Animals also need to survive

Animals, plants as well as human beings are linked to each other. When a species of animal becomes extinct, naturally other animals that depend on them too become extinct. Therefore a whole lot of animals linked in the food chain could become extinct.All animals are adapted to the habitat they live in. For example, the camel is perfectly adapted to desert life. The hump on its back contains a store of fat that helps it survive for days without food and water. During sand storms, its long curly eye lashes keep sand out of its eyes and its nostrils close tightly to prevent sand from entering its nose.

The galapagos penguins are another example. They live near the warm equator, yet they have learnt to survive because of the cold water currents that flow up to Antartica. The rocky barren islands of galapagos are so remote that strange animals have evolved here. These include giant land and sea reptiles and unusual kinds of birds.

The snow leopard which lives high in the Himalayas has a wonderful way of hiding in the snow. Its thick, pale, grey coat and marked, brown spots help it to hide in the snow.Animals are now hunted for their skin, fur, horns, tusks, etc. Because of climate change many animals have become extinct. Only a few of these animals are left.

Many countries have decided to protect animals as the disappearance might cause destruction to human beings as well. But people continue to hunt them illegally.

An animal which is threatened with extinction is the giant panda. It is hunted for its fur.Chinese river dolphin is one of the few fresh water dolphins. It is hunted for its meat. The Arabian oryx is another rare animal which has a horn that is twisted like a corkscrew.Ocelots are nocturnal wild cats. They are rare because their forest homes are being destroyed and also because they are hunted for their fur.

The Orangutan is a rare red headed ape. The Spanish lynx is a spotted wild cat with long tufts of hair on its pointed ears.

Even though its too late I hope that at least now people will stop killing innocent animals, as its better late than never.

Fathima Shahani, Grade 7-B, Tima International Girls’ School.
 

Seenigama Devale

According to legend, God ‘Devol’ is believed to have disembarked at Seenigama long before, king ‘Vijaya’ set foot in Sri Lanka.

Legends say that god ‘Devol’ wasn’t allowed to set foot until he showed his divine powers by creating seven blazes. It is also believed that the god made the goddess remember their relationships in previous birth.

The history of Seenigama ‘Devale’ dates back to 5 B.C. A well equipped five storeyed building had been offered to the god by king ‘Dappulasena’ for the sake of religious practices.

However, it is established among the villagers that the Portuguese took away all valuables of the ‘Devale’ when they invaded Sri Lanka. Once,it had been neglected. The Devale has been revived now after the ‘Devala’ Committee (Navodaya) was formed in 1967.

The committee has contributed for the construction work in the islet and the dragon arch, of the Devale.Today, the devale is venerated by the people of all faiths. Passers-by, especially motorists, pause for a while to pay tribute by putting some coines into tills and worshipping. Seenigama Devale is a blessing to all of us.

D. H. Hasani Aparna, Grade 7-A,G/Devananda College, Ambalangoda.

Deforestation

Deforestation means the cutting and clearing of trees from forests. There are many valuable natural gifts given by God to all countries. Forests, mountains, rivers, seas, lakes and hills are some of these natural gifts. Forests are a special gift.

Some people destroy these by cutting trees. Because of this, animals have no shelter to live Some species face the threat of extinction also because their shelters are being destroyed. Whenever their habitats are destroyed animals find it difficult to adjust to new environments.

Deforestation increases pollution which in turn harms our environment.Deforestation is very bad as we get many essential items from the trees in forest such as food, gum, rubber, medicine and beverages.

Oxygen is produced from the leaves of trees when they make food. To make food, green plants need air, sunlight, water and good soil. So, when deforestation takes place, oxygen production gets reduced. This leads to global warming and also has an impact on the water cycle.

There is a law that prevents people from cutting trees without permission. But, some selfish people continue to ignore these rules and destroy forests. They never stop to think of much harm they do to the whole of mankind through their selfish actions.As small children, we can do many things to stop deforestation. Firstly we can educate ourselves and then extend this to others in society.

To balance the loss of trees due to deforestation, we can request people to plant trees in their own gardens. Sometimes we might not be able to reap the harvest of what we plant, but our future generations will be benefited by our deeds.

Roshel Perera, Grade 5, Adventist International School, Negombo.

The key to success at exams

Success which leads us to an ambitious path is nothing other than the desire and perseverance to achieve goals.

We should set goals, make plans and schedule our time accordingly. We should relax and not be anxious about exams. The secret of every successful student is motivation, time management and hard work. Success in studies requires a great deal of effort. We should stay calm and confident. Remember that by working hard until the day of the exam we could prevent over confidence.

No two student will learn the same way or at the same speed. No one can tell them how to study and learn. “Learning is personal”. We cannot imitate our friends when studying. We must discover the most appropriate way for us to study and do whatever it takes to succeed.

The last couple of weeks before the exam is not a time to slack. This is the time to double our efforts. We should make a schedule and plan every hour of our time.

Being enthusiastic and showing our responsibility towards our education will directly help us succeed in life. We are the ones that will benefit from our studies, not someone else. So, we need to go for an early start when studying for exams.

F. Ashfa Akram, 13 years, Thihariya Islamic International School.

A salutation to the King of Pop

One day,
On a glamorous stage,
I saw a genial faced, shining star...
Since then,
I always gased at you,
I dreamt to meet you and,
Say “Hello”...
But, today I feel,
My dream will only be a dream.
Which will never come true...
Actually, it’s a grief,
Which I can’t describe in words...
But what to do?
You may have needed a long time to rest.
It might be the reason for you to sleep forever...
Dear “King of Pop”

Though you left us,
We’ll never leave you...
As before, we’ll be with you forever...
Though you are not in this world,
Your voice, your sweet monuments,
Will be with us everyday...
So, the greatest singer
“Michael Jackson”.
You are eternal...
This salutation is for you...
As well as for your great dedication...

G. Shashika Amali Chandrakumara, Grade 12 C PL/Royal College, Polonnaruwa.