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The Gnatcatcher

A Brave Ecological Intelligent Bird

BySammieScales

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Once upon a time out in San Diego,

California there was a beautiful forest. This

forest was populated with many exoticplants and animals. The animals roamed free

without the fear of humans or the threat of

industrialization. This forest was biocentric.

The animals all got along well. There wasplenty of food to eat that nature supplied and

plenty of fresh clean water to drink.

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One day the animals began to hear

strange loud noises and it sounded as if it

was coming from the north. As the noiseinched closer and closer the animals did not

know what to do so they began to run for

cover and safety.

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The noise suddenly stopped, the animals

waited patiently to gather and discuss what

the noise could have possibly been. Theelephant said whatever it was it had me

frightened, me too, said the lion, Im the

king of this wilderness and I have never

experienced any sound like that in my life.

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The gazelles and zebras began to chat

among themselves as to what could have

caused such a disruption in their paradise.Maybe it was thunder or maybe it was God

moving furniture again, whispered the

antelopes. Perhaps its an earthquake chimed

the parrot. We must get to the bottom of thissaid the giraffe, and from up here I cannot

see what could have caused such commotion.

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Little did the lions, tigers, bears and

other animals of the forest know; the world

as they knew it is about to change and a littlebird, the gnatcatcher, will be the one to save

the forest. The gnatcatcher only four inches

long and a song bird is the only animal

brave enough to go out and look for theorigin of the sound. The lion was terrified

and the buffalo just refused to leave their

hiding place. Off on his own the gnatcatcher

flew. He flew until he came across a

machine that was unfamiliar.

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Its the humans again, said the gnatcatcher, they are using

that machine to push over trees and are destroying the forest and

the destruction is headed in the direction where my friends and I

live. I must find a way to stop them. The gnatcatcher has alwaysbeen a clever bird, By flicking its white-edged tail from side to

side, the gnatcatcher may scare up hiding insects

(http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-

gray_Gnatcatcher/lifehistory) for food and surely it can out

smart humans, the creatures that thinks that they are

anthropocentric. How can I stop them I am only 3.94.3 incheslong with a wingspan of 6.3 inches and weigh 0.2 ounces

(http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-

gray_Gnatcatcher/lifehistory)? Oh no! The wrecking machine!

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The gnatcatcher needs a large area to fly free and thrive

and to maintain their population. Highly variable

correlated with distance from the coast, ranging from less

than 1 ha to over 9 ha (Braden 1997, Preston et al. 1998a,

Atwood et al. 1998b). The non-breeding season home

range size about 80% larger than breeding season home

ranges (Preston et al. 1998a, Bontrager 1991)

(http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/species/scrub/califo

rnia_gnatcatcher.html). Im a non-migratory bird so Ihave to devise a way to contact all thirty of the different

species of gnatcatchers and organize to stop the bulldozer

from destroying the forest which is my home.

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When it comes to ecology we must all live and

work together, the same water that we water our

garden with and wash our cars with is all a part of aglobal water system said the gnatcatcher. The

gnatcatcher pondered and contemplated on what to

do. I must get the humans to realize that we are all a

part of the circle of life and without the animals they

would cease to exist. The bugs eat the grass, the

rodents eat the bugs, and the hawks eat the rodents

and the cycle continues as the deer and cow eats the

grass the humans eat the deer and cow.

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Just as in the movie Avatar we are all

connected.

(http://www.google.com/imgres?q=avatar&start=87&num=10&um=1&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1440&bih=735&tbm=isch&tbnid=1NOCURzyW4A

Q8M:&imgrefurl=http://prabhustudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/avatar-making-of-film-

480p.html&docid=xGm9ZxrRfGAevM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UUSrVTphI7A/THpGAPPl67I/AAAAAAAAASk/OdogHSTLn38/s1600/Avatar%252BSpecial%252BEdition.jpg&w=1488&h=1600&ei=doSzUJa4GOjMigK9toD4Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=579&vpy=278&du

r=1467&hovh=233&hovw=216&tx=133&ty=132&sig=112273431771924995124&page=4&tbnh=153&tbnw=137&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:

100,i:13)

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Just As Santiago, respected the Marlin in Earnest Hemingways

The old man and The Sea, we must teach humans to respect

animals in and out of water said the gnatcatcher. We have to

teach them to respect and accept us as a part of the universe.

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Once again, the loud noise began and the

animals were in a panic, the gnatcatcher assured the

animals that things would be okay. The animalsbegan to brainstorm and decided that since the

gnatcatcher is endangered they would send the

gnatcatcher out in front of the bulldozer and hope

that the driver would halt. This plan had to work

because there was no other plan. It was all or

nothing.

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The California gnatcatcher is endangered

and was placed on the endangered species list in

1993. Because of the Endangered Species Actthe gnatcatcher is protected and any area where

it lays eggs and lives is protected. Legislation

has been passed to implement penalties and

fined for disturbing the gnatcatcher and

preventing its growth.

