August 2012
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WatchZen Den Friday
Get above the fray with the Falcon Zen Den and watch them hunt at speeds of up to 125 MPH.
Once on the endangered list, Peregrine Falcons now reside in the Grand Canyon in large numbers. This LA Times article marked their first successful known breeding in decades, “Peregrine falcons, bald eagles and many seabirds in Southern California have had problems breeding in the last...
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WatchTropical Storm Isaac has finished causing damage in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, it’s hitting the tip of Cuba now, and Floridians and Gulf Coasters are battening down the hatches for a potential category one storm that is expected to hit the Florida keys and move up the west coast of Florida early next week. Hurricane season is never pleasant and while hurricane parties can keep you...
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WatchZen Den Friday
Dive into Hawaiian waters with this Monk Seal Zen Den. “Most seals are at home in frigid waters, but the Hawaiian monk seal is a rare tropical exception. Hawaiian monk seals live in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These small islands and atolls are either uninhabited or little-used by humans. They are also surrounded with teeming coral reefs” (National...
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WatchOn the rim of a volcano, smoke rises, hot lava is visible and waves crash down below while local Hawaiians cast their voices in traditional chants, paying homage to the very force which created the islands.
Did you know vulcanology has nothing to do with Star Trek? Also spelled volcanology, it is the study of volcanoes, without which there would be no Hawaii as we know it today. “Each...
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Watch7 Minute Films
Got seven minutes? Need seven minutes to rub the sleep out of your eyes and sip your Sunday morning coffee? Check these out. This one above is from the Kumu Kahua Theatre. Explore.org supports the work that Kumu Kahua does to preserve the local Hawaiian culture through theater, and to foster Hawaii’s local plays, playwrights, and artist.
The Kumu Kahua theatre...
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WatchZen Den Friday
Arctic waves crash into drifting icebergs. Molten lava oozes from craters into the Pacific. Feel the Earth breathe in this Fire and Ice Zen Den.
“Using robot-operated submarines, researchers have found deposits of glassy rock—evidence of eruptions—scattered over more than 5 square miles (15 square kilometers) of the seabed. Explosive volcanic eruptions were not thought to be...
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WatchDogma Thursday
“Current research shows that domestication of the dog occurred well before its appearance at archaeological dig sites in the arctic. The roots of the Inuit dog, or Qimmiq, date back 4,000 years.” Serving the main purpose as hunting partner, “it is widely accepted that without the Inuit Sled Dog, ancestors of today’s Inuit could not have survived. The...
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Watchexplorebears:
Share the Love, Feed the Pandas! 1love.org and explore.org have put some beautiful moments from the Panda live cams together with Bob Marley’s iconic “Is This Love” song. For every share or like of this video, explore.org will donate $1 to replant bamboo they need to survive (up to 500k). Watch and share it, now! Learn more about 1Love.
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WatchToo Cute Tuesday
At the Vancouver Aquarium, a baby beluga whale is delivered. See what this fascinating, gentle creature shares in common with social human beings. Talk about a mood ring, “calves are born gray or even brown and only fade to white as they become sexually mature around five years of age” (National Geographic).
See more Explore.org films and photos from Vancouver...
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WatchMove Over Monday
Don’t worry. We’re here to help. And so is Jack Johnson. Liven up your Monday afternoon with Jack and the backup vocals of students of Sunset Beach Elementary School. Explore.org funds programs for education and protection of Hawaiian communities and cultures. Find out more here.
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WatchThe gorillas of Rwanda are endangered by loss of natural environment and poaching, but like their human cousins, they are affected by the plight of man down below their mountain homes. Rwanda is one of a handful of countries where gorillas are found, but the small state was rocked by an ethnic genocide in 1994. The Sierra Club writes, “The threat to biodiversity from combat can also be...
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WatchBABY GORILLAS! Need we say more? Ok - Despite the high infant mortality rate (30%), the wild mountain gorilla population is actually growing, thanks to the efforts to control poaching and protect their natural habitat. Explore.org grants work that protects gorilla environment and raises awareness. Check out more about Explore.org’s focus with gorillas.
Did you know? ”A female gorilla...
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WatchIt’s Friday and that means time to chill in the Zen Den.
This California heat has us quenching for a nice summer storm. Come with us as a thundering storm softly rumbles its way across the Grand Canyon.
Fun Fact: “According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service, approximately 1,800 thunderstorms are occurring at any given time,...
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WatchDOGMA THURSDAY
Need a little Dogma to get you to the weekend? We’re almost there!
The Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation brings dogs into schools to help developmentally challenged children overcome their shyness. Explore.org grants $50,000 to the Ramaswami Aijar Foundation (through Blue Cross of India) to offer animal assisted therapy to individuals who are educationally, socially, or physically...
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#BearCam Q&A With Ranger Roy
Thanks for taking part in our #BearCam Twitter Chat on August 6th with Katmai National Park’s Ranger Roy! In case anyone missed it, here were some of the great questions and answers:
Q: Do the males fish more at the falls? Are any of the bears we’ve seen at the falls in the past weeks females?
A: Primarily large males fish the falls. Subadults will fish downstream. In the last week,...
