The Deepwater Horizon, owned by Transocean and leased to BP, caught fire April 20, 2010, after an explosion and sank. The rig, with a platform bigger than a football field  was one of the most modern and was drilling in 5,000 feet of water.

The massive oil spill that threatened to eclipse even the Exxon Valdez disaster spread out of control, washing ashore along the Gulf Coast. It is of grave concern.

Unique feats of engineering will be necessary to cut off the gusher more than a mile beneath the surface of the ocean and experts are warning that its success is far from certain.

In fact, oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico just keeps getting worse and worse. The slick is getting bigger every day. The environmental havoc from this oil spill is just beginning. It threatens destruction to wetlands and sea life as well as the livelihoods of fishermen and the health of clean-up workers. Apart, dead turtles are seen washed ashore as well. In other words, a colossal damage has already been caused to wildlife and animals.

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Laden with oil from the BP spill, a brown pelican attempts takeoff on East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana, on June 4.

The oil threat is weighing especially heavily on Louisiana’s state bird. “The brown pelican was just pulled off the endangered species list, and they are sitting on nest in the barrier islands … the first point of contact for oil,” Melanie Driscoll, director of bird conservation for the Louisiana Coastal Initiative of the National Audubon Society, told National Geographic News in late April.

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African Greys as Pets

African Greys are beautiful, intelligent parrots, that would make a wonderful addition to any family who fully understands their capabilities and provides them with a stimulating, interactive environment. Building a relationship takes lots of love, time and patience.

Congo African Greys and Timnehs share many personality traits, although the Timnehs are said to begin speaking earlier than Congos, and are often said to be less nervous around strangers and new situations. Timnehs are often more social than Congo African Greys who may bond more to one person. Individual personality differences do exist — and much of it may depend on the level of socialization an African Grey got during its early stages of development as well as continued socialization throughout its life.

Due to their highly intelligent nature, the African Grey can become easily bored and inactivity may quickly lead to behavioural problems such as feather picking. African Greys that are bored have a tendency to chews things and consistent training and a diligent owner are a must for this vivacious bird.

These intelligent birds are best suited to people who have experience with pet birds and are familiar with their ongoing care requirements.

If you fulfill his or her needs, you will have a lifelong friend – as the lifespan of an African Grey is up to 60 years. A big commitment, however, if you are a true parrot lover you will appreciate having a true friend for life.

African grey parrots are particularly noted for their exceptional talking and cognitive abilities. Irene Pepperberg’s extensively published research with captive African greys, including Alex, has shown that these parrots are capable of associating human words with their meanings.They also mimick sounds and voices quite accurately. (This Chart lists other good and bad talkers, and respective care requirement.)

African Greys as Pets

Training and Behavioral Guidance:

African Greys are amongst the easier parrots to keep. This being said, they do present challenges, such as excessive chewing – especially at certain stages in their life. They do discover their beaks as method of “disciplining us” once they are out of the “baby stage” and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. Undisciplined parrots will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. They regard anything in your home as a “toy” that can be explored and chewed on; destroying items that you may hold dear or are simply valuable. Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation.