Brand : Webkinz
Webkinz Bottlenose Dolphin
Webkinz Bottlenose Dolphin [Toy]
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For as long as I can remember I've always loved dolphins. Here are three endangered dolphins that need our utmost attention.
Sadly, as Hayden Pannetiere put in our collective attention late last year, thousands and thousands of the species are slaughtered for their meat or oil. The video spreading out last year wasn't pretty either. It was like watching a snuff film - where the blood of the victim was force-fed to the family. (That last scene, where the blood was dumped right back into the ocean?) As brutal as that was, it showed that, while the world may agree on a lot of things, endangering a whole species doesn't seem to be that big of an issue.
Human threats are the number one cause for the extinction of a species of dolphins. Several river dolphin species are now facing a horrible fate by being on the endangered species list. As of 2006, a survey was conducted and not one sample of the Yangtze River Dolphin could be obtained, leading protection groups to believe that the species is now extinct.
While changing now doesn't bring a whole species back, and I may be just another one of those voices protesting - the only way I could help, I guess, is by putting forth what we, as a species can look forward to help.
Irrawaddy Dolphin - While this dolphin doesn't look necessarily like the common types of dolphins we see on tv, mugs, rings, stuffed toys and pillows - it is part of the dolphin family, and is still worth saving. It is easily recognizable from its rounded, rather than elongated head. Its dorsal fin is shorter than average and is triangular in shape. It reaches a length of about 2.3 m and weighs over 280 pounds in maturity. As a fun bit of trivia, during the 1970s, Burmese fishermen used to call on to the dolphins by tapping the sides of their boats to goad the dolphin to swim around it. Doing so attracts fishes, and when the fishermen have the fish trapped in a net, they share their catch with the dolphin.
Australian Snubfin Dolphin - This looks a bit like the Irrwaddy Dolphin, and for good reason - the two are related. Both are river dolphins and are most commonly found around the coast of Australia. The first clue to their difference is the color - while the Irrawaddy Dolphin comes in an almost uniformly-grey-to-white belly color, the Australian Snubfin comes in a copper-ish-top-to-light-brown-sides-to-a-full-white belly. The resemblance may be one of the core reasons why this dolphin is considered a new "new" discovery - only being scientifically described in 2005.
Bolivian River Dolphin - This, too, is another new "new" discovery. It has been acknowledged as a separate species of dolphins than the more widely-known Amazon River Dolphin. The Bolivian species feature a smaller size, a lighter grey color and has more teeth. Different from most dolphins, they feature a flexible neck, able to turn their heads from side to side, useful for weaving between the branches of flooded forests during the wet season.
Hopefully I brought these species of dolphins to your attention, and may you spread the word along for the helpless beautiful creatures.
3 Rare Dolphins That Are on the Way to Extinction
Bea Scott is in love with life and secretly dreams of traveling to Hawaii and wear a pink grass skirt! Her current crusade is about fossil fuels, bugging officemates and friends to save gas and use biodiesel.
Read more of her views at her blog Hello World! [http://helloworldbea.com]
If you think a bat stuffed animal should only come out on Halloween, you would be wrong. For those that rank bats right up there with teddy bears, a bat stuffed animal should be around at any time of the year.
While we often take animals out in the wild for granted, thinking they will be around forever, we forget that they are susceptible to life threatening diseases just like humans are. White-nose syndrome is a fungus that kills bats and there are at least nine bat species in the United States most affected by it.
According to a leading expert [on bats] who works for the USDA Forest Service's Southern Research Station, bats living in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee are most affected. In addition, the fungus appears to be spreading at an alarming rate through much of the northeastern United States.
Veteran wildlife researcher, Susan Loeb, Ph.D. Says "in the five states where most of my research is centered, little-brown bats and Indiana bats are among the most threatened by WNS - meaning their populations could either be seriously decimated or become extinct." Loeb also has great concerns about other species of bats including small-footed bats, norther long-eared bats, and Eastern pipistrelles - either because their populations are small or they are more likely - compared to other bat species - to catch the fungus, or both. In addition, the fungus could also spread to the Virginia big-eared bat, Rafinesque's big-eared bat, gray bat, and southeastern bat.
