Nature Lover - Blog Posts
Inner Child Love 💞
- Illustratum Paradoxon
Fitz was rescued by the SNC a few years ago and is now one of our cutest educational animals.
Because he is not one of the two types of native wild rabbits found in Florida, he cannot be released. But don't worry, he gets plenty of love and care.
Importance of Volunteering
If you are a high school student, volunteering is probably a requirement for graduation. Finding an organization to volunteer with can be challenging, especially during a global pandemic. There are a couple of resources that can help you find opportunities. Before we get to those, I want to encourage you to think about your interests and what you hope to get out of your volunteer experience. I also want to encourage you to look beyond fulfilling a graduation requirement. Volunteering provides you with experience that you can list on your resume and if you stay with an organization for a while, it can lead to references and letters of recommendation. I always remind my volunteers to treat their volunteer position like a job. Just because you are not getting paid does not mean you’re not acquiring work experience.
Where to look
Hands on Broward is a database of volunteer opportunities in Broward County and it allows users to search for opportunities based on their interests and location. Volunteer Connect is Volunteer Florida’s opportunity portal. It runs on the same software as Hands on Broward and is another resource I recommend to anyone interested in volunteering.
Different organizations use these platforms in different ways. At the Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital we use Hands on Broward to recruit episodic volunteers. This means that volunteers that sign up for these opportunities are not making a long-term commitment to us. You can volunteer once or multiple times, but you are limited to the dates and times posted.
If there is a specific organization, you are interested in start by visiting their website. Often, organizations will have volunteering information online. Be sure to read the requirements carefully and follow the instructions provided. If you have questions give them a call or send an e-mail if one is provided. Depending on the organization some volunteer opportunities will have age requirements. For example, our volunteer program has two different tracks based on age: Junior Volunteers are aged 13-17 and Adult Volunteers are 18 and older.
How to be a great volunteer
I am fortunate to work with amazing volunteers daily. They show up and do great work every single day. Our most successful volunteers understand our mission and how it relates to their assigned position. It is for this reason that I encourage volunteers to find something that aligns with their interests and goals. Please start your search early so that you are not scrambling to complete your hours with only months left to spare. Due to Covid-19 a lot of volunteer programs are operating at a limited capacity if they are operating at all.
Lastly, use volunteering as an opportunity to practice important skills such as speaking on the phone and writing professional e-mails. If you need to excuse yourself from a shift or need to ask a question it is a good idea to do it yourself rather than rely on an adult to do it for you. I love hearing from my volunteers and I especially like to see students taking an active role in the management of their volunteer role.
Learn more here: https://sawgrassnaturecenter.org/2020/11/17/finding-volunteer-opportunities-for-high-schoolers/
Our resident turkey vulture is a little cheeky. Notice how he poops whenever he sees our caretakers. It’s almost like he knows we’re coming to clean up the place!
EN|| Sharks are one of the most endangered animals on planet Earth, it’s estimated that in the last 50 years their population has been reduced by 70%. There’re 17 different species of shark in danger of extinction, like this one in the illustration, the Carcharias Taurus. This problem is especially significant in the Atlantic where fishing fleets can deploy 1,200 km of fishing lines with 28,000 hooks where all kinds of animals are trapped, especially sharks. Furthermore there’s also the indiscriminate fishing of the babys, which, taking into account that most shark species are characterized by having a low reproductive rate, a slow growth rate and late sexual maturation, makes it impossible for sharks to overcome their population decline, making them very susceptible to overfishing. On the other hand, climate change also affects sharks, the water temperature is increasing, the oxygen content of the water is decreasing, especially in coastal areas, and the waters are becoming more acidic. One of the main reasons why protection measures have not been put in place for these species is because the shark meat market has many economic interests, since it’s used for cosmetics, nutrition products and food. Sharks, due to their importance in the food chain, play a fundamental role in the sustainability of marine life and in the ability of these ecosystems to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Protecting them has to be a priority! 🦈 Information from @greenpeace_esp @greenpeace