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The bulldozer began to push over trees and

everything else in its path. The animals were

disbursed in all directions. Chaos ensued. Thegnatcatcher sprang into action flying directly in the

path of the bulldozer. Armed with knowledge of the

law, the gnatcatcher sprang into action and flew

directly in front of the bulldozer, the engine of the

bulldozer was revved up but the gnatcatcher stood its

ground and didnt back down. Slowly, the bulldozer

began to back away and leave the area. The animals

cheered and said not in our backyard!

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The gnatcatcher explains to the other animals why

its important to live in an ecological healthy environment.

Ecology is a Greek word meaning The study of

relationships of organisms to their environment and each

other(www.kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecology/ecoindex.html).

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According to the gnatcatcher children that want to be

more ecological oriented should ask school officials

where does their school water comes from and what mote

of transportation does it take to reach the school. Kids

should ask their science teacher where does rain water

flow; to a dam, river, pond, lake or to the ocean? Water

no matter where you are flows downward and by

following a trench that may be left behind from rain may

lead you to some answers about ecology.

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Environmentalism is often portrayed as a reaction against

the impact of science, technology and industrialization

(http://www.jstor.org/stable/623218) but in reality we are not

against progress but against some of the methods used. Thereare several methods that could be used when it comes to clearing

land for development says the gnatcatcher. The first method that

is very harmful and traumatic to animals is bulldozing, it is a

cheap method (http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Land) to use,

but first it is a good idea to harvest anything that can be used

before bulldozing. Bulldozing does damage the top soil.

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Next, there is Mulching, though it is more expensive than other

kinds of clearing, a mulch machine knocks over small trees, bushes, and

brush and grinds them into mulch. There is nothing left to pile up or

burn. The soil is not damaged during mulch clearing(http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Land). Debris is grinded into the soil.

Another method is to buy some goats! Build a fence around the

land you want to clear and put some goats inside the fence. The goats

will eat the undergrowth around the larger trees. You can then sell the

goats and harvest the larger trees (http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-

Land).Goat clearing is inexpensive for clearing land, but it does taketime. The goats can get to places that machinery has a hard time

reaching.

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The gnatcatcher wants to remind kids that we all have

to live in this world together and cannot do so without

each other. Therefore, it is very important to conserve

water and to be aware of where your most precious

commodity comes from. The forest is a place that should

be well balanced for the animals to live and fro humans to

take part in the circle of life.

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If you want to get involved with making a difference in your community says the gnatcatcher

please contact your Audubon Society in your community at

San Diego Audubon Society

4010 Morena Blvd. Suite 100

San Diego, CA 92117

For additional information please contact Karen Straus (http://www.sandiegoaudubon.org).

TheEnd

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Glossary

Anthropocentric-Considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe.

Metaphor- Something used to represent something else. Example the wrecking machine is the

bulldozer.

Ecology- The study of relationships of organisms to their environment and each other.

Gnatcatcher- Any of various small American songbirds of the genus Polioptila and related

genera, typically having a long tail and a pale bluish-grey plumage: family Muscicapidae

Bulldozer- A powerful tractor fitted with caterpillar tracks and a blade at the front, used for

moving earth, rocks, etc.

Environmentalist- Any person who advocates or works to protect the air, water, animals, plants,

and other natural resources from pollution or its effects.

Science- Systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and

experimentation.

Technology- The branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means

and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as

industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.

Industrialization-The large-scale introduction of manufacturing, advanced technical

enterprises and other productive economic activity into an area, society, country, etc.

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Works Cited

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-gray_Gnatcatcher/lifehistory

http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/species/scrub/california_gnatcatcher.html

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=avatar&start=87&num=10&um=1&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1440&bih=735&tbm=isch&tbnid=1NOCURzyW4AQ8

M:&imgrefurl=http://prabhustudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/avatar-making-of-film-

480p.html&docid=xGm9ZxrRfGAevM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UUSrVTphI7A/THpGAPPl67I/AAAAAAAAASk/OdogHSTLn38/s1600/Av

atar%252BSpecial%252BEdition.jpg&w=1488&h=1600&ei=doSzUJa4GOjMigK9toD4Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=579&vpy=278&dur=1467&hovh

=233&hovw=216&tx=133&ty=132&sig=112273431771924995124&page=4&tbnh=153&tbnw=137&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:100,i:13

www.kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecology/ecoindex.html

Rationalization and Conservation: Ecology and the Management of Nature in the United

Kingdom W. M. AdamsTransactions of the Institute of British Geographers , New Series, Vol.

22, No. 3 (1997), pp. 277-291 Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society

(with the Institute of British Geographers) http://www.jstor.org/stable/623218

http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Land

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gnatcatcher?s=t

http://dictionary.reference.com/

http://www.sandiegoaudubon.org/