Read Kindle books on your iPhone or iPod touch

The Kindle Reader app allows APPLE iPhone and iPod touch owners to access their Kindle library via an easy to use interface. Shop for and wirelessly transfer books from the Kindle library or device to your APPLE accessory.

Budget books that are easy to access, store and NOW view on APPLE’s trademark screen technology makes this app and amazons Kindle e-reader the ultimate way to catch-up on news or the latest novel.

Dr. Laurie Marker, Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, an international research based organisation based in Namibia, confirmed the existence of cheetah in Angola last week during a three-day survey conducted in Iona National Park, located in the Namibe province. This arid area in the extreme southwest of the country was one of the former ranges of the cheetah; however, due to Angola’s three-decade civil war, the cheetah’s status in the country has been unknown.

The 1.6 million hectare lona National Park, proclaimed a reserve on 2 October 1937, is located in southwest Angola, bordering Namibia. Although it is very dry, the area is perfect cheetah habitat with thousands of hectares of open savannah and a growing prey base such as springbok and oryx, two species that adapt to an arid environment and are the cheetah’s primary prey.

During the rapid survey, Marker used Global Positioning Systems (GPS) through the area, marking where game was found and recording the variety of habitats. “I probably saw a thousand springbok.” Marker stated. “Then, on the last day in the park, we were down by dry river beds where there are big trees that look like what we know in Namibia as “playtrees” or territorial marking areas usually used by male cheetahs. We found nine different marking trees, very similar to what we find in Namibia and in remote places like Algeria. I found cheetah scat in the tree. By one of the trees, two big male cheetahs ran out. It was very exciting — there are cheetahs in Angola.”

The rapid ecological survey, designed to assess the habitat and prey in the area as potential cheetah habitat, was carried out at the urging of Alvaro Baptista, owner of the Omauaha Lodge near Iona National Park in Namibe, who visited Marker in Namibia in 2006. Baptista informed Marker of cheetah sightings in the area and encouraged the undertaking of an extensive survey to confirm their presence and to help develop a conservation plan for their long-term protection and survival.

According to Baptista, “This Park is not really functioning as a national park, as personnel and infrastructure are nonexistent at this point. However, visits to the area have recently been conducted by people from both the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme.” Baptista has been active in the Namibe area his entire life and is considered one of the guardians of the Park. His Omauaha Lodge is one of the only tourism camps near the Iona Park.

Marker’s visit to Angola was endorsed by the Kissama Foundation, which has the mandate to support the development of the National Parks of Angola since peace came to the country in 2002. As a result of meetings in Angola’s capital, Luanda, Marker hopes to develop collaborations with Kissama, as well as universities and relevant government officials.

The goal is to develop a program using CCF’s proven methods for censusing cheetah populations and assisting with community, government and non-government organizations in education awareness of cheetahs and bio-diversity to show the benefits of a predator’s role in a healthy ecosystem and ecotourism.

Create your own Sports Card in under a minute!

Upload an image of yourself or a friend and create your very own custom vintage-looking sports card. It’s free and only takes a few seconds to complete.

You can share your sports card with your friends by choosing the post it option for MySpace or Facebook!

Choose from a variety of frames and sports themes including basketball, martial arts, NASCAR and bowling. Your text will be overlaid onto the frame surrounding your picture.

Tip: Print a copy for your scrapbook or save it on your desktop as images are not stored indefinitely.

To create a card click here!

One in eight Australian children is at risk of having a learning difficulty by the time they start school.

But recent developments in neuroscience show that such problems are not the result of low intelligence or poor discipline: they occur because of the way some brains are ‘wired’.

The good news is that neuroscientists now know our brains are far more plastic then we once thought.

Audio Article: ‘Brain Superhighways’

The intrepid explorations of wildlife journalists and photographers captive the imagination and inspire many of us to consider an adventure of our own. Want to experience nature and wildlife up close, immerse yourself in the raw energy and amazing beauty of unspoilt lands?

For those National Geographic fans and creature seekers Vital Ground are hosting two tours to beautiful Knight Inlet, British Columbia in 2010. One of the premier viewing areas in North America for bears and other wildlife—all set amidst the dramatic snow-capped peaks of Canada’s rugged western coastline.

The eco-tour includes guided field trips with nature experts that are passionate about preservation and who are happy to pass on their knowledge for an ‘exciting educational experience’ you won’t forget.

Good for Grizzlies: best of all this tour benefits the bears as proceeds are put towards the preservation efforts of Vital Ground, learn more here.

Knight Inlet Lodge, a founding member of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of British Columbia, will provide accommodations.

The lodge is unique in that it is a floating complex located in Knight Inlet’s Glendale Cove. The remote location means that beautiful scenery and spectacular wildlife viewing are right outside your door.

Learn about itineraries, view photos, read past participant reviews, watch a promotional video, and secure your reservation online now by clicking below!

Spring trip: May 15-21, 2010
Fall trip: October 13-17, 2010

Our trips sell out very quickly, so we encourage you to book today online or phone us directly at 406-549-8650.

Watch a new Wild Bear Adventure promotional video on YouTube here.
Watch a video provided by Knight Inlet Lodge here.
Read accounts from previous Wild Bear Adventures here.