Patrick McDonnell’s most recent children’s book, The Monsters’ Monster has been added to the 2013 Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices list! The list includes 249 titles published for children and teens in 2012. The CCBC is known as one of the most influential research centers for children’s literature in the country. You can download a PDF of the full list of titles.

The Monster’s Monster has also been recognized by Apple’s iBookstore as one of the Best of 2012 and was on Barnes and Noble’s Best of 2012 list.

Patrick will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Annual Animal Welfare & Care Conference at noon on March 23, 2013. The conference will be held at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch, NJ.

The AWFNJ advocates on animal welfare legislation; encourages the enforcement of animal cruelty laws; conducts programs to elevate the quality of care for animals; and acts as a resource to help members solve common problems. The AWFNJ is best known for organizing the largest annual animal welfare conference on the east coast, which attracts attendees from around the country.

The conference will have workshops on subjects such as targeted TNR, volunteering, adopting, fostering, and more. You can register to attend and view the full schedule of events.

The Asbury Park Press said the conference’s location at the Jersey Shore was important, “The devastation of Superstorm Sandy in October 2012 impacted both human and animal residents, as well as animal shelters and rescue groups. This years AWFNJ conference will offer a specialized full-day disaster preparedness track.”

Come by to hear Patrick talk and then stay for a book signing!

Every February, Patrick creates a strip to spread the word about World Spay Day, which brings awareness to the importance of spaying and neutering companion animals. This year, his strip will run on Tuesday, February 26.

The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International say, “World Spay Day shines a spotlight on spay/neuter as a proven means of saving the lives of companion animals, feral cats, and street dogs around the globe.”

You can help organize your own events to spread the word. Consider hosting a potluck dinner, fund raiser, or a volunteer day at your local animal shelter. And of course, make sure you do the right thing for your own cats and dogs and have them spayed and/or neutered.

Apple’s iBookstore named the enhanced version of Patrick McDonnell’s picture book The Monsters’ Monster to its “Best of 2012″ list. This ebook version can be viewed on iPads, Kindles, and other eReader devices.

The Monsters’ Monster was also featured on Barnes & Noble’s Best Books of 2012 list.

In The Monster’s Monster, Patrick draws a monster who is happy and thankful to be alive. A starred review from Kirkus calls it “a special tale that seamlessly blends an engaging text, gentle humor and skillful illustrations that readers of all ages can appreciate.” The book reminds readers about taking a moment to appreciate the world around them.

This is Part II of an interview by Julia Worcester, our MuttsComics.com Youth Correspondent, with Andrea Heydlauff, Vice President of Panthera. The wild cat conservation organization, based in New York City, is dedicated to conserving the 37 species of wild cats that exist around the globe. Its core focus is on range-wide conservation strategies for the largest, and some of the most imperiled cats on the planet—tigers, lions, jaguars, and snow leopards. Julia has shared her full interview with Andrea, a portion of which recently ran in Sanctuary Asia’s Cub Magazine.

We thank Julia for sharing this article and will be running it in two portions. You can start with Part I of the interview, also on our blog.

Julia Worcester: What is it like to work with some of the greatest field scientists of our time, like Drs. Rabinowitz, Schaller, Hunter, Quigley, and McCarthy?
Andrea Heydlauff (pictured right): It’s funny, I’ve worked with Alan, George and Luke for almost 10 years now, Tom and Howard for about 5 years. They are all extraordinary field scientists, and their contributions to the field have and continue to be extraordinary. But at the same time, they’re regular people in the sense that they’re my colleagues and partners here in doing what we do. They are passionate, intense, and challenging but also extremely collegiate. And they spend time on cultivating new talent, and bringing up the next crop of conservationists which frankly looks a lot different than their cohort – it’s a young international bunch of men and woman who are have a range of skills along the conservation spectrum – from technical skills, to research, policy, communications.
And once in a while I have these moments where, for example, I sat in a packed theatre in NYC and saw Alan Rabinowitz tell his personal story on the platform of The Moth, this live storytelling in New York City and he got a standing ovation, and I think, “Gosh, that’s my CEO,” and it’s hard not to feel proud. It’s wonderful working with these people. I couldn’t have a better team and I’m reminded of that, often.