The role of bats in the forests and other landscapes is a crucial one as they keep them both productive and healthy. In a single night, just five bats can consume thousands of insects the size of a mosquito. Bats living in tropical and sub-tropical regions are responsible for pollinating a variety of agricultural plants as well as dispersing seeds. Due to habitat destruction and/or loss, and both degradation and disturbance of maternity roosts, bat populations in the United States in general, have been on the decline over the years.
Susan Loeb is just one of many scientists who are studying bat populations specifically as they relate to the spread of the WNS fungus. As Loeb's research tracks bat migration, it will assist in the monitoring and spreading of WNS in the South. As for the East, Loeb is also working on a bat database which will give researchers insight into various bat distributions and movements so as to better understand how WNS is spreading. So far, WNS is confirmed in 11 states: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee and, it has also arrived in Canada.
A bat stuffed animal has the very lucky fortune of never being susceptible to catching a disease, but it's reputation in the soft toy world is not exactly on par with the ever-popular teddy bear. It takes a certain kind of person to choose a bat stuffed animal but once done, you'll wonder what took you so gosh-darn long.
Copyright Shelley Vassall, 2010.
Bat Stuffed Animals and the Diseases Facing the Real Thing
bat stuffed
plush stuffed animals
The holiday season is a favorite time of the year for many. Some like the decorations, some like the food, some like the gifts, and others enjoy all the great company and fun parties. But no one enjoys the holidays quite like the children. After all, they can enjoy the snow, gifts, food, and fun without having to worry about any of the adult responsibilities that go with it!
If you want to put together a great present that will make the holidays extra special for the (well-behaved) children in your life, consider getting together a kid's gift basket. This particular present comes with a lot of advantages. It is a relatively simple concept, which leaves you with lots of room to personalize the basket in a way that is assured to put a smile on the child's face. You can make the gift practical, (if you want to keep the parents happy) or whimsical. Gift baskets can also be a great way to save money if you have more than one child to buy for, which I will explain more on later. The first step is to build the basket. Below are step by step instructions on how to do so.
Step 1 - Deciding on the Contents
Brand : Aurora
Dolphin 12" by Aurora
Aurora only uses lock washer or embroidered eyes and nose for safety.
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recommend items for this season
Your first step should always be deciding on what you want to put in the basket. This way you will know what size basket to get, and how to decorate it. You could get things like mittens, hats, scarves, gloves, chocolate, candy, arts and crafts items, and of course, stuffed animals. Candy is usually a welcome item within a basket, but for those who want to avoid it, consider substituting crayons and other arts and crafts items instead. This keeps things fun, but is easier on their teeth.
A really great center piece for any gift basket would be a stuffed animal, because what kid doesn't love plush toys? You could get any animal that fits their personality, like a lion, teddy bear, rabbit, or even a dolphin. Imagine using a penguin as the centerpiece of your gift basket, and then filling the basket with holiday themed candy. There's a lot you can do with plush toys, so be creative! Find a stuffed animal that's appropriate for them and it will really make the gift basket in to something special.
Step 2 - Finding the Right Basket
After you've decided on the content, you can go find the perfect basket. Remember to keep things simple, and keep to the classical wood look. You might be tempted to a get a highly decorated container, but keep in mind that once you fill it, the basket could end up looking too busy. Find a basket that will easily fit everything you've decided to fill it with. You can do this easier by thinking about the volume of the plush toy you chose, as this is probably the item that is the largest, so you should be able to pick a container based on the stuffed animal's size, and avoid overcrowding.
Now that you've got all the ingredients together to a make a really great gift basket for kids, consider what you'll need to decorate it and finish putting everything together. Most likely you will need things like wrapping paper, tape, scissors, and maybe even some stickers to make things really fun. Most of these items will be necessary to really give your gift some extra polish. Decorating the basket will be explained more fully in part two of this article, so stay tuned.
The Best Children's Gift - Kids' Gift Baskets
This gift has made many kids' Christmas a whole lot more special. So start looking for all those fun things that you need to create your unique basket. Find great stuffed toys such as plush cats, stuffed dogs and many more at kcplush.com.
Brand : Russ Berrie
Russ Berrie Yomiko Dolphin 11.5"
This beanbag is made of new PVC pellets that are placed in an inner bag to prevent any leakage if a seem was torn apart or split Each piece is x-rayed to ensure no foreign or sharp objects are inside Baby safe Surface washable Meets or exceeds all safety regulations, world wide
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Northwest is the only company that holds the official NFL license to produce NFL team blankets. There are 2 main styles of NFL team blankets, Royal Plush Raschel Blankets, and woven tapestry throws. Every year, Northwest redesigns their plush team blankets to keep their look fresh and new, late last month, the newest designs of the blankets were released, and every line is ready to ship. There are 3 different styles of the Plush NFL Team Blankets:
The basic "Micro Raschel throw blankets ~ these blankets are a nice, soft, lightweight throw blanket that is 50" x 60" in size, all 32 teams are available and they retail in the range.
