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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  The Clouded Leopard is a species of wildcat that is unknown to many. It is believed that there are only 230 of these creatures worldwide, with 118 of them living in the United States, one living on Easy Street at Big Cat Rescue. The clouded leopard is also known as the Tree Tiger and the Mint Leopard.
The Clouded Leopard has cloud-like rings on its coat, which are darker on the inside than they are on the out. Sometimes the insides of the clouds or rings contain dots with small black spots on them. The main color (the non-clouded area) is usually gray, golden, or tan. In the wild, there have also been reports of black or white Clouded Leopards. The largest markings are on the legs and stomach. The back of the neck will have two large black stripes. The tail has black rings, instead of the clouded pelt. These wild cats range in weight from 22 - 45 pounds and have short legs. The hind legs are longer than the front legs. The tail is just as long as the body and is very thick and smooth. The Clouded Leopard is actually a separate species of cat than the traditional leopard, but is still in the feline family, along with the lion, jaguar, tiger, and leopard. When raised in captivity, the Clouded Leopard has been known to live up to 17 years. However, when they grow up in the wild, their life span is roughly 11 years. The breeding habits of Clouded Leopards are not known very well, due to their secretive nature. It is very rare to spot one in the wild. However, when giving birth in captivity, a Clouded Leopard generally gives birth to one to five kittens per litter, with the average number being three. They are generally pregnant for about 93 days. While the litter size is fair, less than twenty percent of captive Clouded Leopards will be successful at reproduction because the males often kill the female they are paired with during the mating process. With canine teeth as large as those of a tiger (the largest teeth of all felines), you'd think these cats would be just as big as a tiger. That's where you'd be wrong. Clouded Leopards are bigger than house cats, but they are not as big as the other wild cats. They are about in the middle between a house cat and a wild cat, in size. Clouded Leopards are tree climbers. They have thick paws that are specially designed to help them keep balance in the trees. They can also use their tails to hang from the trees. They will even hang upside down to sleep in a tree, with their paws and tail grasping the branches for support. While the Clouded Leopard is small, it still hunts after big prey, bearing down on it with those large canine teeth, for a quick and swift kill. Its diet includes wild boar, small mammals, monkeys, birds, deer, and porcupine. The Clouded Leopard is classified as an endangered species. *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network
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 Image: Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved (Highline Canal Trail) Aurora, Colorado is abundant with nature, and the kids and I love exploring the city. One of our favorite areas to walk is the Aurora section of the Highline Canal trail. The path is large enough to fit strollers, bikes, or a large group of people. Walking and hiking are longtime habits in our family. So, we generally travel the Highline Canal trail by foot. Many locals also seem to agree, as we often run into other families along the trail.
Where does the Aurora section of the trail lead? If you start out near Lyn Knoll Elementary on 2nd street at Salem, the trail continues on throughout Aurora. Depending on which way you go, interesting stops include Expo Park, access to several shopping plazas, the Aurora Greenhouse, the Aurora Hills Golf Course, the Aurora Public Library, the Aurora History Museum, and much more. The kids and I love taking the trails for many of our Aurora destinations because they seem to lead to many of the places we go to. It's a fun way to get where we are going and is also great entertainment by itself. There are several intersections that interrupt the trail, such as Potomac street. Some people choose to end their exploration after one or two intersections. We sometimes continue further and other times exit the trail early. It just depends on our plans for that day. Wildlife flourishes in the middle of the city Each time we hit the trails, there are new discoveries. Our favorite creature that was discovered along the trail is probably a tie between a turtle and a beaver. We got the chance to snap a picture of the turtle. However, the beaver was quick enough to evade the camera. There are also many birds and even prairie dogs and rabbits along the trail. The pace of the trail is perfect for families While bike riders often zoom past, the walkway is wide enough to allow space for families. In our experience, most bikers often stay to one side of the trail, making it a bit safer for kids than some of the other trails we've been on. One favorite stop along the trail is a pond near the Aurora Public Library and Aurora Municipal Court. The trail winds around the pond in a circle or you can keep straight. We usually stop at the pond and watch the ducks and geese. This is also where we spotted the turtle. If you have kids, you know they will want to stop and relax somewhere along the way and with benches and a fountain to watch, this is the perfect spot to do that. If the kids are especially restless, I highly recommend stopping by the library or history museum. *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network  May 15, 2007 | An artificial blood has been developed by scientists that could be a substitute for real blood in the event of an emergency.
The blood is made from plastic, so it is lightweight and easy to store and transport. It can be stored as a thick paste-like substance inside of the bags normally used for real blood. Then, by placing the bag into water and dissolving it just before giving it to patients, coupled with storing it in the bags in the pasted form, it means it's easier to transport than the liquid blood. Normal liquid blood only lasts for 35 days after it is donated. Then, it must be discarded, which means that there is blood being wasted often. Refrigeration is also required for natural blood. The plastic blood can be stored away for longer and does not require refrigeration to stay fresh. This plastic blood is made up of tiny plastic molecules that contain an iron atom at the core of each molecule, similar to hemoglobin. This allows for binding oxygen and transporting it around the body. These tiny plastic molecules are made very similar to the hemoglobin molecules and are joined together in a structure similar to that of a tree, branching off at intersections. Their size and shape also closely resembles that of a hemoglobin molecule. By forming them in this way, it makes it easy to bind the oxygen together to distribute it throughout the body. While this has not yet been approved for use, scientists are working on developing a final prototype that would possibly allow for biological testing. The hope of the scientists is that this could eventually be used in military applications, where access to blood supply is important. Since the material is made from plastic, it would also be very affordable compared to natural blood. As reported by Science Daily, Dr. Lance Twyman, from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sheffield said, "We are very excited about the potential for this product and about the fact that this could save lives. Many people die from superficial wounds when they are trapped in an accident or are injured on the battlefield and can't get blood before they get to hospital. This product can be stored a lot more easily than blood, meaning large quantities could be carried easily by ambulances and the armed forces. ..I hope people take the opportunity to go and see the display at the Science Museum and hopefully in the future it will be more than just a prototype, but will be a real product used in life or death situations." Dr. Twyman has been developing the artificial blood for the past five years. News Source: Science Daily | Scientists Develop Artificial Blood *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network. |
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