So the weather has really been very changeable here in Sussex - either so boiling hot that I didn't want to move, or very wet and windy indeed. 

If you don't feel like doing anything because of the heat or you just feel like lazing about as the rain lashes against the window, here's a word search - Spot the wildlife! 

There are 22 animals to find. 

I hope you enjoy it, though you'll need to print the word search off to do it.  

Spot the wildlife in this word search! 

The international charity have produced this delightful video with advice on how to Beat the Heat like a Moon Bear...

Animals Asia's mission is to end the farming of bears for bile in Vietnam and China. to provide sanctuary for bears, end the suffering of wild animals in captivity and to ensure the humane treatment of cats and dogs.

There's plenty you can do to help them in their mission, from donating to volunteering, attending events and spreading awareness. 

Visit Animals Asia here - and beat the heat like a moon bear!

So the temperatures are rocketing in England and Wales this week.  Just looking at a newspaper, there's talk of 31 degrees in the south east of England by next weekend.

The RSPCA is urging pet owners and farmers to keep their pets cool as temperatures rise, and please let's not forget wildlife and make sure we fill bird baths and create opportunities for thisty widllife to have a drink. 

Keeping cool at the RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre in Cambridgeshire

Top tips from the RSPCA:

1. Ensure all your animals have access to shade and fresh drinking water - don't forget the sun moves and so will the shade during the day.
2. Keep fish tanks out of direct sunlight 
3. Top up pond water levels.  
4. Watch for wildlife when you're using lawnmowers and strimmers
5. Keep pesticides out of reach of animals
6. Wrap an ice pack or a frozen water bottle in a tea towel for your pet to lie on
7. Use cold treats from the fridge for added moisture or make an ice lolly from pet-friendly ingredients
8. Avoid exercising pets in very hot weather - do it when it's cooler.  Pavements can get very hot in warm weather - if it's too hot to touch wtih your hand, it's too hot for a dog's paws.
9. Don't transport in hot weather unless absolutely necessary
10. Make sure buildings animals are housed in are adequately ventilated and monitored regularly
11. Check daily for flystrike
12. Don't let your pet get sunburnt - use a pet-safe sun cream.  Some colours are more apt to suffer in the sun than others e.g. white cat
    
    

If it's hot for your hand, imagine what it will feel like to your dog's paws.  Leave walkies until it's cooled down.

Remember, your pet cannot turn a tap on (unless they have taught themselves) so always ensure you've left your pet plenty of water - they should have a fresh change of water daily. 

If you're out and about with your dog, don't forget he or she will get thirsty as well so take some water for them and something to put it in with you.

If you're away overnight, get someone responsible to check on any pets at home - guinea pigs and rabbits can quickly run out of water for instance.

Keep an eye on elderly pets, the young and pets with special needs or medical conditions.  Older dogs may need much shorter walks for instance or they may not want a walk at all.

Never, ever, ever, ever, leave your pet in a car in hot weather.

If you see a dog in a hot car, click here.  It's always worth printing out these instructions or linking to this from your mobile so that if you see a dog in a hot car while you're out and about, you know what to do. 

Seen a dog in a hot car?  CLICK HERE

Images ©RSPCA

A lot has been written about the benefits of gardening but what happens for people who have disabilities, ill health or who are disadvantaged, vulnerable or isolated?

Well, there’s an amazing charity called Thrive.   They use gardening to bring about positive changes through social and therapeutic horticulture.

They help people work with plants to improve their physical and psychological health, as well as communication and thinking skills.

Gardens are very restful places to be in terms of the peace and quiet they offer people seeking recovery.                                                            

Thrive is always looking for volunteers to help. 

Visit Thrive’s website to find out more. 

There's a new documentary series called Big Cats About the House on BBC2 at 8pm tonight (Thursday 22nd March 2018).

It follows the work of big cat expert Giles Clark.

He's working to turn a The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent into a centre of excellence for conservation.   There are 50 big cats there, many of whom have been rescued - some from circuses.  Others belong to an international breeding programme to act as an insurance policy against extinction.

Giles takes in a tiny jaguar cub tonight called Maya - she wasn't thriving with her mother.

©Big Cat Sanctuary

Adapt Maya from the Big Cat Sanctuary

Crucially, the programme doesn't shy away from important conservation issues.   In the last 100 years, some big cat species have declined by over 90% and many experts think some big cats could disappear completely in the next decade.

Visit BBC2 for more info.

Jaguar conservation

Here are some links to jaguar conservation initiatives:

The Jaguar Corridor Initiative, Panthera

Chaco Jaguar Conservation Project between Bolivia and Argentina

Information on jaguars from IUCN

Jaguar conservation in Costa Rica - Volunteer!

