From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
According to this article in yesterday's Age we are in danger of losing some of our most helpful natural amphibians. Of the 220 species that reside in Australasia, 47 are now on the endangered list.
The corroboree frog is so scarce that scientists believe there may be no more than 50 individual frogs living in the wild. And they're the lucky ones. It is estimated that possibly 165 of the world's species may already have become extinct.
Recently, when trekking to a favourite camping spot, we noticed that the site had come under the local authority with signs informing us that area had now become a safe zone for a local frog. A little miffed, we assumed that it was just the government trying to control more land - and conspiracy theorists may still conclude that is the case. Yet, while us humans love to enjoy the outdoors it appears the outdoors no longer enjoys us.
The problem is that we're using too much of their habitat. Areas that were once popular breeding grounds for these little amphibians have been filled in and developed for human dwellings. Our desire to get closer to nature is becoming the source of nature's downfall.
But we shouldn't beat ourselves up too much. Our frogs are also facing a more sinister foe in the form of a fungal disease known as Chytrid Fungus which still has no cure. The epidemic is threatening to wipe out many species unless something is done about it.
Fortunately, our scientists are coming together on this issue and announced 17 projects to help 14 different types of frog. Their coordinated efforts to curb the decline will result in many of these endangered frogs being bred in captivity and hopefully released back into the wild once the threat of disease has passed.
Fingers-crossed we may see the return of these very important amphibians into our ecosystems. Hopefully their numbers may also increase.
CamelBak hydration packs are the original hands-free hydration backpacks, available for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, developed according to scientific studies, with models for biking, running, outdoor, ski/board, hunting, women-fit, kid-fit and even bug-out kits under the outlaw series.
Originally developed to keep mountain bikers and motor cross riders well hydrated without taking their hands from the handlebars, CamelBak now offers a wide selection of models for other areas with many specialty series that fit the specific use of each athlete.
The reason why CamelBak offers so many different models and sizes is because scientific studies show that athletes tend to drink more fluids when they are readily available, and continuous consumption during activity will improve both performance and overall hydration for an overall healthier activity.
For men, the most popular model is the MULE with a 3 liter liquid capacity and a 9 liter cargo capacity including an MP3 water-resistant pouch for individual sports and for kids there ios the mini-MULE.
For women, the CHARM is probably the most popular, with the largest variety of colors available, holding 1.5 liters of liquid and a simple water-resistant ziplock pouch for keys and other small valuables.
CamelBak hydration packs differ in the amount of liquid they can carry according to the need of the user, from 28-50oz (0.8-1.5L), 70-72oz (2.07-2.13L) and 100oz (2.95L); as well as the cargo they can carry, (calculated in cubic inches) from 20-200, 400-750, 751-1000, 1200-1400, 1400 and up.
They come in a variety of colors, (which are limited somewhat depending on the chosen model), including mens (green, blue, orange, black and brown), womens (light blue, red and grey) and childrens (pink, blue, brown, green and black) colors.
The original hands-free hydration packs, CamelBak hydration packs are made for a variety of sports enthusiasts, from biking, trekking, running, outdoor, skiing, snowboarding, rafting or any activity where optimum hydration is of key importance to maintain ones performance and secure ones overall health from dehydration during the activity.
