wild-special-interests

[wild-special-interests]

Did you guys know that the most recent version of sharks have fins that are kinda leg like and they like to walk up onto land?

#sharks

[wild-special-interests]

[wild-special-interests]

overstimulated and anxious at the zoo until I looked up and saw an angel dancing in a beam of light

#fish #gar

[wild-special-interests]

Truly a shame there's not more yak appreciation on tumblr.

#how could I have neglected these wonderful beasts for so long? #yak

[wild-special-interests]

ヒレンジャク

#birds

[wild-special-interests]

The flying dragon lizard (Draco volans) So dragons still exist, only now they are very small!Meet the Draco volans, known as the common flying dragon.Draco volans, a species of lizard in the family Agamidae, is native to Southeast Asia and Southeast India. This species can reach up to 22 cm in length, including the tail, and males are usually shorter than females.Draco volans is endowed with wing-like lateral extensions of skin, called patagia, which give it the ability to glide. In fact, the reptile is entirely arboreal and is considered a passive glider or parachutist. The male’s patagium is tan to bright orange with dark bands, while the female’s has irregular patterns instead of bands.

#reptiles #lizards

[wild-special-interests]

Gar Field

#fish #gar

[wild-special-interests]

Virginia Wildlife; vol. 19, no. 9. September, 1958. Illustration by John W. Taylor.

Internet Archive

#birds #woodpeckers #red-headed woodpecker #pileated woodpecker #hairy woodpecker #downy woodpecker #yellow-bellied sapsucker #northern flicker #red-bellied woodpecker

[wild-special-interests]

[wild-special-interests]

every single day I think about how american black vultures are known for engaging in allopreening (preening between different species)

and they have a specific relationship with crested caracaras, in which the black vultures assist them by not only preening them after meals but also leading them to food in the first place— due to their superior sense of smell— while the caracaras assist the black vultures by acting as a warning signal in case of danger

and while this is more typical of black vultures, this is not common at all for any member of the falconidae family— it’s a special bond!

yet another post in favor of vultures everyone , hope you enjoy:) and I implore you to do some more research on these incredible birds !!

#birds #vultures #crested caracara #falconidae #black vulture

[wild-special-interests]

I have never seen an animal sleep in such a cursed way what

#walrus

[wild-special-interests]

sea elements - png

[wild-special-interests]

(by lovelaikipia)

#feets

[wild-special-interests]

I might be a little biased but I’m honestly starting to believe that there’s no purer form of love than the defensive spite you see from biologists that have devoted their life to the study of a maligned or misunderstood species. For example:

The hyena biologist that arranged for Disney animators to come sketch captive  hyenas for The Lion King film (Laurence Frank) was so incensed when the animals were depicted as villains in the movie that he later included boycotting the film on a list of ways the average person could help hyena conservation.

Though it’s commonly known that Charles Darwin’s distaste for parasitic wasps played a role in his development of evolution theory (since he felt no loving God would create animals with such a disturbing life cycle), the biologists who study these wasps find it an unfair characterization. When they were tasked with coming up with a common name for the family of parasitic wasps (Ichneumonidae) that old Charles so disliked, they proposed the name “Darwin Wasps” to spite the famous naturalist who had insulted their beloved family of insects.

Parasitologist Tommy Leung was so frustrated with the way people write about parasites to evoke horror and gore that he started writing a Parasite of the Day blog, that specifically avoids inflammatory or unsettling language to describe them. He also illustrates different species in colorful anime art on Twitter in a series called Parasite Monster Girls—which he calls his “love letter to parasites.”

I guess I’m just saying that if you’re a biologist studying an unpopular species and you have a little bit of a chip on your shoulder about it you can always count on me to be in your corner if you want to get a little petty with the public!

[wild-special-interests]

A comic (?) about my love of weird little bats for this halloween

#bats

[wild-special-interests]

Happy National Library Week!

It's never a bad time to support your local library, but this week is an especially good time. Each day this week has a special purpose.

April 8th - Right to Read Day

April 9th - Library Workers Day

April 10th - Library Outreach Day

April 11th - Take Action For Libraries Day

The American Library Association has a page full of suggestions for ways you can participate in National Library Week, as well as a whole bunch of ways to get involved with your library in general. Many of their suggestions are simple things that anyone can do, such as:

Visit your library

Get a library card

Check out a book (or something else your library offers)

Let your librarians know that you appreciate them!

I just took some cards to my librarian friends and the head librarian was so touched, she hugged me. It felt so good to just let them know how much they mean to me. Anyway, don't forget to take a few minutes this week to celebrate libraries!

#i know it's not wildlife but yall are seeing this post from my personal anyway

[wild-special-interests]

Common American Opossum by Louis A. Sargent. From Wild Beasts of the World, Vol. Two. Written by Frank Finn, published in 1909.

Internet Archive