November 6, 2010
Did You Say Mardi Gras? Go To Gaslamp Quarter!
Visit Gaslamp District at http://www.istaygreen.org
The Gaslamp Quarter is a small downtown neighborhood in San Diego, California know for its rich history and antique buildings, most of which are even now in operation with active tenants including restaurants, stores and nightclubs. Over 90 historic structures are seated and still in use with active tenants in the heart of this small, historic neighborhood of Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, California. This strip of roughly 38 acres in land area was initially intended to be the primary business district in the downtown San Diego during the late 1860’s.
During the late 1860’s, it had been initially projected to convert this roughly 38 acres of land into a main business district in downtown San Diego. In that period, San Diego has a booming economy which in due course attracts group of gamblers and prostitutes. In that period, group of prostitutes and gamblers flooded San Diego due to its thriving economy. With this, Gaslamp Quarter too became popular because of its red light district and gambling halls and got its nickname ‘Stingaree’. With this, red light district and gambling halls rapidly emerged and Gaslamp Quarter started to be popular and was finally called ‘Stingaree’. In 1912, number of complaints from the citizenry pressed the city government to reduce the proliferation of nightclubs in the area~In 1912, city government started limiting the proliferation of nightclubs in reaction towards the complaints of the public. This attempt triggered the ‘death’ of the red light district. The reputation of the red light district ‘died’ due to this attempt. But between 1950’s to 1970’s, pornographic theaters and saloons once more emerged in the vicinity of Gaslamp Quarter. Pornographic theaters and saloons yet again emerged throughout the district between 1950 to 1970. So in 1974, residents and the city administration join hands and eventually initiated actions to cleanse the area and to maintain the district’s historic aesthetic. To entirely conserve its historic aesthetic, residents and the city administration teamed up and initiated final actions to cleanse the district in 1974.
Subsequently in 1980, yet another chronicle is about to become untold when Gaslamp Quarter is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. And then on, Gaslamp Quarter got back its long lost glory, now, not as a red light district, but one of the major attractions in San Diego. Numerous enhancements and rehabilitations were initiated to further urbanized the district. The Gaslamp Quarter Foundation was later on established to supervise the redevelopment and rehabilitation process. This non-profit charitable society, which was subsequently known as The Quarter Historical Foundation by 1996, aided to educate not only the San Diego residents but also the visitors and vacationers, regarding the rich historical heritage of the district with the assistance of its more than a hundred volunteers.
Back in1986, the Gaslamp Archway idea was conceived along 5th Avenue and L Street to serve as an emblem of declaration, not just for the Gaslamp Quarter but for the whole city of San Diego, for their resilient devotion and perseverance to a continued redevelopment. The project initially started in 1988. The archway was designed by Arch. Harman Nelson and was constructed by Roy Flahive. And in 1989, the project was formally finished and stood proud for its glory and its magnificent residents.
Decent and family-friendly business establishments began to emerged which clearly indicates that the district’s persona has changed. In the latest database of http://www.iStayGreen.org - the directory of eco friendly hotels - would you imagine that there are almost 200 hotels on or in close proximity to the vicinity of Gaslamp Quarter not to mention lines of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, lounges, boutiques, art galleries and shops. Clearly, Gaslamp Quarter is beginning to build its own title in the sector of local and international tourism as one of several best getaways in the United States.
At present, amazing events are being held in the district like The San Diego Restaurant Week - a twice a year culinary celebration, The Fallback Festival and the Children’s Street Faire - celebrated every November, Michael John Houge Memorial Golf Tournament - a fund raising golf game held every May, The San Diego Film Festival - voted as one of the most popular film festivals in the US; The Poinsettia Bowl Battle of the Bands, The 5th Avenue Auto Showcase, The KiFM Jazz Music Festival Memorial Day Weekend - held every Saturday of the Memorial Day Weekend, ShamRock St. Patrick’s Day Festival - street party turned green as they celebrate the festival every the 17th of March and of course who could ever forget the Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Celebration- celebrated every March. And do not be concerned about where to stay, there are lots of San Diego hotels in the area to choose from which fits your comfort.
