International Day for Biological Diversity

Water and Biodiversity

My postcard US-1889056 sent to Sweden can be a perfect remembrance of the International Day for Biological Diversity, or World Biodiversity Day. currently held on May 22. It is sanctioned by United Nations to increase awareness of biodiversity issues. It was first held on December 29 from 1993 to 2000 to mark the day when the Convention on Biological Diversity went into effect in 1993. However, the date was shifted in 2000 to commemorate the adoption of the Convention at the Rio Earth Summit on May 22, 1992 . The theme for 2013 is Water and Biodiversity.

The picture on the card was taken at Mirage's indoor fountain area on September 22, 2012. Water use by casinos in Las Vegas has long been a topic for study and debate as lavish and ambitious water features in the middle of the desert often give the impression of water waste. A 2003 UNLV thesis "Consumptive Water Use at the Mirage Hotel and the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada" by Johann A. Feller indicated that consumptive water use at the Mirage Hotel and the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is much less than previously estimated. Sara Tabatabaie, a doctoral student at the University of Colorado Boulder also discussed the water use myth in her blog in 2012. However, researchers from the Pacific Institute argued in their report Hidden Oasis that much more could be done in improving water conservation and efficiency in Las Vegas.

There are many places in Las Vegas where you can appreciate biodiversity. You can visit Springs Preserve, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Valley of Fire State Park, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, Mount Charleston or Lake Mead National Recreation Area where you can observe native animals and plants. In particular, I found this site birdandhike.com very informational on bird watching and hiking around Las Vegas. They even have a section for dragonflies, (and AIRCRAFTS). 

For tourist attractions, Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage, Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo, Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay are a few places where you can see exotic plants and animals.