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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/