ES|| Los tiburones son uno de los animales más amenazados del planeta Tierra, se calcula que en los últimos 50 años su población se ha reducido un 70%. Hay 17 especies distintas de tiburón en peligro de extinción, como este de la ilustración, el Carcharias Taurus, también llamado tiburón Toro o “Solraig clapejat” en catalán. Este problema es especialmente significativo en el Atlántico donde la flotas pesqueras pueden llegar a desplegar 1.200 km de líneas de pesca con 28.000 anzuelos donde quedan atrapados todo tipo de animales, sobretodo tiburones. A todo esto se le añade la pesca indiscriminada de crías, que teniendo en cuenta que la mayoría de especies de tiburón se caracterizan por tener una baja reproductividad, una tasa de crecimiento lenta y una maduración sexual tardía, hace imposible que los tiburones se sobrepongan al declive de su población haciéndolos muy susceptibles a la sobrepesca. Por otro lado el cambio climático también afecta a los tiburones, la temperatura del agua esta aumentando, el contenido de oxigeno del agua esta disminuyendo sobretodo en las zonas costeras y las aguas se están acidificando. Uno de los principales motivos por los que no se han creado medidas de protección para estas especies es porque el mercado de la carne de tiburón mueve muchos intereses económicos, ya que se usa para cosméticos, productos de nutrición y para alimentación. Los tiburones, debido a su importancia en la cadena trófica, tienen un papel fundamental en la sostenibilidad de la vida marina y en la capacidad de estos ecosistemas para mitigar y adaptarse al cambio climático. Protegerlos tiene que ser una prioridad!🦈 Información de @greenpeace_esp @greenpeace
ES|| Aquí tenéis el retrato finalizado de la adorable Haizea que seguro que allá donde esté estará corriendo entre la nieve o entre las flores y las mariposas y durmiendo en sofás y camas muy altas, tal y como le gustaba a ella! Es increíble lo mucho que se hecha de menos a estas criaturitas peludas… Ella no vivía conmigo pero sus visitas era maravillosas y seguro que seguiré echando de menos sus miradas pidiendo compañía (o comida!). La verdad es que ya hace bastante que tenia acabada esta ilustración pero hasta ahora no os lo había enseñado, no sé si ha sido por todo el trabajo que tenia entre manos o si no me veía con ánimos para ello… En fin! Espero haber captado toda su belleza y ternura! ♥️ Deseo que os guste! EN|| Here’s the finished portrait of the adorable Haizea who wherever she is I’m sure is running in the snow or among the flowers and butterflies, and sleeping on very high sofas and beds, just the way she loved it! It's amazing how much these furry little creatures are missed when they are gone... She didn't live with me but her visits were wonderful and I'm sure I'll continue to miss her and her looks asking for company (or food!). To tell you the truth it's been a while since I finished this illustration but until now I hadn't shown it to you, I don't know if it was because of all the work I had in my hands or if I didn't have the strength for it... Anyway! I hope I’ve captured all of her beauty and tenderness! ♥️ I wish you like it!
https://www.instagram.com/annaflorsdefum/
ES || Sigo con la cuenta atrás con un dragoncito confinado. 2020 fue un año muy extraño, muchas cosas desaparecieron o se reinventaron y una de ellas fue el Sant Jordi. Pero el hecho de no poder salir a las calles no detuvo a nuestra protagonista que pidió libros a las librerías de confianza del barrio para poderlos ir a buscar cuando fuera seguro y con un tazón de infusión de hierbas curativas se puso a releer sus libros preferidos acompañada de su eterno y fiel compañero, un precioso rosal.🌹🐉 EN || I continue the countdown to Sant Jordi with a confined little dragon. 2020 was a very strange year, many things disappeared or were reinvented and one of them was Sant Jordi. But the fact of not being able to go out on the streets didn’t stop our protagonist who asked for books from the neighborhood's trusted bookstores so she could pick them up when it was safe, and with a large cup of healing herbs infusion, she began to reread her favorite books accompanied by her eternal and faithful companion, a beautiful rosebush.🌹🐉
Abril es tiempo de dragones así que he pensado que en los próximos días os iré mostrando los dragones que he hecho los años anteriores para celebrar Sant Jordi. Aquí va el primero que hice ya hace unos cuantos años, un dragoncillo azul que lee acomodado dentro de las rosas. Shh! No hagáis ruido no queremos desconcentrarlo!🌷📖 April is the season of dragons so I thought in the next few days I’ll show you the dragons I’ve made in all the previous years to celebrate Sant Jordi (the Catalonian festival of books and roses). Here’s the first one I did a few years ago, a little blue dragon who reads nestled inside a rose. Shh! Don’t make any noise we wouldn't want to deconcentrate it!🌷📖
ES || Ya estamos en la primera semana de Abril!! ☀️ La parra que tengo en el balcón empieza a revivir sacando todas sus nuevas hojitas verdes, el Sol sale resplandeciente cada mañana, las palomas torcaces ya inspeccionan los nísperos para poder-los degustar justo al madurar y yo, por fin, he acabado dos de los tres proyectos que tenia entre manos! A pesar de esto aún seguiré liada unos cuantos días y no sé si podré pasarme por aquí muy a menudo, así que, de momento, aquí os dejo un esbozo de parte de uno de los proyectos en los que he estado trabajando últimamente, una rosa silvestre para celebrar el mes de Abril! Espero poderos enseñar más cosas pronto! Disfrutad de la primavera! EN || We’re in the first week of April already!! ☀️ The vine I’ve on the balcony is beginning to revive, taking out all its new green leaves, the sun rises resplendent every morning, the pigeons are already inspecting the medlars so they can taste them just as they ripen, and I have finally finished two of the three projects I had ongoing! Despite this, I'll still be very busy for a few days more and I don't know if I'll be able to come by here very often, so for now, here's a sketch of part of one of the projects I've been working on lately, a wild rose to celebrate the month of April! I hope to show you more things soon! Enjoy spring!