A little trivia about the district’s name: The name “Gaslamp” came from the words “gas lamps”. The place started to be called “Gaslamp Quarter” when four new gas lamps were mounted in the corner of Market Street and 5th Avenue before the beginning of the 1900’s. This very same spot and intersection today features a “Pedestrian Scramble”, similar to a much larger Hachiko Square in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The Gaslamp Quarter! « Easy Guide to Food And Drinks
Fed To Buy $600B In Securities, Keep Interest Rates Low
Interest Rates- Goal to hold low as Fed to Buy $600B in Securities to Hold
The Federal Reserve decided Wednesday to pump another $600 billion into the economy in the hopes of bolstering what it called a “disappointingly slow” recovery.
The capital injection will come in the form of purchases of long-term Treasury securities by the central bank, about $75 billion a month between now and the end of June 2011.Fed officials said they also plan to continue reinvesting principal payments from existing securities holdings. According to a separate announcement put out by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York – essentially the central bank’s money manager – these reinvestments will amount to another $250 billion to $300 billion in Treasury bond purchases over the same period.
The goal is to buoy economic growth by keeping interest rates low. By throwing more money into the financial system, the Federal Reserve is hoping banks will lend more, allowing consumers to purchase a home or refinance their mortgages and giving businesses the capital they need to grow their operations.
If it plays out correctly, the move is expected to spur spending, foster job creation, and keep deflation in check.
The analysts at the international research firm Capital Economics say they don’t expect lower long-term interest rates to do much to stimulate demand in the wider economy.
Paul Ashworth, a senior U.S. economist with the firm, explained, “Half of all mortgage borrowers don’t qualify to refinance at lower rates because they don’t have enough equity in their homes. Larger businesses are already sitting on stockpiled cash, while small businesses dependent on banks for their credit can’t get loans at any cost.”
Ashworth added, “When the Fed realizes that QE2 [its second round of quantitative easing] isn’t working it will have two choices: Admit this is a lost cause and halt its purchases or increase the size of its purchases. We suspect the Fed would double-down rather than fold.”
This marks the second big bond-buying spree by the central bank since the recession took hold. From November 2008 to March of this year, the Fed bought up $1.7 trillion in mortgage-backed securities (MBS), debt from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and Treasury bonds.
That effort succeeded in pushing mortgage interest rates to extreme lows, but even that hasn’t been enough to boost housing demand. Even after the Fed’s bond buying initiative ended in the spring, mortgage rates continued to drop, hitting lows not seen in more than 60 years.
The Federal Reserve said in its policy statement released Wednesday that information received since its last meeting in September “confirms that the pace of recovery in output and employment continues to be slow.”
Household spending is increasing only gradually, and remains constrained by high unemployment, modest income growth, lower housing wealth, and tight credit, the central bank said.
The Fed committee voted to maintain the target range at 0 to 0.25 percent for its benchmark federal funds rate – the rate at which banks lend to one another. As it has reiterated for months on end now, the central bank said it anticipated economic conditions will warrant “exceptionally low levels” for the federal funds rate “for an extended period.”
via dsnews.com
Smart Tips For Military Home Buyers
Military Home Buyers Find Smart Tips When Buying San Diego Real Estate
Tips For Military Home Buyers Who Are Buying San Diego Real Estate
San Diego County is home to one of the largest concentrations of military bases in the United States. In fact, the San Diego area contains 12 major Marine Corps and Navy bases and facilities. If you’re in the military and moving to San Diego, one of your biggest decisions is whether to buy a property, live on base housing (if this option is available to you), or rent a home or apartment. If you choose to buy a property, there are many issues to consider before taking this step.
BUY OR RENT?
The decision to buy or rent is more complicated for military personnel because you may be assigned to San Diego only for a limited period of time. If you plan to purchase while in San Diego and then sell when you transfer, the condition of the real estate market at the time you sell will make this either an easy or difficult process. In a seller’s market (when demand exceeds supply), properties tend to sell quickly and at or above asking price. In a buyer’s market (when supply exceeds demand), properties usually take much longer to sell and may sell below asking price. Individuals in the military should consider this issue in determining whether to buy or rent real estate in the San Diego area.
For those who choose to buy, the major other consideration is the likely appreciation rate of your property during your tenure in San Diego. If you plan to sell your property before you depart to your next assignment, you should remember that there are expenses (e.g. realtor fees, taxes, etc.) associated with selling your house, and any price appreciation you realize by owing the property for a few years, may or may not be offset by these fees.
