Wednesday, November 15.
The Pūteketeke: New Zealand's Bird of the Century.
The votes are in, and after two bruising weeks of voting in New Zealand's Bird of the Century, we have a new champion. It carries its young on its back, which is very cute. It enjoys grunting, growling, and barking, as one does. It possesses an elaborate set of mating rituals, including "the weed dance" and "the ghostly penguin," which is great. It has a colorful mullet—j'adore le style. It has a propensity for vomiting. It is, in other words, a worthy champion. Its name is the Australasian crested grebe, otherwise known as the pūteketeke, and we think you're gonna get on just *great*.
(@edinzphoto)
If you want to do your bit to help these beautiful creatures, Forest & Bird ask bird enthusiasts to donate an old predator trap through Give a Trap, or add your voice to their collective call-to-action for birds in New Zealand. You can support Forest & Bird directly right here. In the meantime, we have gathered, for your viewing pleasure, a carefully-curated selection of content in tribute to the top five contenders from the #bird of the century election. Every last one a winner.
Live, love, laugh. Grunt, dance, puke x
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There's a common misconception out there about Israel being a vast desert where everyone rides camels. Let's set the record straight:
Israel is much more diverse than just desert landscapes, and no, we don't use camels as our daily mode of transportation 😆
However, camels do hold a special place in the history and culture of the region.
In singular, /ga-'mal/ גָּמָל, and in plural /g-ma-'leem/ גְּמַלִּים, these animals were in ancient times a vital part of life in the Middle East, including in parts of Israel.
These resilient animals were essential for long journeys across arid landscapes, valued for their ability to carry heavy loads and travel long distances without water.
Today, you're more likely to find cars and buses on the roads of Israel than camels.
That being said, camels are still a part of the Israeli landscape, especially in the Negev Desert.
They are not just relics of the past but are living symbols of the region's history and tradition.
Camels in Israel today are mostly found in Bedouin communities, where they are still used for transportation and as a source of milk, meat, and wool.
One fascinating fact about camels is their incredible adaptation to desert life. Their ability to go for long periods without water is well-known, but did you know that their eyes have three eyelids and two rows of eyelashes to protect them from sand? Or that their feet are specially adapted to prevent them from sinking into the sand?
In a way, camels are a bridge between the ancient and modern worlds in Israel. They remind us of a time when these majestic creatures were a lifeline for people living in harsh desert conditions, a far cry from the technologically advanced, diverse country that Israel is today.
So, next time you think of Israel, remember that it's a land of contrasts and diversity, where history meets modernity, and where camels are a cherished part of the cultural heritage, not the primary mode of transportation!
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Hi y'all, I'm doing a study for a class on dog breed perception, if you could take a minute and complete this survey I would really appreciate it! (It should only take 2-3 minutes)
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my cat licked my fucking elbow until it turned into rug burn while i was asleep last night. i love animals.
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Give me animal facts to back up your arguments if you have rhem also cool pictures please
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the only reason tumblr survives, and perhaps the internet as a whole, is because of videos showing animals of different species being bros.
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Make it socially acceptable to randomly imitate animal noises in public idc
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