JW: Can you describe your filmmaking? What was it like to make My Pantanal?
AH: It was a dream come true! I had been talking about ‘conservation media’ for 7 years, and at the end of 2009, I had this opportunity to go with a cinematographer Gabe DeLoach to Brazil to finally get to do what I had been jabbering on about for years. We were on the ground in the Pantanal for five days and we shot this short, 10 minute kids film, about a young boy, who lives on one of the ranches we do jaguar research on, whose father is a Pantaniero – a local cowboy raising cows – and who deals with the issues of living with jaguars. The story is told through the eyes of the 9-year old boy – Aerenilso – and his experience living in this wild wetland, with wildlife everywhere, including jaguars, and his family who is trying to make a living in this place. I wanted to make a wildlife conservation film for the people who live in this place, so put them in the film. It was fully produced by Panthera so I told the story I wanted to tell – too often I hear from networks that they don’t want to tell conservation or science stories because they don’t sell. Well, this wasn’t for sale – it’s now completed and it’s free content, online, schools are using it, and it’s rolling out in Brazil as we speak. You can find it on our website.
It was my first film. I believe it was Gabe’s first film as well, so it was the blind leading the blind, leading a truckload of twelve kids around the Pantanal. It was the perfect place to start and it was a project site I had spent a lot of time with, and I had been thinking about this story for several years. The shooting didn’t take very long but the actual producing took a long time. But I had a wonderful team. of five of us that really went above and beyond and believed in the project, and really did far more than I could ever pay them for.
My plan is to continue to make these types of films, that are locally relevant, creating stories with the people who live with wildlife, who see themselves in the conservation story. I think a lot of nature documentaries, as extraordinary and gorgeous as they are, don’t include the human element. And that’s the only way we’ll be able to be successful in conserving wildlife, by including the people who live with these animals.

JW: What do you think the role of kids is in wildlife conservation?
AH: I think kids play a vital role in wildlife conservation. They are incredible influencers, filled with passion and big ideas and optimism. They can be quite successful in educating and persuading their parents and other adults to make choices, smart decisions and to pay attention. I think many children in today’s world are lucky because there is so much information at our fingertips, more than ever before, and there’s a growing conscience, and consciousness, of the state of our world today, our limited resources, and why this matters, why you, we, all of us should care – and I think because of this, when today’s kids become adults, they’ll make better decisions than we have so far.

JW: Tell me about your experience as a woman in this field. Do you have any words of encouragement for young women interested in wildlife conservation?
AH: I’ve been in wildlife conservation now for almost 15 years – I’ve had incredible support along the way (in my graduate advisor Dr. Paul Krausman, to my current CEO Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, and Chairman Dr. Thomas Kaplan). Looking back on it, my experience has been in a mainly male-dominated field, but that’s changing I think, as women move into and are advancing into so many sectors, and I’m seeing now more and more incredible young and passionate female field scientists and conservationists coming into this field around the globe. I see this directly in our Kaplan Scholars program, as well as with our joint diploma program with WildCRU at Oxford. But we need more – both men and women, from all walks of life, stepping up and being champions for wildlife, and being supported in any way they can.
My advice for other young women coming into this field is probably the same as for any field — be persistent, be flexible, show rather than tell people how good you are, see opportunities where they might not always exist, and be willing to take something even if it’s not your ideal, but never lose sight of what you think that ideal is. And find what you love, what you’re good at, and know that there’s no straight path. I started out cleaning horse stalls at the University of Arizona, to training seals at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, then writing about tiger biologists in India to working with WCS and now Panthera. It’s been, and continues to be, a winding path!

