Manatees

July 29, 2014

I love manatees. These endangered marine mammals are the gentlest of the sea creatures. They laze around in shallow water grazing on sea grasses and since they are slow moving they are often hit by boats. They’re also not very cold tolerant and when the temperatures dip in the winter, they can become weak and ill.

There is a marina near my house where manatees gather in the summer. I stopped by there this morning to see if anyone was around, and I had an amazing encounter. There were 4 or 5 adults all playing together, rolling and splashing at the surface. I wondered if perhaps they were mating, but the water was too murky to tell and I didn’t want to disturb them with “human” questions.

Nearby was a group of three babies who were playing together. I could see their cute little pectoral fins holding each other like arms and crawling on top of each other. The little puffs they made when they surfaced were so quiet and cute compared to the blows from their moms. I was so sorry I didn’t have my camera along.

The Florida population of manatees is probably the largest and healthiest in the world, yet it has many problems. There was a die-off of more than 800 last summer, in the Indian River Lagoon area, due to algae blooms likely caused by fertilizer and agricultural run-off. Boat strikes kill many and a cold winter is deadly. Fortunately during the winter, power plants release large amounts of warm water giving the manatees a suitable place to hang out. Some even provide viewing platforms and educational exhibits.

In the winter, many manatees gather in the warmer waters of Crystal River and Homosassa Springs, FL. A few years ago, Bob and I went on an excursion there to swim with them. It was a lovely, peaceful and joyous encounter. We may go up and do that again next winter.

Here’s a video of a group of manatees traveling just north of us near Tampa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KvDVZitug8.  I hope you enjoy it and that you get a chance to spend some time around these lovely creatures.

Being Objective

July 21, 2014

When it comes to relationships, it is often hard for us to see what’s really going on. We make assumptions based on the past or cling to beliefs that may not be accurate. Our assessment of situations may reflect our own emotional baggage, guilt, or denial. This is true of our relationships with humans and also our animal companions.

If you are having a behavior issue with your pet, don’t immediately decide that your animal is mad at you or punishing you. I hear this very often from clients and it is rarely the case. Since animals can’t communicate with us verbally, they need to use other methods and most of them are quite good at finding one that works for them. They know how to get our attention!!

So, they’ve gotten your attention – now what? Instead of jumping to conclusions, it’s time to stand back and be more objective about the situation. Let go of your emotional response which is probably clouding your understanding. Get quiet and come from a neutral place and ask yourself the following questions:

1. What are the facts? (cat is peeing, dog is biting, horse is bucking, etc)
2. What could be causing this? (make a list)
3. How am I contributing to this issue? (is there anything I need to change)
4. What other possibilities are there?
5. How can we “fix” this?

Spend a few minutes thinking about, and feeling the answers to these questions and write them down. Pretend this issue is happening to someone else and see what advice you would give to them.

Then get quiet, open your heart and ask your animal for help. Tell him that you want to resolve the issue and discuss the information that you’ve compiled. Be receptive and allow the information to flow in. Write it down, but let it flow for as long as it comes. Then ask your animal if there is anything else he would like to tell you, or anything he needs or wants.

Pay attention to any insights, thoughts, words, or feelings that come in. Your animal friend is always trying to communicate with you, and by getting quiet and receptive, you may just hear/see/feel what he has to say. Then act on this information and see if it resolves the issue.

Letting go of our emotional response, being objective, and opening our hearts is the quickest way to resolve any relationship issue – especially with our pets.

Turtle Nesting Season

July 14, 2014

Turtle tracks in the sand

It’s Loggerhead turtle nesting season again on the Gulf coast and this morning on my beach walk I saw three different turtle tracks coming out of the sea up onto the sand. The turtle patrol was at one of the sites, so I stopped to ask a few questions. They were checking to see if the turtle had actually laid eggs, or just dug a hole. This spot unfortunately was empty and I was told that so far there is a higher than normal “false drop” rate this year. Generally about half of the sites a female digs to lay eggs are empty, but this year it’s more than that.

I wondered what might be causing this? 2013 was a record year for nests and hatchlings and authorities believe that it’s because 30 years ago they started a campaign to keep lights off along the shore during nesting season. When the baby turtles hatch, they go toward the light which hopefully is the moon shining on the water. If it’s a streetlight, they perish. So that was good news that 30 years later, they are seeing the fruit of their labor. Can you believe that it takes 20-30 years for a Loggerhead turtle to be sexually mature? They can live into their 70s.

