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!

I work casually at a local Newsagent, which I really love, my bosses are the most kind hearted people you'll ever meet! (Also they have put up with me for five years, so that is saying something!)

Don't fret, this is not a post about Emma's work!

Often I get asked by customers 'what would you do if you won the lottery' and before going to Thailand I would have said, 'hmmm, maybe buy a house, travel, buy Mum her dream home and set my family up'. However, the other day I was asked this very question, and my thoughts turned to elephant and wildlife sanctuaries, and my heart wished for a peaceful life for all animals (humans included) for them to live as nature intended, to be free. I then thought about how many elephants I could have with $60 million dollars! And contemplated buying a ticket in the up coming draw, but my brain took over :P

Peace for all life? How nice! <3

Beautiful Mae Lanna takes a stroll down to the water for a quick splash before hurrying back up the bank to Medo who was snorting loudly!

Phew... I am glad to be writing this! The past few days have been a bit of a struggle. Which is why my posts have been few and far between, I was contemplating, do I bring these issues up on the blog, do I not, do I, do I not?? Which probably just added to my stress to be honnest! Anyway, a wonderful friend of mine suggested I write a little bit about how I'm feeling, and you know, its very therapeutic. I wont go into specific events, but lets just say I was tested emotionally to my breaking point this week... Ending with today, with my the release of my exam timetable... always a nerve racking experience! Unfortunately one of my exams clashed with my date with David Attenborogh (ammendment: okay fine its not an actual date, I'm going to see him talk about life on earth, so its almost a date!). My brain was just like, nope, this isnt happening!! And I became very emotional, over something, that in the long run is very trival.

I have been going to Buddhist meditation classes for many weeks now, and no matter how hard I try, I still seem to slip back into old habits (aka: getting angry, attachment etc). I think my goal for this week will not be in terms of Univeristy work, but of a spiritual nature (gasp! a scientist using the word spiritual!)

Well thanks my friends, for listening to the ramblings of my mind!

Until the next post.

Namaste

Oh and here is a pic with me and Medo! Such a precious girl! How I miss her!

As you may have gathered, I work for wildlife conservation. For years and years I worked exclusively with Red Pandas in Nepal. But after my recent trip to the Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand, I knew I had to lend my skills to all animals in Nepal.

The treatment of elephants for the tourist trade is horrific, a process that needs to be re thought. I will refrain from the details, but it is tourture, no other words to describe it... Anyway, I have the opportunity to venture into Nepals chitwan national park, as a part of a field trip, where I will be able to gain first hand information about captive elephants in Nepal. On the whole I'm excited, but nervous of what I may find.

Wish me luck! I hope I get in :)

Peace love & wildlife :)

My dog lhotse is... 12 years old, a Lhasa Apso, very brave and my bestfriend.

We bought my dogs from a pet shop when I was six. Of course now I know all about the industry and how horrific it is, but they were just too cute! My grandfather bought one for himself, to keep him company in his old age. But after purchasing the puppy, his brother, still behind the plastic walls of his prison began howling uncontrollably, for his beloved sibling. And so that's how I met my bestfriend! They were named Lhotse (after the third tallest peak in the world) and Poche (after who knows what!). Actually funny story, I wanted to name them, but mum and grandpa already had, and so to prevent six year old me throwing a temper tantrum she told me the shop keeper named them... A lie she regretted telling when, at the same shop we bought them at, I asked what a dogs name was and the assistant told me it didn't have one as it hadnt been bought!

Anyway, I digress. 12 years later here we are, at the end my dear boy. You've struggled through so much, and put on that brave face of yours so long.

Lhotse is still with us, but is getting sicker by the day, with his tail still wagging we hold onto hope that our wondrous puppy will be with us for a few more weeks.

I guess the reason I'm writing this here, is because most, if not all of my bravey and courage is from this little boy. He was born with a birth defect, hindering his ability to do almost anything (due to his probable inbreeding), his vet says he is the hardest dog to diagnose as he is so so brave.

Tonight I took him and his brother for a walk, and while Poche wanted to run Lhotse wasn't able to. So as he sat down, I let Poche go for a run, but they wouldn't walk without eachother, true love.

Tonight as he drifted into a deep slumber, I rubbed his aching joints, and it looked like he was smiling :)

I love you forever lhotse :)

• This is going to be a pretty interesting post! Many of you may not know of 'Elephant Nature Park', but its well worth learning about! Ill give you a little taste here! This park in Northern Thailand is dedicated to Elephant Conservation. They rescue Elephants from the Tourist and Logging trade and provide them with a chance to live free, to live as elephants should! I highly recommend you check them out!

Anyway, on to the post!

As a part of Elephant nature Parks 10 year anniversary at their current location, they are asking all bloggers to write up a bucket list of sorts! So here is mine!

My top 10 bucket list!

10. Watching baby turtles take their first swim

• Living in Australia (Queensland no less!!) I should have crossed this off by now! Unfortunately i've never had the pleasure of seeing such an event! The main attraction to this is the turtles such determination, such ability and strength, so inspiring! Even so, its thought only 1 out of 100 baby turtles mature to adulthood... the ocean is sure a dangerous place, even worse now thanks to humans... We need to start taking responsibility for our actions!
  

