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Earthwatch
The new 2009 Expedition Guide is here!
There are research projects you can join, running in 30 countries worldwide, working on climate change, ocean health, threatened natural resources and cultures. Want to take a look at them all online right now? Just go here:
view link
Prefer to leaf through our new printed Guide? Just go here and request your free Guide today!
view link
There are research projects you can join, running in 30 countries worldwide, working on climate change, ocean health, threatened natural resources and cultures. Want to take a look at them all online right now? Just go here:
view link
Prefer to leaf through our new printed Guide? Just go here and request your free Guide today!
view link
Studying wildlife in Mongolia
Earthwatch has a fascinating project in the Ikh Nart Nature Reserve on the edge of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. Researchers and volunteers capture, examine and tag or radio collar a number of exotic animals, including:
- Endangered Mongolian Argali, with their huge curving horns - the largest mountain sheep in the world
- Siberian ibex, mountain goats with scimitar-shaped horns
- Cinereous vultures, another endangered species - one vulture tagged by an Earthwatch team was later photographed in South Korea - 1200 miles away: view link
- Small mammals, including hedgehogs, unusual Pallas' cats and corsac foxes
This research is a collaboration between researchers from the the Mongolian Academy of Sciences and the Denver Zoological Foundation, and volunteers work with local Mongolia staff and stay in traditional "gers".
You can read more about the Ikh Nart Nature Reserve at view link
The carnivore study also has a website at view link
See the location on Google Maps: view link
On the expedition, researcher Dr. Richard Reading says: "You will spend two nights in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, to experience the ancient and fascinating culture of Mongolia, and almost two weeks in the spectacular semi-desert steppe wilderness, free of fences and paved roads."
There are only five spaces left on this year's teams - and there would be one less, if I hadn't already scheduled all of my vacation :-) - view link
Whether or not you can go to Mongolia, it's an incredible place to read about!
Kathy, the Earthwatch webmaster
- Endangered Mongolian Argali, with their huge curving horns - the largest mountain sheep in the world
- Siberian ibex, mountain goats with scimitar-shaped horns
- Cinereous vultures, another endangered species - one vulture tagged by an Earthwatch team was later photographed in South Korea - 1200 miles away: view link
- Small mammals, including hedgehogs, unusual Pallas' cats and corsac foxes
This research is a collaboration between researchers from the the Mongolian Academy of Sciences and the Denver Zoological Foundation, and volunteers work with local Mongolia staff and stay in traditional "gers".
You can read more about the Ikh Nart Nature Reserve at view link
The carnivore study also has a website at view link
See the location on Google Maps: view link
On the expedition, researcher Dr. Richard Reading says: "You will spend two nights in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, to experience the ancient and fascinating culture of Mongolia, and almost two weeks in the spectacular semi-desert steppe wilderness, free of fences and paved roads."
There are only five spaces left on this year's teams - and there would be one less, if I hadn't already scheduled all of my vacation :-) - view link
Whether or not you can go to Mongolia, it's an incredible place to read about!
Kathy, the Earthwatch webmaster
Dragon Boat Festival
This is a note from one of the Principal Investigators that Earthwatch works with in China - Dr. Anrong Dang. Earthwatch volunteers work with him on Chinese Village Traditions: view link - where they document the traditions and lore of a rural area in Shaanxi Province.
Dr. Dang sends us very interesting information on Chinese holidays and festivals, which he has kindly let us post here. If you have any questions for Dr. Dang, post them and he'll be happy to answer!
Happy Chinese Dragon Boat Festival!
Maybe you know that the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. It is also known as Double Fifth Day. While many stories regarding its origin abound, the most popular and widely accepted version regards Qu Yuan, a minister during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).
Qu Yuan served as minister to the Zhou Emperor. He did much to fight against the rampant corruption that plagued the court -- thereby earning the envy and fear of other officials. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the officials pressured the Emperor to have him removed from service. In exile, he traveled, taught and wrote for several years.
Hearing that the Zhou had been defeated by the Qin, he fell into despair and threw himself into the Milou River. As he was so loved by the people, fishermen rushed out in long boats, beating drums to scare the fish away, and throwing zong zi (the bamboo dumpling) into the water to feed braver fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body. Starting from that time to this day, people commemorate Qu Yuan through Dragon Boat Races, eating zong zi (the bamboo dumpling), and several other activities, on the anniversary of his death.
Dragon Boat races are the most exciting part of the festival, drawing crowds of spectators. And the traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival, Zong zi (the bamboo dumpling) is a glutinous rice ball, with a filling, wrapped in bamboo leaves. The fillings are basically sticky rice or sticky millet, as well as egg, beans, dates, fruits, sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, meat, or a combination of them. They are generally steamed.
When we stayed at our reseach village, Dang Jiashan and Miao Jia Getai, we were served the Zong zi (the bamboo dumpling). Furthermore, some of us practised how to make Zong Zi.
Photo - making Zong zi:view link
All best wishes,
Anrong Dang
Dr. Dang sends us very interesting information on Chinese holidays and festivals, which he has kindly let us post here. If you have any questions for Dr. Dang, post them and he'll be happy to answer!
Happy Chinese Dragon Boat Festival!
Maybe you know that the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. It is also known as Double Fifth Day. While many stories regarding its origin abound, the most popular and widely accepted version regards Qu Yuan, a minister during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).
Qu Yuan served as minister to the Zhou Emperor. He did much to fight against the rampant corruption that plagued the court -- thereby earning the envy and fear of other officials. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the officials pressured the Emperor to have him removed from service. In exile, he traveled, taught and wrote for several years.
Hearing that the Zhou had been defeated by the Qin, he fell into despair and threw himself into the Milou River. As he was so loved by the people, fishermen rushed out in long boats, beating drums to scare the fish away, and throwing zong zi (the bamboo dumpling) into the water to feed braver fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body. Starting from that time to this day, people commemorate Qu Yuan through Dragon Boat Races, eating zong zi (the bamboo dumpling), and several other activities, on the anniversary of his death.
Dragon Boat races are the most exciting part of the festival, drawing crowds of spectators. And the traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival, Zong zi (the bamboo dumpling) is a glutinous rice ball, with a filling, wrapped in bamboo leaves. The fillings are basically sticky rice or sticky millet, as well as egg, beans, dates, fruits, sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, meat, or a combination of them. They are generally steamed.
When we stayed at our reseach village, Dang Jiashan and Miao Jia Getai, we were served the Zong zi (the bamboo dumpling). Furthermore, some of us practised how to make Zong Zi.
Photo - making Zong zi:view link
All best wishes,
Anrong Dang
