Lately, a few Red Pandas have been found sick and close to death at really low altitudes, in busy cities. Such strange behaviour is difficult to understand. Why are they heading down the mountain? What is happening up there? Wanna hear my guess? Climate Change...

It is easy to see the impacts of climate change in Nepal. Glaciers recede before your very eyes, really terrifying stuff. I watched with horror as whole chunks of ice rumbled down mountain sides in Pokhara. 

This is the Red Pandas plea, their final attempt to grasp to life. 

Im heading back to Nepal at the end of the year to start doing research on how climate change may/is effecting these little guys.

My study will look at their main food source, bamboo, and how its growth habit changes at different altitudes. Researchers have begun work with the Giant Panda in regards to Climate Change. The Giant Panda relies on only a single species of bamboo, and it has been predicted that if the bamboo cant grow/ disperse to higher altitudes, 80-100% of it will become extinct by the end of the 21st century, taking the Giant Panda with it. 

The Red Panda eats 4 species of bamboo, and their fate rests entirely on whether this bamboo thrives at many altitudes and temperatures, because if not, it may already be too late for them.

As a volunteer I have very limited funds, and have set up a fund-rasing website, asking people to help me complete this vital research. If I don't get some financial help, this study may not be able to go ahead. 

Please donate HERE. Thank you so much!!!
Thank you for listening! 
Also I just want to point out, I HATE asking for money. So i'm very sorry for this! 
P.S. I have a few really exciting ventures coming up in regards to this project (other fund-raising ideas) and to the red pandas in general!

"Good morning little men!" I exclaim as I great my two puppies every morning. I'm greated in turn by yelps and frantic tail wags! Now I don't know if dogs understand English, they must do to an extent, however it's the tone, I've been told, that the dogs respond to.

I often feel like I have the most in depth conversations with animals, granted they are very one sided! But are also very rewarding. A word might not even be said, but a connection is made.

One time, I was sitting inside a red panda enclosure at a local zoo, just chatting to a keeper about their pandas, when one of their cheeky boys meanders down his tree to us and just sits, not asking for food,he is just happy to sit between us. Very special. And a moment I will always remember.

While at the elephant nature park, many of the elephants had horrific backgrounds and although there is an obvious language barrier, I felt a connection to all the animals, because they were kind hearted enough to forgive humans and open their hearts again, to allow us to listen to their stories and to help them.

And to end this incoherent post :P
If you have a pet, or are even luckily enough to be able to see wild animals close to your home, take a moment to listen, feel their soul, remember their story, you won't regret it.

Lately I've been posting a lot of images of Elephants, and I thought I would relive my experience at Elephant Nature Park Chiang Mai.

Last November my boyfriend Jake and I journeyed to the beautiful country of Thailand. An idealistic holiday destination for many Australians. Jake and I, instead of choosing to 'relax' on our holiday (hah), thought we would volunteer at a very special place called 'Elephant Nature Park' (ENP).

ENP is run by a crack team of passionate people, all with the aim of conserving the Asian Elephant. Founded by Sangduen "Lek" Chailert, this wonderful place has become a sort of retirement home for Asian Elephants in Thailand (read more about Lek here: http://www.elephantnaturefoundation.org/go/founder).

At this point I would like to tell you a bit about the treatment of captive elephants in Asia. As I was saying before Thailand (and most of Asia for that matter) is on the bucket list for many Australians, but the worst thing is, that Elephant Riding is also on most of their 'to experience' list.

The elephants’ spirits are broken through unbelievably gruesome methods, while they are tied up or chained in a pen where they cannot move. With the help of systematic torture over days and weeks, often without water or food, an elephant learns that he or she has to obey human control. Later, at work, many mahouts use the bullhooks frequently to feel certain that the elephant does not annoy their customers, and stay in line. (I got my information from HERE)

Enough of that, down to the fun stuff!

Jake and I spent a wonderful week in Chaing Mai doing everything from picking up Elephant poo (my favorite job) to preparing food for the elephants (Jake's favorite job)! And boy was it a blast! We even got to meet the parks newest resident baby Navaan! So precious! Born on my Birthday, this baby was 150kg of trouble!

For now I'll leave you with a select few images from my time at the park! Oh and if you what to change your life for the better, meet new friends (all amazing people) and help the elephants: Click Here!