JW: Are you optimistic about the future of big cats?
AH: I am optimistic but at times it does feel dire, especially when you look at what we’re fighting against – shrinking wild places, clashes between people and wildlife, a booming illegal trade, eating wildlife to extinction, and the selling of wildlife parts which supports some of the worst criminal activity on the planet. But I see signs of success that show me that people and big cats can share landscapes, and that these cats can be protected – which fills me with hope: villagers in Ladahk who are able to live with snow leopards because they get help with vaccination programs for their cattle; or Maasai warriors who have stopped lion hunts and are now protecting their lions; to local river guides in the Pantanal wanting to protect jaguars because tourists come from all over the world to see them along the river banks. I see and hear these real examples and these are the stories we need to tell and show the world – that solutions exist! That there are people who live on the front lines with these cats who are making the changes needed, and in some cases in just a few years, to protect these large predators who either eat their livestock or invoke a certain level of real fear. Now that’s hopeful! We just need to engage as many people as possible – who are living and working in these landscapes, as well as supporters around the globe, to ensure a real future for these cats and other wildlife around the world.

Part I of Julia’s interview can be found here.

Recently Julia Worcester, our MuttsComics.com Youth Correspondent, interviewed Andrea Heydlauff, Vice President of Panthera. This wild cat conservation organization, based in New York City, is dedicated to conserving the 37 species of wild cats that exist around the globe. Its core focus is on range-wide conservation strategies for the largest, and some of the most imperiled cats on the planet—tigers, lions, jaguars, and snow leopards. Julia has shared her full interview with Andrea, a portion of which recently ran in Sanctuary Asia’s Cub Magazine.

We thank Julia for sharing this article and will be running it in two portions. Check back soon for Part II!

Julia Worcester: You’ve had an incredible career in wildlife conservation. When did you first know you were passionate about animals?
Andrea Heydlauff (pictured right): That’s kind of you to say but I feel like I’m just getting started! I knew I was passionate about animals as long as I can remember. I grew up in the English countryside where I’d see foxes, hedgehogs, badgers and other wildlife. Our home was always full of dogs, hamsters, fish and turtles and since the age of four, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Wildlife conservation came to me quite a bit later – when I first went to India at the age of 21 and began learning about tigers, and the many champions involved, including Ullas Karanth, George Schaller, Belinda Wright, Bittu Sahgal, and others.

JW: Can you tell me why Panthera focuses on big cats?
AH: There are 37 species of wild cats. Our programs and our efforts cover all of them, but we are really focused on the largest — tigers, lions, jaguars, and snow leopards. We have other projects on cougars, Iranian cheetahs, and we’re in the process of scaling up our cheetah and leopard projects. The reason we focus on cats, I mean, we love cats, absolutely, but we do this because they are at the top of the food chain, they are apex predators. They are what we call keystone species, like a keystone in an arch that keeps it together, if you pull out that center stone the arch falls apart, and that’s what these animals are to the ecosystems in which they live.
They are also, obviously, beautiful and charismatic. They are easy to rally behind. It’s easier to get a head of state to say, “Yes, I want to save our snow leopards.” They generate a tremendous amount of appeal and support from the general public; we’re also able to preserve everything else that shares their habitat. So while we’re focused on cats, the efforts go far beyond. If you tally up the ranges of just the four largest cats you’re looking at a third of the terrestrial landscape on earth. And because Panthera’s programs are range-wide — we’re not just focused on a few little projects here and there, we’re really looking at how you save snow leopards across their range, how you save tigers from India to the Russian Far East — we’re looking at the big picture for cats and their entire ecosystems. We see it as a wonderful way to do a lot for conservation by focusing on these cats.

JW: Can you describe Panthera’s world famous Jaguar Program? Do you think it could be a model for saving other species of cats around the world?
AH: What is unique about the jaguar corridor initiative is the scale and optimism (the latter based on science!) – and it’s a living model of what conservation looks like today, in 2012, within a human dominated landscape. We’ve been able to map out core populations where we know jaguars are and where they’re breeding as well as conduct “ground-truthings.” That means we have people on the ground verifying that we know jaguars are moving through particular areas so we’re able to map out the corridors.
The jaguar is one species, from Argentina all the way to Mexico, and the corridor is the answer to maintaining its current range across those 18 countries and making sure it remains one species and allowing individual jaguars to move and pass along their genes. It’s also a way these animals can live in human-dominated landscapes. Having a corridor doesn’t mean we need to preserve all this land. That’s unfortunately unrealistic. It’d be great if we could, but we can’t based on the needs of human populations and the way humans are growing and have altered the landscape already – and continue to do so. But it’s a solution to living with these big cats – and a way for us to be smarter about future development.
It’s a transformative program and can serve as a model for others. And it’s got all the pieces — you’ve got heads of state buying in, endorsing the corridor, and you’ve got local communities on the ground that are helping, whether it’s responding to surveys or helping to monitor, or finding solutions to living with jaguars, mitigating conflict with their cows. The whole chain of command is involved in preserving jaguars and ensuring that the corridor exists and that there’s safe passage for these animals.