ES|| Los tiburones están gravemente amenazados (incluso hay muchas especies en peligro de extinción) esto es debido sobretodo a su pesca indiscriminada para vender sus aletas. Y, aunque parezca mentira Europa contribuye enormemente y es una zona caliente de comercio de aleta de tiburón. Desde 2003 el finning está prohibido en Europa, y desde 2013 se permite pescar algunas especies de tiburones pero sin descartar el cuerpo. Sin embargo, la legislación europea sigue permitiendo el comercio de aletas a granel de especies no protegidas. Cuando se transportan solo las aletas la identificación de la especie es muy difícil, especialmente porque los envíos suelen mezclar diferentes tipos de ellas, lo que da lugar a que se comercie fácilmente con aletas de especies protegidas y de ejemplares capturados de forma ilegal. Los tiburones están en la cúspide de la cadena trófica y juegan un papel fundamental en el equilibrio marino, regulando y equilibrando la vida que hay en ellos y ayudando a preservar sus ecosistemas. Evitar la catástrofe medioambiental que supondría la desaparición de los tiburones pasa por poner freno a este lucrativo negocio. Para ello es necesario que Europa deje de exportar aletas de tiburón y no facilite el comercio a través de su territorio. Solo quedan 4 días para que finalice el termino para firmar la iniciativa ciudadana europea para proponer un cambio legislativo que prohíba el comercio de la aleta de tiburón. 🦈 Corred, animaros a firmar! Podéis encontrar el enlace y toda la información en @stopfinningeu_spain @stopfinningeu Os dejo la ilustración de un tiburón toro (especie en peligro de extinción) que quería hacer para evidenciar la belleza de los tiburones y el mundo marino, además de dar a conocer esta lucha. Más adelante os la enseño acabada! Información extraída de @stopfinningeu_spain
EN|| Sharks are seriously threatened (there are even many species in danger of extinction) this is mainly due to their indiscriminate fishing to sell their fins. And, oddly enough, Europe contributes enormously and is a hot spot for the shark fin trade. Since 2003 finning has been prohibited in Europe, and since 2013 it has been allowed to fish some species of sharks but without discarding the rest of the body. However, the European legislation continues to allow the trade of fins of non-protected species. When only the fins are transported, the identification of the species is very difficult, especially as shipments often mix different types of fins, leading to easy trade in fins from protected species and illegally caught fins. Sharks are at the top of the food chain and play a fundamental role in the marine balance, regulating and balancing the life in them and helping to preserve their ecosystems. Avoiding the environmental catastrophe that would mean the disappearance of sharks involves putting a stop to this lucrative business. This requires Europe to stop exporting shark fins and not facilitate trade through its territory. There are only 4 days left before the end of the term to sign the European citizens initiative to propose a legislative change that prohibits the shark fin trade. 🦈 Run, I encourage you to sign! You can find the link and all the information at @stopfinningeu I leave you with the illustration of a sand tiger shark (endangered species) that I wanted to do to highlight the beauty of sharks and the marine world, as well as shine a light on this fight. Later on I will show you this illustration finished!
ES || La navidad ya está a la vuelta de la esquina, seguro que a estas fechas ya tenéis todos los regalitos para vuestros seres queridos, pero si aun no sabéis que pedir a Papa Noel, los reyes o el tió, os traigo una idea: El calendario Montessori del año que viene! Lo podéis encontrar en catalán de @estrellapolareditorial y en castellano de @kidsplanetlibros . Este año viene repleto de naturaleza, representando las diferentes estaciones del año en diferentes entornos. Cada mes tiene una actividad Montessori para los más peques y dos actividades extra al final. También podréis encontrar los días importantes señalados, así como el cambio de luna! Además viene con una pagina de pegatinas para poder colocarlas en tus días especiales, los días que hace un sol alucinante, los días de lluvia, los cumpleaños, las excursiones, etc. Y si te quedas sin pegatinas siempre puedes hacer tu los dibujos, escribir o pegar gomets (o pegatinas de toda la vida) de colores!☀️🍁❄️🌻 EN || Christmas is just around the corner, surely at this time you already have all the gifts for your loved ones, but if you still don’t know what to ask Santa Claus, the three kings or the “tió”, I bring you an idea: The calendar Montessori next year! You can find it in Catalan and Spanish. This year is full of nature, representing the different seasons of the year in different environments. Each month comes with a Montessori activity for the little ones and two plus activities at the end. It also has the important days marked, as well as the change of the moon! Moreover it comes with a page of stickers to be able to place them on your special days, the days with an amazing sun, the rainy days, the birthdays, the excursions, etc. And if you run out of stickers, you can always draw, write or use your own colored stickers!☀️🍁❄️🌻