Some individuals choose to keep their property even after they transfer to a new assignment outside of San Diego. In these cases, you can rent out the property, leave it empty, or find another acceptable use of the dwelling. If you choose to hire a Property Manager to oversee the renting and maintenance of your property, keep in mind that the fess for this service will cut into any monthly profit you realize on the property.
GETTING A HOME LOAN?
If you decide to purchase a property, obtaining a home loan is one of the tasks you must undertake. Many active-day members, retirees and other service veterans are eligible for special loan programs guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (VA).
To be eligible for a VA guaranteed loan, you must have served on activity duty and have a discharge status of other than dishonorable after a minimum of 90 days of service during wartime, or a minimum of 181 continuous days during peacetime. There is a minimum 2-year service requirement for veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980. The 2-year requirement also applies to Officers who began service after October 16, 1981. There is a minimum 6-year service requirement for National Guard members and Reservists, and surviving spouses are also eligible under some conditions. There are other special conditions in which a person may be eligible, so contact your local VA office to get more information.
WHAT IS VA GUARANTEED LOAN?
The VA loan is a federal guarantee of a maximum of 25% of a home loan amount but not to exceed 4,250. This formula allows eligible members to obtain a maximum loan amount of 7,000 (as of 2006). However, service members must meet other eligibility requirements. Individuals borrowing using this type of loan must intend to be occupants of the purchased property.
Private lenders are the source of funds for VA guaranteed loans. The guarantee provides these private lenders assurance that the federal government will reimburse the lender up to the maximum allowable amount if the borrower fails to repay the loan. Because of this guarantee, lenders are more favorable to offering loans without a requirement for a down payment.
VA CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY
Individuals desiring a VA guaranteed loan must first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Veterans Administration (VA Form 26-1880). Contact your local VA office to obtain this form by calling 1-888-244-6711. You will need a copy of your military discharge document (DD-214) to submit with your application. Once you have the Eligibility Certificate, you can then select a lender or mortgage broker to work with on getting the loan.
CLOSING COSTS
In addition to the purchase price of your property, there are closing costs that must be paid to process your home loan. These closing costs are fees that are charged by different service providers to help complete the loan process. For example, your lender will require an appraisal of the property to make sure that its value is at or above your purchase price. Other charges commonly included in closing costs are: recording fees, credit report fee, prorated taxes and assessments, hazard insurance, flood insurance (if required), survey, title examination, title insurance, postage and shipping fees, and the VA Funding fee.
WHAT IS THE VA FUNDING FEE?
The VA charges a fee to individuals utilizing the VA guaranteed loan. This fee is a percentage of the loan amount and is linked to the size of your down payment on the home you plan to purchase.
For active-duty personnel or veterans who put no money down, the funding fee is 2.15% of the loan amount. This rate increases to 2.4% for National Guard/Reserve.
For active duty personnel or veterans who put a down payment greater than zero but less than 10% of the loan amount, the fee is 1.5% of the loan. This rate increases to 1.75% for National Guard/Reserve.
For active duty personnel or veterans who put a down payment of 10% or more of the loan amount, the fee is 1.25% of the loan. This rate increases to 1. 5% for National Guard/Reserve.
The rates listed above are for first time users of the VA loan guarantee program. Individuals who have used the VA guaranteed loan program before pay higher rates than first time users. The rates above are subject to change. In some limited cases, individuals are exempt from paying the funding fee. You should contact your local VA center for current information.
CHOOSING A VA LOAN VS. A CONVENTIONAL LOAN
You must carefully evaluate the terms of the VA guaranteed loan vs. the terms of a conventional loan. One advantage of a VA guaranteed loan is that many lenders will not require you to put a down payment on the purchase of the property, assuming you meet their other lending criteria (e.g. credit scores, sufficient income, adequate debt to income ratio, etc.). There are also many zero down payment conventional loan programs. In some cases, the VA guaranteed loan will offer a lower interest rate and better terms, and in other cases, you can obtain a better deal through conventional financing. A good loan officer can help you evaluate the advantages of either loan, given your particular situation.
FINDING THE RIGHT HOME
If you are familiar with the San Diego area, then you probably already know where you want to live. If you are less familiar with the communities in San Diego, your Realtor can serve as an excellent resource to answer your questions. There are many steps to take during the home search process, which include:
1. Work with your loan officer to identify how much you can afford.
2. Determine what type of property you want to buy (single-family home, townhouse, condominium, other). Your Realtor can advise you about the differences between these types of properties.
3. Determine how many bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, etc. you need.
4. Determine what areas of San Diego you would consider living in.
5. Calculate the drive time (with and without traffic) to your job.
6. Identify the quality of schools in the neighborhoods that you are considering.
7. Locate the crime statistics for the neighborhood that you are considering.
8. Identify the location of local community resources such as libraries, shopping centers, athletic centers, etc.
9. Ask your Realtor to advise you about the resale potential of the home you are considering.Although there are many other factors to consider, the above is a good starting point. Your Realtor should be able help you get answers to the questions above as well as provide you many other resources. Keep in mind that most Realtor’s who assist homebuyers and paid by the home seller, but make sure to ask your Realtor about this.
HOW MUCH SHOUD I PAY FOR A HOUSE?
Your Realtor should be an excellent source of information to help you understand a fair offer price. The Realtor should provide you information about what other similar properties in the same community have sold for recently, current pricing trends for the community, as well provide you a recommendation based on their experience in the local market.
DO I NEED A HOME INSPECTION?
There are many other issues besides the offer price to consider when making an offer. For example, many buyers find it advantageous to get an inspection of the property by a qualified inspector. The inspection typically covers the major systems of a property. Check out the National Association of Home Inspectors web site for more information about what is covered in a typical home inspection. Getting a home inspection is generally a good idea.
HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE?
If you want to use the VA guarantee, then make sure you have obtained the Certificate of Eligibility far in advance of your relocation to San Diego. Whether or not you are using the VA loan program, be sure to obtain a loan pre-approval (sometimes called loan prequalification) from a lender or mortgage broker. This lets home sellers know that you are a serious buyer and are ready to act quickly if needed.
Prior to moving to San Diego, get a sense of the local real estate market. Your Realtor can set up an automatic email notification system that will send you descriptions and pictures of properties that meet your criteria. Doing this type of research should save you a lot of time when you arrive.
Once you have your loan pre-approval, the next step is to locate a property that meets your needs. Your Realtor should show you a variety of available properties that meet your criteria. Once you find a house you an interested in, your Realtor will prepare the purchase offer documents, and guide you through the loan and closing process.
In summary, it’s simply a process of getting a loan, finding a house that you like, making an offer that is accepted, and going through the closing process, which can occur in less than 30 days.
CONTACT A SAN DIEGO REALTOR
If you are moving to San Diego, contact a Real Estate agent who is familiar with VA guaranteed loans and has experience working with military buyers. Many agents have prior military service themselves, and are very familiar with your situation and needs.
San Diego Leading Economic Indicators Down in Sept, 2010
San Diego Index of Leading Economic Indicators: USD - September 2010
Leading Economic Indicators Down Slightly in September
Note: The tentative release date for next month's report is November 30.
October 28, 2010 -- The USD Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate's Index of Leading Economic Indicators for San Diego County fell 0.1 percent in September. Although four of the six components were positive during the month, a sharp drop in residential units authorized by building permits was enough to push the USD Index to its first decline in a year and a half (since March 2009). Local stock prices, consumer confidence, help wanted advertising, and the outlook for the national economy were all positive during the month but only modestly so. It was not enough to overcome the big decline in building permits and a smaller negative move in initial claims for unemployment insurance.
Index of Leading Economic Indicators
The index for San Diego County that includes the components listed below (September)
Source: USD Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate- 0.1 %
Building Permits
Residential units authorized by building permits in San Diego County (September)
Source: Construction Industry Research Board- 1.52%
Unemployment Insurance
Initial claims for unemployment insurance in San Diego County, inverted (September)
Source: Employment Development Department- 0.39%
Stock Prices
San Diego Stock Exchange Index (September)
Source: San Diego Daily Transcript+ 0.52%
Consumer Confidence
An index of consumer confidence in San Diego County (September)
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune+ 0.23%
Help Wanted Advertising
An index of online help wanted advertising in San Diego (September)
Source: Monster Worldwide+ 0.15%
National Economy
Index of Leading Economic Indicators (September)
Source: The Conference Board+ 0.53%
While September’s decline is a little worrisome, it is not a signal that a downturn in the local economy is imminent. The drop was small, and economists usually look for three consecutive moves in a leading index in the same direction to signal a turning point in an economy. Further evidence is needed to determine whether this was an aberration or the start of a negative trend. One positive sign is that a majority of the components in the Index were up during the month; the problem was that they weren’t up by very much. This may be an indication that any growth in the local economy may have slowed to the point where it has stalled. It remains to be seen whether that stall is just a temporary bump in an upward trend or the start of the dreaded "double dip" recession.