JW: Can you say a little bit about tigers in India and can you talk about Panthera’s Tigers Forever Program? How do you think Indians can help their national animal?
AH: We know it’s dire straits for tigers. What’s interesting about tigers in India is that India still has the largest population of tigers, and they also have the largest population of people of any tiger range country, barring China. I’m always in awe of the level of tolerance people in India have not just for tigers, but for wildlife in general, especially when you compare that to here in the U.S. That alone is hugely hopeful —that there’s tremendous support from the general public and a booming conservation ethic among the younger people I think – especially with things like Kids for Tigers through Sanctuary! We have also been seeing in the last year or so a tremendous ramping up of efforts by particular states and by the government in wanting to do nation-wide survey efforts and more accountability from the reserves themselves.
The sad thing about tigers across their range is that because their numbers are so low, we actually know where they are, unlike other cats. There are fewer than 3,200 tigers and we’ve mapped out about 50 source populations across their range, so we know where they are and what areas need to be preserved. We know what’s needed to protect them and how to address to their biggest threats. How to save tigers is not a mystery, and right now the key effort has to be enforcement and monitoring. That’s what Panthera’s working on with Tigers Forever. The principles of that program are both of those — enforcement, lock up these core breeding populations, and monitor. Monitor not just the biological components (tiger numbers, prey numbers, and habitat) but also monitor human effort — to make sure patrols are happening, that they’re going out on foot, that their efforts are being undertaken and that they’re working to combat the tigers biggest threat – poaching. The poaching element is a very insidious one. These aren’t just poor local people killing cats. What we know is that it’s a highly equipped network of criminals, and they’re ransacking not just India’s tiger’s, but the worlds’ tigers to feed the booming demand for the illegal wildlife market.

JW: Can you tell me about your travels and any exciting experiences you’ve had with animals in the wild, especially in India?
AH: For my job, I get to travel to some pretty amazing and remote places like the Russia-China border, the Brazilian Pantanal and last November I visited Kaziranga in Assam – a highlight for me. But one of my most exciting, or memorable wildlife experiences was my first, and what has been my best, tiger sighting in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, in south west India. It was an incredible experience with the sun rising, the forest coming alive with the sounds of birds, chital barking, and this escalating series of alarm calls, and then it all just went silent. Seconds later, this gorgeous tigress walked out from the bush– into the road right in front of our vehicle, luckily we were the only car around, it was literally just a group of four of us, and this female tiger. She walked across the path, stopped to look at us, and then she began to chuff, which is this lovely vocalization that sort of sounds like peacock feathers rustling; she was communicating with her cubs whom we didn’t see. It was such a beautiful, stunning moment, a perfect sighting that I think about often, and how lucky I was to see her in that way. She serves as a reminder to me about what we’re fighting to protect.

JW: What do you enjoy most about your job?
AH: Meeting with local people on the ground, whether our field scientists or park guards, who are doing the lion’s share of the work to protect wildlife. One of the best things I did last year was meet the guards in Kaziranga. I love being able to come back and to tell people about these stories – about these incredible people I meet in remote corners of the world – doing extraordinary things, with few resources, taking risks, for the sake of protecting wildlife. They are my inspiration. Panthera’s an amazing platform for that. I need to make more time to write these stories, to convey what is happening on the front lines. Because for me, that’s where I get inspired and am moved on a daily basis, frankly, by the people that are doing all of our work, that are saving and protecting everyone’s wildlife. I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing if I didn’t believe there was hope for these species — and hope lies in these extraordinary people. (Read Andrea’s article on Conservation’s unsung heroes.)