9. Walk the Appalachian Trail

• After reading Bill Bryson's humorous 'Into the woods' I immediately wanted to try it out for myself! With the immense desire to see a wild bear (at a distance) or even a deer, I'd relish in the challenge! I mean what could be better than hiking for months... well maybe just a few weeks! Haha
  

8. Work with wildlife rehabilitation in Africa

• A very broad goal! With a variety of experiences at my finger tips I can hardly contain myself from pressing 'buy now' on those South African air tickets! Im planning to dedicate a whole year to this goal, to help a nation where its wildlife is suffering greatly.
  

7. Save a tree

• Bit of a strange thing to be on a bucket list huh! Not so! In thailand  (a buddhist country) conservationists tie blessed orange fabric around trees to prevent them from being cut down by illegal loggers. Even the loggers wouldn't cut down a tree that has been blessed by monks!
  

6. See a clan of Chimps swing through the trees

• I cannot say how many times i've watched documentaries on studies of chimps, watching them and their unique but slightly human behaviours! However the sight that gets my heart all in a flutter is seeing them drift through the tree tops!
  

5. Walk the Great Wall

• Ok... maybe not ALL of it! But id certainly LOVE to be a part of something that magnificent!
  

4. See a Giant Panda in the Wild

• With numbers dwindling Its high time I hopped footed around China waving my banner in support of these great creatures! 
  

3. Dive with Humpbacks

• Being Aussie, i've been on my share of whale watching boat trips. Something about them pulls my heart strings, they are kinda like the elephants of the sea! In a social way!
  

2. Rescue an Elephant

• After my short but memorable time at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand I have felt a huge drive to help these amazing creatures. Under huge pressure from the tourist trade, they need our help more than EVER! If I can help but one elephant escape that reality, then my heart would be eternally happy! Always remember, don't participate in elephant rides or shows or street begging, keeps these giants in the jungle! Not under your bum! 
  

1. Save the Red Panda

• With only 400 red pandas left in Nepal, and possibly only 2000 worldwide these amazing animals deserve our help to ensure their survival. Red Pandas are a critical element to the Nepali ecosystem, which acts as the 'lungs of the earth' however the devastating reality is that humans are quickly destroying their habitat to make way to farm land and grazing land for cattle and yak. I have a huge affinity with Red Pandas, my heart skips a beat when I see them! It would be devastating to see such a marvellous animal slide into extinction without people noticing them....
  
  

“My top 10 bucket list post is a part of Save Elephant Foundation’s blog carnival to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Elephant Nature Park.”

Not to say I was damaged or in some kind of rut when I found my calling, but it definitely awakened a fiery passion inside of me!

And now, as I grow into this and begin to have a higher understanding of the task in front of me, I find the Firefox keeps me centred (Little side note here: Red Pandas are sometimes called Firefoxes!).

For example, as a passionate animal rights activists, in all kind of areas, I often find myself in heated arguments with people, and more often than not, its not about them not being on my side, but because I don’t fully understand what I am standing up for. However, If we are talking about animal conservation, I can keep very level headed. Wondering why this was I continuously tried, yes tried, to get into arguments! Unsurprisingly I found that it was because of this deep love for the pandas that I was able to communicate freely and calmly, and leave a lasting impression in peoples mind of the cute and fluffy bundle of happiness that is the red panda! Slowly I am learning to communicate this love for all animals in my communication, as who is going to listen to a crazy person yelling random facts at you!? You are more likely to get your point across as a calm, level headed activist, well in my experience!

Of course, the people that make a noise and push people out of their comfort zones are the real heroes, but I’m not up to that level just yet! Ill focus on deforestation for now!

Peace, Love and Red Pandas, my ‘Soul’ers (how about THAT for a nickname huh!)

Namaste literally translates as I salute the God within you, so much more intimate than a simple ‘Hello’!

As my first post, I want to introduce myself to the world of the internet! I don’t mean my name, or age, or things like that, a much more personal side. I work for a wildlife conservation in Nepal, probably the only job I could really love is something with animals, I have this very pure love for them, as I expect nothing from them, and in return they expect nothing from me.

I am an only child, and when I was younger, my best friends were always animals, to this day my 14 year old cat still holds a very special place in my heart! When I was young I knew I had a deep calling to help animals, at that stage in my life I wasn’t sure on how I was going to do that, but I just knew, I was going to help them, I had to. I was very aware of what was happening to wild animals and the environment, as my Grandmother was a senior lecturer and Professor in Environment.

And then one day, I found how was going to help animals, the very thing I had been put on this earth for, Red Pandas. With their crimson coat and adorable balancing acts high in the tree tops, how could I resist! From that day my fate was set, this is what I was put on Earth for, It was like a huge dust storm had cleared from my brain and vision!

I’ll leave it at that for now, now you know what you are in for!

Peace, Love and Red Pandas