10% off Giles Clark's Big Cats Afternoon Tea and Tour for Two in Kent
available from Red Letter Days

There's a very inspiring story on the BBC website this morning which comes from the Canadian city of Toronto.

The good people of Toronto have been working hard to make their buildings safer for birds.  The city sits on a major route for migratory birds - and many of those birds are flying into buildings and a good number of them are killed doing so.  They get confused by the glass and its reflections. 

So they city has come up with five ways in which to make the windows safer for birds.  Since 2010, developers have had to meet bird safety standards. 

1. Have less glass in new buildings (which also helps insulate the buildings better)
2. Put markings on the glass so that birds can see it
3. Recess windows to stop reflections
4. Use shutters or sun-shades to hide glass
5. Switch off lights so that birds aren't drawn to them

Some older buildings have been made more bird safe as well.  In one case, 100 birds had been found to have died at a building.  Markers were put up to show the glass to the birds and since then, just 1 or 2 a year have been found, so it has made a difference.

The more birds who make it to the northern forests to breed, the better for birdlife and for all of us. 

Click here to fly away to the BBC's website to watch the video.

TrustedHousesitters is a house and pet sitting website, connecting home and pet owners with trustworthy, verified sitters who care for pets for free in exchange for accommodation. The way it works is that sitters offer their help for free in exchange for a free retreat worldwide, so saving accommodation costs for them and pet care costs for homeowners. It's got homeowners registered in over 150 countries so it's fairly extensive

Trustedhousesitters have come up with 10 reasons why a pet is better than a date on Valentine's night...

1. A pet won’t stand you up
2. A pet won’t order the lobster
3. A pet is not embarrassed by a Public Display of Affection
4. A pet won’t grumble about the film you choose on Netflix  
5. A pet won’t veto your romantic songs playlist
6. A pet won’t text its ex on your special evening
7. A pet won’t moan you scrimped on champagne  
8. You can bet you’ll get more likes for your Valentine’s pet-date selfie than the human equivalent
9. With a pet, it’s always clear who’s paying
10. A pet will suspend all judgement because they just want to be with you

And with Valentine's Day on the way, TrustedHousesitters has come up with a new way to match animal lovers with pets who need their care and create the right match! 

It's called #FurryValentine. Users complete a free, short questionnaire so that TrustedHousesitters can understand what personality type you are. The site’s algorithms use the data to propose pet sits across 130 countries, matching your lifestyle, interests and animal experience

Click here to take their questionnaire!

A few years ago, I volunteered for Cats Protection.

It was a wonderful thing to do and I loved it.  The cats were appreciative, so were the staff.   Yes, there were times when I came away and shed a tear;  but I used to tell myself that the cats needed practical help, not my tears.   Tears don't change anything, I'd say to myself;   practical help will.

There are many different ways you can get involved and make a difference to cats and kittens all over the UK.

Cats Protection is the UK's largest cat charity.  They help about 200,000 cats and kittens every year, thanks in part to a network of over 250 volunteer-run branches and 32 adoption centres.  And there are also charity shops, too.  There are about 10,000 volunteers across the UK - that's a lot of cat lovers!  

Volunteering is a great way to make new friends who also care about cats... 

Click here to pounce on volunteer opportunities with Cats Protection

They include:

Cat care and welfare - hands-on roles with cats
Committee members - leading and managing roles
Education - inspire & educate
Fundraising - raise money for cats
General admin and support
Publicity & Communication - spread the word for cats
Retail - a role in a charity shop
Volunteer management

So there's lots to do!  

If you're looking to do volunteering for your Duke of Edinburgh Award, click here

If you're a butterfly lover, why not think about volunteering for Butterfly Conservation and help butterflies in your local area?

Volunteer for butterflies 

There are 32 branches of Butterfly Conservation across the UK, each one managed by a committee of volunteers.  Help your local branch, and you could find yourself leading butterfly walks, and moth events and conservation days, or getting involved with publicity, fundraising, or recruiting members.  Click here to find your local branch.

Or you could get involved in work parties, helping to bash scrub, plant trees or re-build stone walls, usually on the charity's nature reserves.   Essentially, you're doing vital work to restore or maintain butterfly and moth habitats.

You could also help monitor and record butterflies - there's training available to help you. 

And there are four offices who need help with tasks such as database input, making up reports, cataloguing of materials, preparing mailings, and photocopying. 

Of course you can also help butterflies at home in your garden by planting flowers and plants to attract butterflies - here's an idea from Buttefly Conservation: