Jewel # 299 (Oct. 19, 2017)

Forest Wild Cat

Desert Lynx

“And thy shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I 

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

WILDCATS ARE INTERESTING  

“O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast.

How excellent is Thy loving kindness, O God!”  

(Psalm 36:6-7)

There are many varieties of wildcats in different parts of the world.  The term “wildcat” generally refers to small, wild members of the cat family. It is often applied to an unusual species of lynx, bobcat, or even a domestic cat that has gone off into the wild.

The one known as the FOREST WILDCAT is actually a variety of the lynx, but is smaller than most lynx.  It is only about one-third larger than a house cat, with longer legs, a broader head and shorter tail.

Another variety is called  DESERT LYNX and looks very much like a household pet.  Both kinds are found in various parts of Canada and the United States and are bold and cunning at hunting, which they do mostly at night.

Among wildcats’ favourite foods are ground squirrels, rabbits, wood rats, mice, moles and low-roosting birds, which they capture while the birds are asleep.

Actually these animals are not very good runners, but bound after their prey in bobbing leaps, just like a frightened house cat does.  When other food is not available and they are really hungry, they have been known to eat beetles, grasshoppers and crickets.  Sometimes a wildcat will flatten itself on a branch over a trail and pounce on unsuspecting animals or birds which pass below.

Wild cats are excellent tree climbers and prefer to live in forests or brushy places but sometimes will have a well-hidden den in rocky areas.  Often they will have more than one den for hiding purposes when pursued by an enemy, which might be a fox, wolf or prowling dog.  

When attacked by an owl, hawk or eagle without chance of escape, wildcats roll over on their backs, biting at the bird’s head and neck and using their sharp-clawed feet to pull out feathers.  The birds generally give up and fly away.

Usually three or four kittens are born in the spring, either in a cave or hollow log.  They are just as cute as domestic kittens.  The mother nurses them for several weeks, and then she teaches them to hunt by putting live mice and other small creatures in front of them.  If the victims are about to get away from one of the kittens, she will go after it and bring it back for the kitten to try again.  They soon catch on.

Does the Creator watch over these wildcats?  Yes He does.  They are one of the “beasts” in our opening Bible verse.  Can you say with the psalm writer as he thought about the Lord’s loving ways - 

“O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker.  

For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture.”

(Psalm 95:6-7)   

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 298 (Oct. 12, 2017)

Tamandua Anteater

Spiny Anteater

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

Unusual Anteaters

“Be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create.”

(Isaiah 65:18)

A very unusual anteater lives in the country of Costa Rica in Central America.  It has the name TAMANDUA or COLLATERAL ANTEATER, and it feeds on tree termites.  It wraps its long tail around the branches so it will not fall out of the tree.  

It is prettier than most anteaters, with shaggy white or tan legs and tail and tan fur on its neck and throat, with the rest of the body covered with black fur. Actually it looks like it is dressed in a black sleeveless sweater.  The only thing unpleasant about this anteater is that it gives off a bad odour when excited. 

One of the most unusual anteaters is known as the SPINY ANTEATER and lives in the Australian deserts and New Guinea.  It has a long, slender beak and a pouch for carrying its young, like a kangaroo.  On occasion it adds to its unusual character by swallowing dirt.  It is really a very strange creature in most every way.

It doesn’t give birth to little ones as most animals do, but, like a bird, hatches them from eggs!  The single egg is carried in the female’s warm pouch outside her body until it hatches.  After the little one hatches, she nurses it with rich milk.  Then, within about ten weeks, the little one develops a shiny, silky fur that covers its entire body.  It has partially webbed feet with four strong curved  toes.  It will soon use these for digging in the ground or tearing apart decaying trunks of trees or other splintered wood to fill its stomach with ants and termites.  Of course, by that time it is on its own and no longer fed by the mother’s milk.

A full-grown spiny anteater’s body is only about a foot long, covered with hollow spines over a coat of black fur.  The broad front feet are equipped with short nails for digging, and each hind foot has an extra-long nail it uses to comb out its hair.  Its face which is actually a long, round snout, is smooth and equipped with a pair of dark nostrils and ends in a tiny mouth.  Its tongue is long and sticky, enabling it to lick out ants and termites from their hidden areas.

These unusually interesting examples of animal life, together with a great variety of related ones in various parts of the world, perform a wonderful service.  They destroy termites and ants that are very destructive of valuable timber and wooden constructions.

The more we consider the wonders of God’s creation, the more we should be glad and rejoice, just as the opening Bible verse says.  We may be sure He is glad when we do.  We can trust the Word of God, the Bible, to tell us the truth about creation: “By Him were all things created” (Colossians 1:16).

Love you all - Grandpa 

Jewel # 297 (Sept. 29, 2017)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I 

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

Stay Away From Killer Bees

“I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause who

doeth great things . . . marvellous things without number.”

(Job 5:8-9)

Most people are familiar with honeybees. They are very useful in pollinating flowers, fruit tree blossoms and other plant life, as well as being the source of delicious honey.  They, as well as wasps and other insects, are all an important part of God’s creation.  

However, in attempting to develop or improve certain characteristics of particular creatures, breeders sometimes interfere with the plan God has made for these creatures, and that is almost certain to lead to trouble.

Sad to say, that’s how killer bees have become a serious problem in areas of South and Central America.  About 1950, some were brought to Brazil from their natural, God-given African homes. Beekeepers wanted to crossbreed them with honey bees of Brazil so they would produce greater amounts of honey, and then the beekeepers would make larger profits.  But, unknown to breeders at that time, it was a serious mistake.

There are thousands of species of bees in the world, but only honey bees make honey and wax that man can use.  And there are only four kinds of honeybees: the German, the Western, the European and the African.  Each species lives in its own geographical location with a particular nature best suited to its surroundings.  

The bees in Africa, for instance, have different circumstances to cope with in the wild life of that country than the Western bees have.  African bees defend themselves by flying  together in huge, angry swarms and attacking their enemies with hundreds of stings. 

The unwise cross breeding experiments in Brazil resulted in a new type of bee called “killer bees.”

These are actually a cross between African and the Western honeybees, with a few German honeybees also included.  These killer bees attack in large masses when bothered and annoyed, and many animals and even people have been killed by their many stings since these experiments started.

Since 1985, these vicious bees have gradually worked their way northward into Mexico and even into the southern parts of the United States.  It does not appear that they will be a serious problem farther north.  That’s because they prefer the warmer climates of the south, similar to the climates of Africa and South America.

This tragic experiment and resulting trouble should remind all of us that only God’s ways are perfect, and men should be very careful before making changes in them.  How much better it would be for each of us to follow what the beginning Bible verse says and to remember Psalm 25:4-5:  

“Show me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, 

and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation.”   

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 296 (Sept. 19, 2017)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up “MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren 

Two Tropical Iguanas

“I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works.”

(Psalm 145:5)

Iguanas belong to the lizard family and are found throughout the deserts, forests and waters of the world.  Most iguanas look like miniature dragons but are actually shy and not a threat to people.  A mature one will weigh as much as ten pounds and may be six feet long or longer, including its tail.

The tropical green iguana makes its home among the trees from Panama to Brazil.  it also looks like a miniature dragon with its sharp claws and spine sticking up all along its back.  This one is also shy and hides when anyone cones near.   Except when hunting food it likes to stretch out on the branch of a tall tree and enjoy the sun.  It looks so much like the bark of the native trees that it is difficult to spot unless it is moving.

The main food of this iguana is wild fruit and tender leaves and shoots found high in tall trees.  Little ones are hatched from eggs laid by the female in a hole she has dug in the sand or ground.  Soon after hatching, she takes her young up into a tall tree where they feel right at home and live up there until nearly full grown.  They eat leaves and buds and drink water from cup-like leaves holding rainwater.  The parents often spend time with their young in the trees, but they gather much of their food down on the ground where they can quickly escape if anything dangerous appears.

Natives in those tropical areas have discovered that iguanas are good to eat.  As a result, it has been necessary to pass laws limiting the amount of hunting that can be done.  However, farmers are allowed to raise them on their own properties and sell them to meat markets, where they receive a good price.  Iguana meat tastes so good it is sometimes nicknamed “chicken of the trees.”

A contrasting species is the Galapagos marine iguana, somewhat larger and heavier than those found in deserts and forests.  Groups of these may vary in colour, but their leather-like bodies are most often brownish-black or gray.  Their skin is coarse and fierce-looking with fleshy upright spikes from the top of their heads to the end of their tails.

Large groups of this species will cling to the steep, rough rocks rising above low tides of the ocean beaches and feast on seaweed and other marine plants that grow there.  They are good swimmers.

Are you one of the happy people who believes and trusts the Lord God who created all things?  A Bible verse says, “Give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon His name” 

(1 Chronicles 16:8).  Is this something you do?

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 295 (Sept. 2, 2017)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

An Alarm Clock in the Ocean?

The Grunion

“The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. . . . The Lord is upon many waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”

(Psalms 29:3-4)

Unusually high tides reach Southern California beaches from March through July each year.  When these extreme tides are due in the third or fourth night of the full moon, schools of grunion, a small, edible fish, swim into the surf and allow themselves to be washed ashore on a sandy beach—but not until the highest wave of the incoming tide has passed.

Ashore on the bare sand, females scoop out shallow holes with their tails where they lay hundreds of eggs.  The males follow quickly and fertilize the eggs, and then the females give a final swish of their tails to cover the eggs with sand.  This all has been accomplished within thirty seconds!  Then they all wiggle down the beach to be swept into the ocean by the next wave.

But how about the eggs?  How can they hatch in such a hastily made and strange nest?  The grunion have been well directed by their Creator in their timing, for no wave will reach the eggs until the next extremely high tide in another two weeks.  This amount of time in warm, moist sand provides ample incubation.  When a high wave finally reaches them, the eggs pop open and the little fish are washed into the sea to begin their lives.

This annual event is so reliable that the hour and minute can be foretold.  People flock to the beaches to witness it, some of them catching the fish in their hands.