Highlights: Residential units authorized by building permits fell significantly as a slowing housing market caused developers to be more cautious. Despite the slowdown, residential unit authorized were up nearly 17 percent through the end of the third quarter compared to the same period in 2009. All of the gain was due to an increase in single-family units authorized, which were up almost 32 percent, while multi-family units actually fell by roughly 2 percent compared to 2009 . . . The labor market components continue to move in opposite directions. Job losses remain high, as initial claims for unemployment insurance were negative for the sixth straight month. Help wanted advertising was up for the 11th consecutive month, but may have plateaued as the rate of increase has slowed considerably. The net result was that the local unemployment rate remained at 10.6 percent in September, unchanged from the same level in August. . . Despite rising for the fifth month in a row, local consumer confidence remains down more the seven percent compared to a year ago and down almost 40 percent from the all-time high. As has been indicated previously, it will take a strong rebound in the job market to get confidence rising sharply again. . . Local stock prices advanced again as the financial markets bounced back from a summer slump. Local stocks finished the third quarter up 5.4 percent since the beginning of the year. . . The national Index of Leading Economic Indicators continues to signal growth in the national economy, although the pace is likely to be weak. The "third" estimate for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter showed that growth was revised upward but still remains slow at a 1.7 percent annualized rate.
September’s decrease puts the USD Index of Leading Economic Indicators for San Diego County at 109.9, down from August’s level of 110.0. Although the national Index of Leading Economic Indicators was revised for June through August, there was no change to the previously reported values for the USD Index or the changes for those months. Please visit the Website address given below to see the revised changes for the individual components. The values for the USD Index for the last year are given below:
Index
% Change
2009
105.8
+1.2%
106.3
+0.5%
106.5
+0.1%
107.2
+0.7%
2010
107.7
+0.5%
107.9
+0.2%
109.0
+1.0%
109.2
+0.1%
109.5
+0.3%
109.7
+0.2%
110.0
+0.3%
110.0
+0.0%
109.9
-0.1%
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For more information on the University of San Diego's Index of Leading Economic Indicators, please contact:
Professor Alan Gin
School of Business Administration
University of San Diego
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110TEL: (858) 603-3873
FAX: (858) 484-5304
E-mail: agin@san.rr.com
The Art of Conversation
The Way to Happiness - The Art of Conversation - Health Tip
When you sit down to chat over coffee with a friend, spend a few minutes digging deeper than TV and the weather.
Why? Because doing so just might make you happier. Research shows that when people's socialization focuses on important issues and personal interests, a greater level of personal happiness may be the result.
Listen to Yourself
In the study, a group of college students agreed to let researchers wire them with recording devices that would periodically record short snippets of their conversations over the course of four days. Questionnaires gauged participants' current levels of happiness and life satisfaction. And in reviewing the responses and recordings, researchers found that people who were the happiest had engaged in twice as many deep and meaningful conversations compared to their less happy peers. (Get happy right now by adopting this mind-set.)Time to Get Serious?
Researchers aren't sure if some people are happier because they have more satisfying and meaningful conversations or if happier people are just more likely to dig deep when they converse. Regardless, we know that deep, meaningful social connections are good for your RealAge. It adds meaning to life and helps with stress reduction. (Check out these five keys to greater life satisfaction.)Get a natural high. Try this one-foot-in-front-of-the-other approach.
via realage.com
The Colors of Feng Shui
Feng Shui Colors
Feng Shui Colors affect people physically, emotionally and psychologically. By using just one of the Feng Shui Colors, or by combining two or more, you can strengthen the elements of Feng Shui. Feng Shui Colors are divided into the cool (Yin) and warm (Yang) areas because all things possess these two components and their balance creates wholeness.
The guiding principle in using Feng Shui Colors should be to achieve balance rather than excess. When you are planning the color scheme of your home, office or garden environment, the following characteristics of the Feng Shui Colors will give you insight into how they can be used in decorating your space.
