AME News

Servern Suziki made this speech at a UN meeting in Brazil back in 1992 when she was just twelve years old. She was the founder of ECO, the Environmental Children’s Organization. Today, she still fights for the environment by speaking around the world about issues we need to fight today as individuals. Severn is an activist, speaker, author, and television host.

She was interviewed by Time Magazine in 1999, in which she was quoted saying, “I spoke for six minutes and received a standing ovation. Some of the delegates even cried. I thought that maybe I had reached some of them, that my speech might actually spur action. Now, a decade from Rio, after I’ve sat through many more conferences, I’m not sure what has been accomplished. My confidence in the people in power and in the power of an individual’s voice to reach them has been deeply shaken…In the 10 years since Rio, I have learned that addressing our leaders is not enough. As Gandhi said many years ago, ‘We must become the change we want to see.’ I know change is possible” (Weights of Silence).

Here is the amazing, moving speech she made when she was 12:

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The Carribean Monk Seal, also known as the West Indian Seal, has officially been announced extinct as of July, 2008. This is the first seal species to become extcint as a result of human activities alone. It is truly saddening. Only old photographs and drawings remain of the Monk Seal.

“After five years of futile efforts in which not even a single sighting has been reported, the U.S. declared extinct, and also declared that no other seal species has been extinct because of us” (ZME Science).

Many animals are on the expressway to this same fate- polar bears, tigers, gorillas, cheetahs, rhinos, and whales- just to name a few of the literally thousands of animals which are currently endangered.

We have to do something now to change their fate.

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Help Endangered Animals

Photo courtesy of Associated Press

According to the Associated Press, hundreds of penguins have been washing ashore in Brazil this year, both dead and alive. Approximately 300 penguins have been found in recent days alone along the shoreline.

Biologists are not exactly sure why this is occurring, but they do have theories. Some biologists believe that “stronger-than-normal ocean currents have pulled the birds north” (Associated Press). Others believe that the penguins are being forced to swim farther out to search for food due to overfishing in Antarctica and Patagonia.

This isn’t the first time penguins have been spotted off the shore of Brazil. It is fairly common for a few sightings of the birds a year, however, the number of sightings this year are extremely high. Most of the birds getting washed ashore are babies who aren’t strong enough to fight against the currents of the water.

The environmental authority in Brazil is telling residents if they spot a healthy, uninjured penguin to leave it alone so it can swim back home. Rescued penguins are swamping their bird rescue centers and 90 have since died.

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