The next step up is the medium sized "Tonal" series. The Tonal blankets are a heavier duty, fleece like blanket that comes in a size of 50" by 60". The Tonal blankets are known for their warmth, brilliant colors, and exceptional durability. Plush Raschel Tonal blankets retail at about .
Brand : K & M
Plush Bottle-Nosed Dolphin Cuddlekin 12"
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The biggest and best plush NFL blanket is the "Diamond Plate" series, named for the cool diamond plate pattern in the background with your favorite teams logo printed in brilliant authentic team pantone colors. These blankets are a huge "60 x 80" size and will keep even the largest sports fan warm and cozy on the couch this football season. The cost of the Diamond Plate blankets ranges from - .
Now, for the different types and styles of "Tapestry" blankets. The main difference in the plush blankets and the tapestries, is that the tapestry throws are woven and can be used for much more than just a blanket. The tapestry throws are extremely popular, they look great hanging over a couch or chair, or used as a wall hanging or a throw rug, or any other type of room accent. Tapestries are amazingly colorful, and extremely detailed. There are 2 types of tapestries ~ Woven Tapestries, and Triple Woven Jacquard Throws.
The Woven tapestries usually commemorate special events, when there is a new World Series Champion, or college football champion, you will find a special edition tapestry the next day, when there is a new Super Bowl Champ, of course you can get a special collectible tapestry all over the internet. The woven tapestries are amazingly detailed and colorful, they are 48 by 60 inches, and are fringed on all 4 sides woven tapestries are available in every NFL team in what is called the "Home Field Advantage" series. They are a beautifully crafted piece of artwork. Every tapestry is slightly different in style, there is the team name with the officially licensed logo and colors and a picture of the teams helmet, in the background, there is artwork relative to the city ~ like dolphins jumping out of the ocean and pictures of palm trees for the Miami Dolphins, there are also "Player Tapestries" Basically a woven tapestry with an image of your favorite football player, currently, the are 17 NFL players available.
The final series of NFL team tapestries, is the "Specialty Series" basically these are collectible items commemorating memorable events in the NFL. There are tapestries for every Super Bowl winning team, along with the official logo of the Super Bowl in which they won. There are also special limited edition tapestries produced in a very small quantity. The examples of these are the now famous "Helmet Catch" by David Tyree of the New York Giants in Super Bowl 42. The artisans at Northwest's factory actually produced a blanket with a picture of David Tyree with the football pinned to his helmet as he is getting mugged by The New England Patriots defender Rodney Harrison. There is also a Dallas Cowboys last season in Texas Stadium tapestry with an image of the famous stadium with the hole in the roof printed right on the blanket, this is the Cowboys last season in Texas Stadium before moving to their new digs next year.
The other version of woven tapestries is the "Triple Woven Jacquard Throw". These are more of a blanket, they feature loom woven high bulk acrylic for the look and feel of cotton. They are extremely soft and comfortable and come in 2 sizes ~ 48 x 60 inches and a 36 by 48 inch baby blanket series. The 48"x60" are available for every NFL team and show an image of the team helmet and team name with their official logo. The NFL baby blankets are one of the most popular pieces of NFL merchandise around, they are a great size, they are extremely soft, and best of all, they will get your little one on the right track to rooting for their favorite football team.
NFL Team Blankets, Different Types and Styles
NFL Team Blankets are one of the most popular items this holiday season!
Kraig Cable is an expert in the field of Sports Merchandise and Memorabilia. He has been a memorabilia collector since 1983. Kraig owns and operates 2 memorabilia related websites. Pro Football Stuff.com and KHC Sports.com
Brand : My Pillow Pets
My Pillow Pet Dolphin - Large (Light Blue)
A Super-Soft Chenille Plush Pillow. So cuddly you'll never want to put it down! Starts out as your pal, then un-velcro its belly, and it quickly becomes your pillow. Washable on Gentle Cycle. Not Recommended for the Dryer!
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