Blue (Yin) - This color is calm and soothing, this color reflects love as it heals and relaxes. Blue creates a feeling of peace and trust. It is the color of the sea and sky, so it tends to represent adventure and exploration. It is also relaxing and calming. Navy blue is the Feng Shui color of intellect and wisdom.
Black (Yin) - Symbolizing money and income, black is great for careers, especially when combined with metal. The Feng Shui color of emotional protection and power.
Purple (Yin) - Purple, like blue, is the spiritual end of the color spectrum. It boosts spiritual awareness and is excellent for physical and mental healing. The Feng Shui color of royalty.
White (Yang) - Poised and confident, white works better when it is combined with gold or silver to generate an atmosphere of influence and control. The Feng Shui color of purity, goodness and trustworthiness.
Yellow (Yang) - Considered as auspicious as red, yellow represents sunbeams, warmth and motion. This color can make you feel cheerful. However, according to a noted color consultant, prolonged exposure to large amounts of intense yellow can cause anxiety.Yellow is the Feng Shui color of communication and health, cheerfulness and friendliness.
Orange (Yang) - Strengthening concentration, you might need this when your creative well runs dry. It gives you a sense of purpose. Orange is the Feng Shui color of organization.
Tan/Beige (Yang) - The Feng Shui color of the earth, portrays neatness, helps conceal emotions
Brown (Yang) - The Feng Shui color of Industry, being grounded and hard working.
Red (Yang) - This is the Feng Shui color of good fortune as it attracts recognition and respect for the person who uses it, especially in the winter. A color of confidence, if you ever need one! The color of luck, money, joy, protection and physicalness.
Mauve (Yang) - The color of world consciousness.
Green (Yin) - Green is refreshing, nurturing, balancing and normalizing as in being surrounded by the lush green of nature. It is the Feng Shui color of harmony, balance, healing and health; physical, emotional and spiritual. The color is good for growth and expansion, and it is peaceful and calming.
Pink (Yin) - The Feng Shui color of love.
Maroon (Yang) - The Feng Shui color of maroon is neither red nor blue it represents indecisiveness.
Lavender (Yang) - Is the Feng Shui color of sexual indecision. Suggests an ability to be manipulated.
Gold (Yang) - The Feng Shui color of God consciousness.
Silver (Yin) - The Feng Shui color of the trustworthy and the romantic.
Gray (Yin) - Gray is neither black nor white, it is the Feng Shui color of dead and dull; indefinite.
All images & information 2001 Shop Feng Shui, Inc
Camels Originated In North America?!
The Last Wild Camels -->
Wild Bactrian, or two-humped, camels are extraordinary creatures. They also are very rare—at most, 950 remain in the wild, though this number may be much lower, since their broad habitat has made obtaining accurate population counts difficult. A number of human factors have contributed to their decline, including hunting for food and sport and nuclear testing and illegal mining activity within their native habitats in Mongolia and China. These human-induced reductions have resulted in an increased risk of further decline of wild Bactrian populations from natural causes, such as climate change and predation.
Wild Bactrian camels have a long and fascinating history. They have roamed the barren and rocky deserts of China and Mongolia for thousands of years. However, both Bactrians and their one-humped cousins, the dromedaries (or Arabian camels; now extinct in the wild), originated in North America between 40 million and 45 million years ago. Their divergence from their lamoid relatives—the domestic alpacas and llamas and the wild guanacos and vicuñas—took place about 11 million years ago and was followed by a long migration to southwest Asia, northern Africa, and the Gobi desert.
Two lineages
Recent investigations have indicated that following the migration of Bactrian camels across the Bering Strait and into Asia, the population diverged into two lineages. This split is believed to have occurred about 700,000 years ago, with one lineage eventually being domesticated. The taming of wild Bactrians to suit human needs is believed to have occurred initially in the Gobi desert, with the process complete possibly by as early as 4000 BCE in China. About 1,500 years later, the domestic camels appeared in the ancient Greek kingdom of Bactria, for which the camel is named. Bactria occupied a large region, which now forms part of modern-day Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
The geographic range of domestic Bactrians was tied to the animals’ use in trade and travel, which significantly influenced the growth of human civilizations across Asia. The geographic locations where Bactrians were first domesticated is known from evidence of human use; domestic camels appear to have originally occupied a habitat extending from Bactria, to the western edge of modern-day Gansu province in northwestern China and to the Gobi in north-central China. This range overlaps with many of the same areas that were once occupied by their wild counterparts. In addition, the geographic isolation of certain domestic Bactrian populations has led to the rise of subspecies of domestic camel.
