm

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16&v=0IKN92-tJN0

Axolotls are in danger of going extinct. Axolotls are salamanders also known as “Mexican

walking monsters.” One of their amazing characteristics - aside from their monster like features -

is their ability to regenerate. When humans are injured, the body forms scar tissue on the

damaged site. When an axolotl is injured, they transform nearby cells to stem cells forming

bones, skin, and veins in their exact original state. Although they are wildly distributed around

the world in pet stores and research labs, they are listed as endangered species. Their natural

habitat is located in Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City, where pollution and government

interference threatens their survival. Luckily conservation projects for these species are

underway. Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas y Acuicolas de Cuemanco (CIBAC) overlooks

an axolotl open-air breeding ground that breeds and releases axolotls into the wild.

Resources:

https://globalpressjournal.com/americas/mexico/saving-axolotl-mexicos-walking-fish-requires-cr

eative-efforts/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/saving-paradoxical-axolotl-180967734/

Video:

https://pmdvod.nationalgeographic.com/NG_Video/977/315/161010-axolotl-conservatin-vin_txt

d_full_ds1602001-138__040085.mp4A

Our team at Jaws and Paws heard about Nickel through the wolf-hybrid network. The man who had him is a well known breeder/hoarder who is in the process of being shut down by authorities. We heard that one of this man’s animals, an older wolf-hybrid, needed vetting and rescuing. We drove up to Stockton, California to look into the situation and found Nickel dehydrated and bleeding from an open wound on his neck. When we approached the yard where Nickel was kept, we saw the breeder hitting him fiercely. Nickel was kept in a dingy and dusty tiny yard, with no food or water in over 100 degree weather. Luckily, the breeder cooperated and agreed to let us provide sanctuary for his hybrid. Nickel was so terrified he wouldn’t let us near him in the slightest. We rushed him straight to the emergency vet to get his wound cleaned. Since Nickel was also covered in fleas and incredibly anemic, our vet made sure to give him a ‘capstar’ (pill for dogs with flea/tick/other infestation) to kill all fleas and ticks on his body. After getting vetted, we brought him to our facility to let him rest. For days, our team sat with him, fed him, kept him company, and monitored his behavior. After many days, Nickel finally started to open up. He’s now an incredibly loving animal, and his wounds are healed. Your donations help us save lives like that of Nickel our beloved new wolf-hybrid.

ITS HARD TO FACE THE TRUTH. For those wondering how they can help the Amazon. The answer is: STOP EATING BEEF. Ranchers and loggers regularly burn the Amazon to clear way for cattle. Brazil exports 20% of the world’s beef. Everyone who is speaking up for the Amazon but eating beef at the same time needs to understand the brutal truth: you’re part of the problem. If you don’t want to stop eating beef then at least know where it’s coming from and support local ranchers. WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT THE AMAZON? WELL it is twice the size of India, and the largest tropical rainforest in the world. The Amazon produces 20% of the world's oxygen and helps stabilize the temperature of our earth. Without it, climate change could become irreversible. Here are some ways the Amazon rainforest helps the environment, and what these devastating fires could mean for climate change. The Amazon is a giant carbon sink. If it burns, that carbon will all go into the atmosphere. The Amazon contains 90 to 140 billion metric tons of carbon, according to WWF. Too much carbon in the atmosphere is one of the main reasons behind climate change. Imagine if all of that carbon was released into the atmosphere. Imagine if even a fraction of it was. The results could be devastating, the WWF says. SO ONCE AGAIN HOW CAN YOU HELL? 1. REDUCE YOUR MEAT INTAKE. 2. SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS. 3. DONATE to fantastic fundraising campaigns that are making a real difference like: https://www.gofundme.com/f/AMAZONFIRES OR https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/3-ways-you-can-help-protect-the-amazon OR https://secure.rainforest-alliance.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app326a?idb=715022046&df_id=6223&6223.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&NONCE_TOKEN=1BC28979D02A05982DD66EE07459FF4B&_ga=2.126568013.1589481002.1566612198-483935434.1566612198&6223_donation=form1

‘Argentina’s supreme court has been asked to recognize the legal rights of the South American jaguar, of which fewer than 20 individuals remain alive in the country’s Gran Chaco region.

The largest cat in the Americas once roamed the continent as far north as the Grand Canyon, but is now in decline across the entire western hemisphere.’

The South American jaguar is currently on the brink of extinction, and campaigners are looking for the court system to help save this animal. Over the past 35 years, the Gran Chaco region has lost about 30m acres of land due to soy plantations and cattle ranches. With less than 250 jaguars left in the country, and less than 20 in that specific region, lawyers representing Greenpeace Argentina argue that the supreme court should recognize the legal rights of the entire species.

‘The House has approved a bill that allows the State Department to offer financial rewards for information leading to the arrest or conviction of wildlife traffickers who target endangered elephants, rhinos, lions and other species.

The bill adds wildlife trafficking to the list of criminal activities such as terrorism that the State Department can target with rewards of up to $25 million to whistleblowers.’

Last week, the House green lit a bill that should dramatically decrease illegal wildlife trafficking in the United States. Elephants, rhinos, giraffes, lions and other animals are targeted by poachers who sell carcasses and body parts for up to tens of thousands of dollars apiece. The bill was approved on a voice vote and now goes to the Senate.

We will continue to update as this story progresses.

Our third annual shoe drive with the Boys and Girls Club was a huge success ! There is nothing better than giving back for the holiday season! Thank you so much to everyone who participated and helped ! @nani @kicxunlimited @sacramentokings @buddylove242