Is there an alarm clock that tells the grunion just the precise moment to ride in on the highest wave?  And how do they know where the sandy beaches are?  If any mistakenly went to a rocky one, they would be pounded to pieces.  Their instructions come from their Creator, and there is no possibility that this pattern will change.  How carefully God watches over all His creatures.

After sin came into the world, all things were affected, so that today we do not see anything in perfection, but we do see something of His might and wisdom even in lowly creatures like the grunion.  A time is coming when all will be made right again:  “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17).  But before that takes place, there must be God’s judgment on this sinful world and all in it who have not had their sins forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titus 2:14).

How important it is to listen to the warning: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).   

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 294 (August 18, 2017)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

Fierce Tigers - Part 2

“O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou

made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches.”

(Psalm 104:24)

In the last issue we looked at some similarities between tigers and house cats.  Here is one difference—while our pet cats don’t like getting even a paw in water, tigers love to play in water or even swim in it, sometimes swimming great distances.

Baby tigers are cute and interesting.  Females usually have two to six cubs in a litter, and they are born blind and helpless.  However, the cubs don’t lose any time finding their mother’s milk, just as kittens do.  They nurse until they are large enough to eat meat, which the mother teaches them to catch for themselves.  The male ignore them, so the mother cares for them for about two years, until they have learned how to be on their own.

Except for swimming, tigers will not mix with other tigers and will fight any that come too near.  When one has eaten its fill of a kill and there is some left over, it will not let other tigers have it.  Instead, it covers the carcass with rocks or branches to hide it for later.

We mentioned that the two largest tigers are the Bengal and the Siberian.  Although the Bengal is the strongest, the Siberian is the most beautiful.  Its golden-brown body fur with narrow, black stripes contrasts beautifully with the solid-white fur on its face.  It has black stripes down the inside of its lower jaw and throat, as well as its front legs.

There are some exceptions to the usual orange and black tiger colours.  The Bengals, for example, sometimes have white fur all over, ringed with the usual black stripes.  But they do not live separate from the others that have the orange and black colouring.

Although fierce hunters, tigers live peaceably with hippos, rhinos and elephants.  They seem to know that, in spite of sharp claws and strong teeth, they would be no match for those huge beasts.  They just ignore one another.  Tourists, wishing to get a picture of these beauties, ride on elephants—sometimes arranged in groups—and a native guide leads them.  Strangely, the tigers don’t seem to mind this and at times even seem to be posing to have their pictures taken.

Some might ask, “Why did the Creator make tigers so vicious?”  Actually, God made them tame and gentle, but when sin came into the world, a sad change came to many creatures.  They will remain that way until God will make them peaceful again.  When that time comes, all who now know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will be in a far more beautiful and happy place—heaven itself.  Will you be there?

Love you all - Grandpa    

Jewel # 293 (August 4, 2017)

“And they shall be Mine, saith  the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren 

Fierce Tigers - Part 1

“God made the beast of the earth after his kind . . . and God saw that it was good.”

(Genesis1:25)

There are eight varieties of tigers.  Although all look much alike, there are differences in their strip markings.  The Bengal and heavily furred Siberian tigers (the two kinds most often seen in zoos) are the largest.  Some measure 10 feet or more from their noses to the tips of their tails and weigh as much as 550 pounds.  There are smaller tigers in India, Turkey, Iran, China, Japan, Java and Sumatra.

The coats of tigers, give them their beauty, with black and orange stripes circling their bodies and long white-tipped tails.  But a close-up look at their faces, with glaring eyes and open mouths with  sharp fangs, makes them rather scary, especially if a rasping snarl comes out!  They are not friendly with other tigers, unless it’s a member of their own family.

It is easy to see that they are related to the domestic cat you may have in your home.  Both of them have loose fur, small ears, long whiskers and sharp claws that are hidden when walking or resting but are extended as sharp weapons when fighting or capturing an animal.

Tigers are well camouflaged by the stripes on their coats when in a forest, swampy area or desert that has tall, dry grass. By instinct they take advantage of this when hunting.  For example, when a tiger is in an area where it is camouflaged and spots a zebra or other animal nearby, the tiger will immediately stop.  It may lie perfectly still for an hour or more, until, carefully and soundlessly, it creeps  closer.

If nothing betrays the tiger’s presence, it will continue its silent approach until close enough to attack.  Then suddenly, darting out of its hiding place, it leaps on the victim and, with a bite of its powerful jaws, quickly ends its victim’s life.  Then it might call its mate to join in the feast.  They may take two or three days to eat a large animal.  Their stomachs will then be so full that they won’t be interested in hunting for another three or four days.

Do you think the Lord God, the Creator, knows what these beasts are doing?  Yes, He surely does, and it seems He often directs them to a weak or sickly animal that would only suffer in continuing to live with its handicap.  Its sudden death is really a merciful way of ending its life, since tigers never torture their prey—they kill it quickly.  We will consider this more in the next issue. (Part 2).

Meanwhile, think about the Bible verse that tells us: “God looks to the ends of the earth and sees under the whole sky” (Job 28:24).  He looks on you with love and kindness.

(To be continued)

Love you all - grandpa