The few wild Bactrians remaining today can be divided into subpopulations that exist within just four distinct regions: the Altun mountains in the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, in northwestern China; the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area in Mongolia; the Gaxun Gobi, a region encompassing the western portion of the Gobi desert within China; and the Takla Makan Desert, in west-central China. Unfortunately, the subpopulation previously reported in the Takla Makan is now suspected to be extinct, since wild Bactrians have not been sighted there for some time.
Today, despite the listing of wild Bactrians as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are disappearing at an alarming rate. About 20 are killed each year in China for human subsistence, and in Mongolia, another 25 to 30 are killed annually by humans and natural predators. At this pace, wild Bactrians, which have a life span of 40 to 50 years, will go extinct within two or three generations.
The human-induced decline of wild Bactrians has increased their susceptibility to nature. Even though wild Bactrians, with their fat-storing humps and dehydration-preventing kidneys, are magnificently adapted to the harsh climate of their habitat, in reduced numbers they represent a diminutive match for the powerful combination of drought and predation. As little as four inches of precipitation may fall in the Gobi in an entire year, and in years of exceptionally low rainfall, the remaining small groups of wild Bactrians are forced to return repeatedly to the same sources of water. Gathering around these oases are the camels’ primary predators, wolves, which lie in wait for easy kills. When the camels existed in large populations, such predatory behavior was less threatening. There was safety in large numbers.
Protected areas for the last wild camels
Wild Bactrians are the last of the wild camels. Establishing areas where they can exist free from anthropogenic (human-created) threats is of high importance. Ironically, the Lop Nur region of the Gaxun Gobi, which was the site of nuclear testing in the 1950s, is now home to the Lop Nur Nature Sanctuary, the only major area of protection for wild Bactrians in China. In Mongolia, the primary reserve for wild camels is the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area, located in the southwest region of the country. The Great Gobi is one of the largest biosphere reserves in the world, covering a total area of about 13.1 million acres.
However, not even the sweeping expanse of the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area is safe for wild Bactrians. Humans have been trespassing onto the reserve in pursuit of gold, even though it is illegal to mine within the reserve’s boundaries. Conservationists fear that the trespassers are killing the wild camels for food. Mining activity also may be forcing the migration of wild camels out of Mongolia and into China. The lack of protected areas in China near the Mongolia border means that wild Bactrians are at risk of subsistence hunting and other human activities. Organizations such as the Wild Camel Protection Foundation (WCPF) are pushing for the establishment of protected areas within China.
Preserving the genetics of wild Bactrians
The protection of wild Bactrians also extends to maintaining the unique genetic lineage of the animals, since wild Bactrians originated from an ancestor distinct from that of domestic camels. In addition, despite the fact that wild and domestic Bactrians have been exposed to the same extreme climate of the deserts of Mongolia and China for millennia, the two groups differ in important ways. Wild Bactrians are smaller and are more slender than domestic Bactrians, and they have sand-colored coats, as opposed to the dark brown coat that is characteristic of the domestic camels. Wild Bactrians also are known to drink a thick saltwater substance that their domestic counterparts refuse to drink. This suggests that there exist significant differences in the internal physiology of wild and domestic camels.
Human pressures, compounded by natural factors, have forced wild camels to live nearer to groups of domestic camels traveling together (known as caravans), which has placed the distinct genetic traits of the wild camels at risk because the two groups may interbreed. Fortunately, there is still time to preserve the genetic uniqueness of wild Bactrians, which can be accomplished in several ways, including eliminating opportunities for interbreeding and establishing captive breeding programs, such as the program run by the WCPF in Mongolia, within the Great Gobi reserve.
The finding that wild and domestic Bactrian camels truly are genetically distinct animals is recent and settles an issue that had been debated for decades. It is hoped that a greater awareness of the uniqueness of wild Bactrians will contribute to the advancement of conservation efforts.
Images: Wild Bactrian camels in Mongolia—Terry Doyle—Stone/Getty Images; young domestic Bactrian camels in winter steppe, Kyrgyzstan—© Noo/Shutterstock.com; wild Bactrian camels in the Gobi—Art Wolfe—The Image Bank/Getty Images.
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