So why are they not laying this year? Is there something on the beach disturbing them? Could it be lightening storms? Effects of the Gulf oil spill? They also added sand to the beach this year, and I wonder if somehow that’s disturbing them? Could the rising temperatures of the seas be having a effect?

In 2012, Tropical Storm Debbie sat over this area for several days and battered the coast. Most of the turtle nests were destroyed, but amazingly, after the storm, the turtles returned and laid MORE nests. How did they know? Are they still connected energetically to their young incubating in the sand?

Here’s an interesting little fact – the sex of the hatchlings is determined by how hot the nest is. If it’s cool, then they become males, and if it’s hot, they become females. I guess you could have boys at the bottom and girls at the top too.

Last month in Bimini, we were being dragged on lines behind the boat. As we flew along, Bob and I noticed a loggerhead turtle rising to the surface right next to us. He just stared at us with a quizzical look like, “what the heck is that?” We laughed so hard we blew our snorkels off. Humans whizzing by is not something that a turtle sees everyday, but I hope that these endangered creatures make a full comeback.

Bimini Dolphins

July 6, 2014

I was so lucky this June to spend two spectacular weeks in Bimini swimming with wild dolphins. What a treat! As usual, participants came from around the world to learn telepathic communication with animals and nature, and to spend time with the dolphins. I always love how these human pods come together and the lifelong friendships that are formed.

From the dock at Wild Quest

Bimini is such an interesting place. The north island where we stay is only three miles long and a block wide. It has about 1400 residents who subsist mainly by fishing and harvesting conch. The conch shells are piled high all along the shore. On the far north end a new resort is being built. I hope it doesn’t change the island too much.

I have never seen such beautiful water anywhere else in the world. You find every shade of blue from light turquoise to deep cobalt in one afternoon.

Spotted dolphin

Bottlenose dolphins

We were treated to swims with both Atlantic Spotted dolphins and Atlantic Bottlenose this year. On one encounter male bottlenose were mating with female spotted! That was an interesting afternoon, and although the dolphins were engaged in their own socialization, they were not bothered by our presence. In fact they kept coming back to where we were hanging in the water. We also enjoyed many baby dolphins leaping at the bow. I swear they were trying to see how much they could get us to scream and holler!

The second week in Bimini I was teaching Communication with Nature, and we got a little more nature than we had hoped for. There was

wind and rain and lightening and it got so cold on the boat one day that we jumped in the water to warm up. That was an amazing experience
watching the raindrops hit the surface from below and above. It was like sparkling little gems on the sea. We floated in the current until the storm went by and enjoyed a free ride watching the coral reefs and fish go by below us.

I’m already looking forward to my two weeks in Bimini next year, June 7-13, and June 14-20. Registration will begin in September, and it filled up early this year, so if you’d like to join me, don’t wait too long. I think both weeks next year will be Animal Communication – we seemed to call in too much wild nature this year.

Keep Your Pets Safe on the 4th of July

Each year I get up to a dozen calls from frantic people who are searching for pets that ran away during the 4th of July fireworks. Some animals, especially dogs, react to loud noises such as thunder or fireworks, by panting, vocalizing, drooling, shaking, cowering or worse - running. A noise-phobic dog may break out of windows, claw through doors, and run until they are lost or exhausted. Many are hurt or never found. Be sure to have up-to-date ID tags on your dogs.

If you know that your dog reacts to loud noises, it’s time to prepare for the 4th. If you’re not sure, find out today and plan accordingly.

Rescue Remedy, a Bach flower essence, is a non-toxic liquid that works gently on the energy system to relieve stress and anxiety. It is available at most health food stores and many pet supply stores. Put 4 drops into the animal’s water dish and stir vigorously. Start today and continue through July 5th. You can use it too.

Another human supplement now used with dogs is melatonin. It should be used for several consecutive days and can calm the nerves and reduce anxiety. The Whole Dog Journal recommends that large dogs take about 3 mgs daily and dogs less than 30 pounds only 1.5 mgs. Herbal tinctures of valerian, skullcap or kava kava can also be helpful. Always check first with your veterinarian for exact doses and usage.

In addition to one of the calming supplements, it’s most important that your animals are kept in a safe place that they cannot escape from. An interior bathroom with no windows is a nice dark quiet spot. Play the radio or TV to cut down on the intensity of the outside noise, and reassure your pet that everything is OK.

It’s best to not take your pet to a big celebration and be aware of what is happening in the neighborhood. Small firecrackers can upset as much as large ones, and dogs can ingest unexploded fireworks. Fur catches on fire easily too!

Think ahead and keep your pets safe on the 4th.