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Creature Features: Sea Otters

PetSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:00:05 -0700

We already know that kitty poo is bad for these sea faring guys, but what else do you know about them, other than they are totally cute?

Take my quiz about the sea otter – hey, you may learn something!

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The Scoop: Deadly Cat Poop for Sea Otters

PetSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:30:18 -0700

While not many of you were instantly on board with composting dog poop, I thought I'd mention some important information for those feline owners. A common parasite that kitties can get is actually very deadly to wildlife, like these adoro sea otters, when cat litter is not properly disposed! Cat feces can contain Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that commonly gets into feline systems from eating infected rodents, birds, or other small animals. When kitties later expel these parasites in their droppings - sometimes hundreds of millions at a time - each can survive in soil and water for over a year!

Although many different kinds of animals can serve as intermediate hosts for the parasites, cats are the only animals known to shed the parasite's eggs in their droppings. (In fact, this cat-parasite link is the reason pregnant women are advised against cleaning cat litter boxes.) Because of this danger, cat poop should not be flushed because it can then be carried via storm drains and sewage outflows into near-shore ocean waters. But, what about those indoor cats? Find out when you read more.

Even cats who don't make it outside could still be at risk from a mouse in the house, for example. In fact, California’s legislature passed a bill in 2006 to protect sea otters, in part by requiring that all cat litter sold in the state carry a warning label advising cat owners not to flush cat litter or dispose of it in storm drains. They recommend that litter always be discarded in trashbags so it will end up in a landfill where precautions are taken to prevent environmental contamination.

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Five Fun Zoo Cams to Keep You Occupied!

PetSugar — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:00:54 -0700

I looooove webcams, and I've got some time to kill before the Fourth of July fun gets started. If you're also sitting around waiting for the food to be grilled, now's a great time to check out some live zoo action. To be fair, I've included a variety of creatures as well as three cams with baby animals . . . ummm, adoro. Go ahead, blow kisses at your screen, I'm not telling.

Lions! My current zoo cam of choice, I love to check in to see what the baby lions are up to. Nevermind that I can't understand a single word on the site except for "live" (as this zoo is all the way in Norway), my glimpses of mama lion canoodling and caring for her four cubs are too precious to pass up.
Giant Pandas! Classic cam with lots of action, check out the Giant Pandas live from the San Diego Zoo. There are seven pandas there which makes spotting at least one fairly likely. And don't forget the other cams of the Apes, Polar Bears, and Elephants afterwards.

See three more webcam suggestions when you read more.

Ferrets! I already mentioned the ferret cam because of the adorable lil one, Georgia, now visible . . . she's an endangered Black-footed Ferret. This is just one of the many great action capturers at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
Beluga Whales! I couldn't forget our underwater pals. Because I'm a sucker for baby animals, I love watching Qila the Beluga and her new calf born June 10. They're both super cute (and swim a lot) so see these two (and their Sea Otters) for some splashy laughs.
Penguins! I adore penguins and the Penguins' Rock webcam has some of the most active birdies I've seen. Check out Macaroni and Gentoo penguins live from Chattanooga's Tennessee Aquarium – if you're lucky, you'll see them take a dip, too!