Greetings from sunny San Diego, California U.S.A!

My name is Valerie Ashton - I am the PETS & ANIMALS channel steward for Helium.com.

That's me and my tan & white beagle, Mr. Wiggles, in the picture to your right. My tricolor beagle, Buster, was not interested in posing for a photo.

I have lived in San Diego my entire life and I graduated from San Diego State University in 2005. In college, writing research papers was one of my my favorite assignments. My biggest passions are animals and writing.

I am married to another native San Diegan, and we have two beagles. We enjoy camping, boating, and scuba diving. Our dogs like to do these activities with us, with the exception of scuba diving. We've traveled to Colorado, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Hawaii, and Texas. Outside of the U.S., we've been to Mexico and Honduras.

I recently wrote a feature article titled "Year of The Beagle," for the Spring 2008 issue of Animal Magazine of San Diego. You can read it online by clicking on the link to your right.

I think Helium is a great place for writers to sharpen their skills and get exposure to publishers. I have had success in the Helium Marketplace and sold a lot of articles to various publishers. I have also won a few Channel Champions Contests on Helium.

I am very passionate about animals and I would love to one day open an animal rescue sanctuary/ spay/neuter facility in Central America. Both of my dogs are adopted and great examples of how rescued animals make excellent pets.

Contact: Val.Ashton@gmail.com

You can visit my steward page by visiting this link:
http://www.helium.com/user/show/397898

P.S. As Bob Barker would say, "Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered!" And as I tell everyone thinking of buying a dog or cat: Don't buy a pet. Adopt a homeless pet, be a hero to that dog or cat, and support your local animal shelter at the same time.

My passion is ...

running, animals (especially dogs), and writing, of course!

My parents always told me ...

Never Give Up!

My childhood ambition ...

to be a writer.

My favorite memory ...

Scuba Diving in Honduras with my husband.

Why I write ...

It's a lot of fun!

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Reading: Ann Leary / Watching Squawk On The Street (CNBC) / Listening to Kenny Chesney

My first job ...

working in a grocery store

My best moment ...

is still yet to come!

My inspiration ...

anyone who ever followed a dream to success!

Pets & Animals > Birds Wild bird species: California condor

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CALIFORNIA CONDORS are a species of vulture belonging to the order FALCONIFORMES, which includes nearly 300 birds of prey. They are a critically endangered, and one of the world's rarest bird species.

The California Condors are fortunate to have many humans working to ensure their survival. They are dubbed "Nature's Cleanup Crew," according to The San Diego Zoo's website. They eat carrion, which are is remains of dead animals killed by another animal, or shot down by a hunter, and left for decomposition.

Scientists estimate that the California Condor never had a high population. Acc...

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