Read Part II of Julia’s interview.

Barnes & Noble added Patrick McDonnell’s picture book, The Monster’s Monster, to its Best Books of 2012 list! This sweet little story is the perfect stocking stuffer for kids and adults.

In The Monster’s Monster, Patrick draws a monster who is happy and thankful to be alive. A starred review from Kirkus calls it “a special tale that seamlessly blends an engaging text, gentle humor and skillful illustrations that readers of all ages can appreciate.” The story is about the importance of gratitude and taking a little quiet time to appreciate the world around us.

Spot Magazine — an animal-friendly magazine from the Pacific Northwest – just published an in-depth interview with Patrick McDonnell.

The article beautifully captures the spirit of MUTTS.

MUTTS is more than a daily serving of levity in the funny papers. The adventures of Earl and Mooch, Ozzie and Millie, Shtinky Puddin’, Crabby and others are a meditation, a respite, and a reminder to stand witness to not only the beauty of the natural world, but also to the four-legged, winged, finned and other creatures with whom we share the planet.

Patrick discusses how his childhood shaped his love of nature and the outdoors:

“Our whole life was outdoors. We would spend most of the day playing in the woods next to our house. That’s a big theme of MUTTS and of all my children’s books. I want to try to remind kids that there’s a big, beautiful world out there; that they’re a part of it, and that they should enjoy and embrace it.”

And he also describes his appreciation for shelter workers and volunteers, and the joy that comes from spreading his animal-friendly message:

“They are definitely underappreciated, but what keeps me going is all the great people I meet who have dedicated their lives to doing such great work. Then again I feel like the message is getting out there more and more. Nothing makes me happier than getting a letter from someone saying they decided to adopt their new best friend. That always makes my day. I’m proud that the strip has inspired people to either adopt or care more about animals, or even go vegan or vegetarian.”

You can read the full interview for more thoughts from Patrick.

Spot Magazine’s mission is to provide “pet guardians and animal lovers a one-stop resource for information, ideas and events of interest.” Check them out online at SpotMagazine.net!

Did you know there’s a brand new new book for the holidays—and it’s a perfect MUTTS companion to The Gift of Nothing?

Here’s description of A Shtinky Little Christmas from Amazon (where you can order a copy!)

“Can we really lose something that’s already lost?” Inside Patrick McDonnell’s A Shtinky Little Christmas, Earl the dog and Mooch the cat celebrate the season by taking in a wayside waif, who they promptly name Shtinky Puddin’. Shtinky is a tiger-striped trash-can forager, frequent purrer, and lover of shpagetti, potpie, and shpagetti.

As Christmas approaches, Shtinky Puddin’ grows ever more homesick and decides to depart the comfort and safety of Earl and Mooch’s protection in hopes of finding home. With uncommunicative snowmen and zero luck, Shtinky Puddin’ gets lost in a blizzard, only to be found by Earl and Mooch, who then get lost themselves. Just in the Nick of time, a jolly rotund, red suit-wearing, white-bearded human approaches and delivers the traveling trio straight to their peoples’ doorstep–only to learn that Shtinky Puddin’s peoples have come to claim their lost tiger-striped kitty named Jules.

With caviar rewards, Christmas naps, and New Year’s resolutions to “do less,” this emotive Mutts gift book reminds us that there is indeed a reason for the season with themes of friendship, thankfulness, family, home, and hearth.

You may have noticed some new animals in the MUTTS strips. Patrick created a week-long series that reminds all of us about farm animals. The rare lucky ones get to live out their lives in sanctuaries where they will never be harmed. Patrick was inspired by a recent trip to see the residents of the Triple C Ranch in Edison, NJ. Each day this week he is highlighting one of the critters he met there.

The Triple C Ranch itself is a marvel. As part of the Edison Wetlands Association, its programs include community gardening, cleaning up NJ industrial legacy, and helping families live in a clean and just world. By providing a safe and nurturing environment for the wayward farm animals and injured wildlife they rescue, Triple C is a great model.

You can get involved, too! Search online to find sanctuaries or community gardens near you.