Life with Dylan

Month: April 2014

  • Think globally, but act locally.

    For the past two years Dylan and I have been involved in fundraising for one of our favorite non-profit organizations. So involved, that I can’t remember a time that we were not raising money for one thing or another. Cans for Critters, Reading for Wildlife, Tiger Trail, a new home for the Amur and Snow Leopards, and so on. With the support and generous donations from friends and family, we have been able to surpass all of these goals to help make a better life for our animal friends at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. However, with such big goals (over $3,000 raised) we have not been able to give as much as we would like in other areas like animal adoptions, wish list gifts, and our monthly wildlife hero contributions.

    Many of the exclusive events Dylan and I are invited to attend throughout the year are part of the Wildlife Conservancy’s monthly donor program. Meeting scientists and hearing lectures from those who have traveled to China’s panda sanctuaries, flown over the Arctic looking for polar bear dens, or studied the breeding habits of the cheetah are just a few of the experiences we have enjoyed. Knowing that we can help and make a difference globally is what made joining the Wildlife Conservancy such an easy decision for both of us.

    We became Wildlife Hero’s on Endangered Species Day in 2012 and have been helping to save animals all around the globe ever since. I support the Wildlife Conservancy because I know that their work is making a difference locally and globally. Whether I am giving my time or my money, I feel that I am part of a family working toward a common goal of saving the world’s endangered species. Preserving wildlife, banking DNA, preventing disease, conserving habitat, restoring nature, and inspiring change are just a few of the things that my monthly donations support.

    Creating awareness for endangered species and raising money for two new exhibits, which will have our names on plaques at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Tiger Trail) and San Diego Zoo (Amur and Snow Leopards) is something we are both proud and honored to be a part of. We considered starting another local fundraising venture, but instead decided to take a break and focus our efforts on the big picture.

    We are thinking globally and have decided to increase our monthly Wildlife Conservancy donation so that we can make a bigger impact in the field. Locally, we will continue to make purchases from the monthly wish list and symbolically adopt animals.

    One of the wonderful things about being a Wildlife Hero is that you can do it from anywhere in the world … which brings me to our challenge for you.

    For as little as $10 a month you can become a Wildlife Hero and start making a global impact too. Visit endextinction.org today to join the fight against species extinction.



    Will you be a hero for wildlife?

  • Life lessons on getting older and wiser

    Lately, I feel that every year or so I have come to a place in my life where my priorities are changing. What was important last year isn’t important now and what I thought I needed last month, I’ve realized I can do without. Is this what getting older and wiser is all about?

    That moment when you realize there is more to life than what you’ve been doing …

    Looking back and wondering where did the time go?
    Time is running out. My baby is almost a teenager.

    I want to leave the rat race and go far away from it all. Far away from Facebook and Twitter. They can suck the life right out of your life if you aren’t careful.

    I want to read a book. Play a game with my son.

    Have a real conversation with a friend … In real life … Not by text or instant message.

    Get outside and see the world.
    Go explore what Mother Nature has to offer and yes, photograph the heck out of it!

    I think the most recent change started when my computer crashed. It forced me to take a good look at the people around me and opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn’t like. Life has a funny way of letting you know what’s really important.

    I will still be writing, but maybe a little less frequently. At the moment I am thoroughly enjoying my decision to slow down and take whatever life has to offer me. Fewer deadlines means less stress and more time with my family.

    If I only knew in my 30’s what I know now in my 40’s …

  • If You Dream It, You Can Be It

    Nothing makes me happier than being able to share a story through photography.
    Sometimes the pictures come out crystal clear and sometimes they are a bit fuzzy.

    Just like life, the story isn’t always clear, but somehow we manage to get the message.

    I’m gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware!

    I’m gonna be the mane event, Like no king was before

    I’m brushing up on looking down

    I’m working on my ROAR

    Oh, I just can’t wait to be king!

    It’s never too soon to start dreaming of what you can become …

  • Endangered Species Monday – African Lion

    Lions are amazing animals that have become iconic symbols of the African plain. Through movies like The Lion King, children have learned that lions are looked up to with great pride by other animals. Lions are often one of the first animals a child will learn about. Of all the big cats, lions are the ones most often associated with a roar. A roar that can be heard up to 3 miles away. These majestic cats are not listed as endangered by the IUCN, but as vulnerable – only in West and Central Africa are they classified as endangered. This status will not last long at the rate humans are killing lions.

    Lions have vanished from over 80% of their historic range. The lion population is listed as decreasing and on more than one occasion, lions have been labeled on the brink of extinction.  Aside from the fact that humans are overhunting the lion’s wild prey and destroying their natural habitat, humans are also illegally killing lions for trophies to hang on their walls. As horrible as this sounds, it is true.

    Dr. Guy Balme, Panthera’s Lion Program Director said, “Lions have slipped under the conservation radar for too long. If we do not act now, lions will find themselves in the same dire predicament as their Asian counterpart, the tiger.”

    African lions live about 10-15 years in the wild and have been known to live up to 30 years in zoos. However, the average lifespan in captivity is 20 years.

    The lioness pictured above is Tango. Tango was a Transvaal lion who was born at the San Diego Zoo on August 12, 1992. She and her sister Mweezi lived at the Safari Park for a while, where Tango gave birth to a litter of 3 cubs in 1995. Shortly after giving birth, Tango and her sister came back to the zoo where they both lived out the remainder of their lives. Mweezi passed away in 2009 and Tango left us January 20, 2013 … she was 20 years old.

    Although Tango was born and raised in captivity, she never let anyone forget that she was a wild African lion at heart … Her roars could be heard on a daily basis. Lions are social animals and it was obvious that Tango missed her sister.

    Make your voice heard and Cause an Uproar with National Geographic’s Big Cat Initiative or join the fight with Panthera on Project Leonardo. Whatever you do, however you chose to create awareness for these magnificent big cats, just remember that you can make a difference. Lions deserve to roam the African plains without the fear of being killed by man. Africa is their home and we should respect that.