Archive for December, 2007
What is the most dangerous animal lurking around in America? Some would say the fierce grizzly bear or prowling mountain lions. They have been known to kill people, but the numbers are far from staggering. During the 20th century, 128 people died from bear attacks and only 14 people died from the mountain lions.
The answer to this question is deer (hence the picture). While you may think these animals are cute roaming around in the woods, they have been a serious problem around cities and residential areas. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, it is estimated that 130 people die yearly from vehicle collisions with deers.
There are one and a half million deer/vehicle accidents per year. This results in nearly 30,000 injuries and over one billion dollars in health insurance claims. Deers also carry ticks which are transmitters of the deadly Lyme disease. Lyme disease infects around 13,000 people on yearly basis.
Based on a study from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005, The states with the highest number of accidents caused by deers are Pennyslvania, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Georgia. By being attentive on the roads, the number of deer-related accidents can be decreased. The following are a few good tips to follow to reduce your risk of becoming a deer-collision victim.
- Always keep an eye open for deer especially near wooded areas. Most of the time, signs are posted where deer crossings are most likely.
- Deer are most prone to be out and moving around during the early evening.
- Use high beams to spot deer on the side of the road when it is hard to see.
- If you see one deer, it is likely that more are around because they often move in packs.
By following these simple steps, you are more likely to avoid deer-related accidents.
December 20th, 2007
Deserts are defined as large areas of land that receive very little precipation which in return limits the amount of life desert’s support. Deserts, which cover a third of the land on Earth, receive an annual precipitation of less than 25 cm per year. Not all of the desert’s landscape is barren though. While much of the wildlife and plants are sparse, the plant life is very diverse. Plants are able to survive in this climate by maintaining two special features. These features include the ability to collect and store water and the ability to reduce water loss.
Most envision deserts to be fiercely hot with a relentless sun, but this is not always true. Many deserts are hot during the day and cold at night while others are constantly cold like the Gobi Desert in Asia. The following list some unique facts that you may find interesting.
- The world’s largest desert is the Sahara Desert (3 million square miles).
- The highest temperature ever recorded, 136.4 degrees F, was recorded in Libya in the Sahara Desert.
- The world’s largest cold desert is the Antarctica desert.
- In the United States, there are four main deserts; Mojave, Great Basin, Chihuahuan, and the Sonoran Deserts.
- The highest sand dune ever measured was an incredible height of 1,410 feet high.
- The tallest recorded cactus was found to be 57 feet, 11 inches high in Arizona.
December 12th, 2007
The Amazon Rainforest, composing of 5.5 million acres, is located in the heart of South America. More than half of Earth’s remaining rainforests are located in the Amazon. This area of the world has the richest diversity among plants and animals.
The need to keep the Amazon Rainforest from deforestation is immense. From 1991 to 2000 the area of lost rainforest rose to 587,000 km² which is twice the size of Portugal. Most of this barren land is now used to pasture cattle.
The annual rate of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest continues to increase yearly. Livestock pasture and the production of crops are the main two reasons for tearing down the tropical rainforests. South Americans value land that has been deforested to be 5-10 times more profitable than when it was a rainforest.
Due the lack of understanding of the full composition of our tropical rainforests, scientists are consistently racing against time to fully understand what value our rainforests hold. There may be cures for cancer and cures for AIDs among many other diseases with no current cure located in the wildlife of our world’s rainforests.
At current estimates, roughly over 80% of the Amazon Rainforest is still intact. Visit Adventure-life.com to see the things you can do to help reduce deforestation of the world’s largest rainforest.
December 4th, 2007