Habituated
Felines
'Felis catus' is the scientific
name for the domestic cat, which represents the evolution
of a species whose notable achievement has been its
capacity to share a home with humans.
According to scientific
classifications, the common cat - the pet of choice
for many - is a carnivore, just like the dog, and
is a member of the family of 'felids', alongside some
prominent relatives, such as lions or cougars… which
have the adjective "feline" in common.
The presence of the cat
in civilization, its adoption as a pet,
has given rise to an entire subculture. On the Internet
we see the digital reflection of this world, with
a great number of websites dedicated to the cat, ranging
from photo galleries to recommendations for cat-care
and the raising of some 30 different breeds of cat.
It was the cat's ability
to coexist with humans that allowed it to expand its
habitat. Cats can now be found around the world, nearly
everywhere on Earth where humans live.
Research has determined
that the species is approximately 9,000 years old
and that its first relations with humans date back
more than 4,000 years to ancient Egypt, where cats
were the subject of adoration.
Cat history suffered a
dark period in the Middle Ages, when in some places
in Europe people developed legends
that identified cats as demons. But in the end, cats
won acceptance as pets and as hunters of rodents,
equipped with acute senses and exceptional agility.
Where to begin in learning more about the Felis catus?
The Internet is not a bad idea:
Museum
Exhibit: 'Cats! Wild to Mild'
Catsinfo.com
History
of Cats
Cat
Behavior
Cats
and Folklore
Yahoo!
Cats
Desertification:
Arid Lands
Desertification is one of the
world's top environmental problems. Its primary symptom
is soil degradation and its two leading causes are
climate change and human activity.
It is an ancient phenomenon.
Studies of regions that are arid today show that they
were home to rich vegetation in the past. But as the
causal factors of desertification increase, these
areas continue to expand.
Approximately one billion people
in over 100 countries currently face the threat of
desertification. And the Earth itself runs the risk
of seeing 41 percent of its landmass converted into
desert.
In Latin
America, it is already a serious problem that
affects land in most of the region's countries.
Substandard agricultural practices,
deforestation, social pressures, ignorance and even
war are considered factors that contribute to desertification,
which is aggravated by global warming - which itself
is attributed to human activities.
The social consequences of desert
expansion are serious: hunger, massive migrations,
and heavy economic losses.
The gravity of this environmental
problem has the attention of governments around the
world, evident in the fact that 170 countries were
represented at the most recent conference of the United
Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification.
Numerous international organizations
have created special divisions to take action to fight
desertification. It all begins by informing the public,
and a good place to start is on the Internet.
UN
Secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification
Global
Mechanism of the UNCCD
UNDP:
Office to Combat Desertification and Drought
UN
Food and Agriculture Organization: Desertification
World
Bank: About Desertification
UNDP:
Links to sites on desertification
Giants
of the Sea
Whales have captured the imagination
of humans since time immemorial. Their size - truly
colossal - leaves no room for doubt: whales are a
wonder of nature.
Recent research has revealed
complex social relations, disquieting sounds
and intense cerebral activity in whales, which despite
living in the cold waters of the oceans are warm-blooded
mammals with lungs - not gills, like many of their
fellow water-dwellers.
In scientific terms, whales
belong to the Cetacean
order, in which there are two sub-orders: the Mysticeti,
those with baleen plates instead of teeth, and the
Odontoceti, whales with teeth - which includes dolphins.
Within these categories is a
family of whales that is bigger than one might think.
There are more then 40
species, according to information available on
the Internet.
These gigantic mammals are popular
in cyberspace. But many of the sites dedicated to
whales reveal their sad story - the webpages are motivated
by the urgent need to save
whales and their habitat.
Foundations
and organizations are clamoring for a better relationship
between whales and their predators: humans. Some countries
continue to hunt whales, which are also victims of
ocean contamination.
The depredation of whales is
among the ecological conservation topics that are
being hotly debated today, generating intense negotiations
among the countries belonging to an international
commission.
Cetacea:
General Information
Cetaceans
International
Whale Commission
Greenpeace:
Petition for Whale Sanctuary
Whale
Conservation
The
Voyage of the Odyssey
Whale
Species
Research
on Whales
Whale
songs
The
Whaleman Foundation
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