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Florida Panther

Florida Panther by Harout, Mario, Frank, Elijah. Ms Rabina's 6th grade class, 2014. Fabric appliqué, pearl cotton, and rubber stamps.
Florida Panther by Elijah D, Mario F, Harout P, and Frank R.  Ms Rabina’s 6th grade class, Thomas Starr King Middle School, 2014.  Fabric appliqué, pearl cotton, and rubber stamps.

The Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi) was one of the first species named to the Endangered Species Act in 1973. The panther, also known as the cougar, puma, or mountain lion, once roamed throughout most of North and South America and was divided into numerous subspecies. Panthers were feared and hunted to the point where the Florida Panther is the only remaining subspecies in the eastern United States. There are somewhere between 100 and 180 Florida Panthers remaining

To learn more about the Florida panther go to:

http://www.defenders.org/florida-panther/basic-facts

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Florida_panther/

To take action go to:

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2539

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Hawaiian Monk Seal

Hawaiian Monk Seal by Arman, Sarai, Isabel, and Dylan. Ms Rabina's 6th grade class, 2014. Thomas Starr King Middle School.
Hawaiian Monk Seal by Sarai A, Dylan D, Arman K, and Isabel M. Ms Rabina’s 6th grade, Thomas Starr King Middle School, 2014. Fabric appliqué and rubber stamps.

The Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi) is one of two remaining Monk Seals.  While most seals live in frigid water, Monk Seals live in the warm tropical waters of Hawaii and the Mediterranean.  Hawaiian Monk Seals are solitary animals.  During the day, they haul up onshore to find a shady refuge from the heat and then hunt at night. The Hawaiian Monk Seal is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red list. There were originally 3 Monk Seal species: the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and the Hawaiian. The Caribbean monk seal has been extinct since the 1950’s and there are somewhere between 3-6 hundred Mediterranean Monk Seals left.

To learn more about the Hawaiian Monk seal go to:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/hawaiian-monk-seal/

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Hawaiian_monk_seal/

http://www.savemonkseals.ucsc.edu

http://www.marine-conservation.org/what-we-do/program-areas/mpas/pacific-islands-conservation/hawaiian-monk-seals/

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Musk Ox

Musk Ox by Daniel, Gerardo, Ramiro, and Joshua. Ms Rabina's 6th grad class, Thomas Starr King Middle School, 2014. Fabric appliqué with needle felting, and rubber stamps.
Musk Ox by Daniel, Ramiro M, Joshua M and Gerardo R.  Ms Rabina’s 6th grade class, Thomas Starr King Middle School, 2014. Fabric appliqué with needle felting, and rubber stamps.

The Musk Ox (Ovibos moschatus) is one of only a few large mammals to have survived the Pleistocene extinctions. With it’s double layered coat of fur, and the ability to slow its  metabolic rate by reducing both oxygen intake and CO2 production, the musk ox is uniquely suited to survive the harshest of winters.  Musk Ox are herd animals with a highly developed social structure. When attacked, they are known to surround their young, elderly, or infirm members, facing horns outward in a protective circle. Hopefully these amazing animals will be able to survive in a warming world.

To learn more about the Musk Ox go to:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/musk-ox/

For an interesting story on the Musk Ox  go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/science/14angier.html?_r=0

 

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Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly by Shannon, Eva, Alyson, and Zaya T. Ms Rabina's 6th grade class, 2014. Thomas Starr King Middle School.
Monarch Butterfly by Alyson C, Shannon F, Bayanzaya T, and Eva W. Ms Rabina’s 6th grade class, Thomas Starr King Middle School, 2014. Fabric and felt appliqué, embroidery, and rubber stamps.

The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is capable of amazing migratorial feats of up to 3,000 of miles. There are two distinct Monarch populations in north America. The western population of Monarchs migrate from Mexico to parts of California, while the eastern population migrate as far north as southern Canada. Monarch populations are now threatened by climate change, pesticides, and the loss of the milk weed their larva need to feed on.

To learn more about the Monarch Butterfly go to:

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/monarch-butterfly

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/monarch-butterfly/

To learn about the effects of pesticides on Monarchs go to:

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/03/researchers-gm-crops-are-killing-monarch-butterflies-after-all

To learn how you can help go to:

http://www.monarchwatch.org