WilderNess

We are all made of water — some of us more than others.

Human women, for example, are about 55 percent water; men, 60. Approximately 12,760 liters of water went into making the smartphone you might be reading this on. According to Monterey Bay Aquarium, comb jellies, like this Aulococtena, are 95 percent water. With no bones or shells to weigh them down, these invertebrates were ideally suited for life in the deep Ocean, a place inhospitable to most creatures. Comb jellies have been around for well over 500 million years.

This ctenophore was observed 1.4 miles below the Ocean’s surface during a test dive at the beginning of our recent expedition off the coast of Chile. During the subsequent expedition, scientists documented twenty possible new species discovered across ten seamounts, and they discovered another seamount larger than Mt. Olympus. The data collected along this unexplored mountain range will establish a scientifically rich baseline that will help advance informed high seas protections.

(Source for 12,760 liters of water in a cell phone: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es2040043 )

Coming to the watering hole, bison in Grand Teton National Park yesterday...

Gettin”mugged 🐋

We had one of the most incredible encounters with this super curious and friendly humpback whale. Although it is not too uncommon for humpback whales to “mug” a boat for a minute or two, this whale took it to another level; twirling around, playing peek a boo, eyeballing us, and making sure everyone onboard got a close up of her beautiful face! Definitely an experience of a lifetime!

With lucky guests
Onboard .verdugo1
🎥 🫵🏽🙏🏽🤙🏽

(Please note, this encounter was entirely on the whales terms. Boat engine was completely off and there was absolutely no touching of this beautiful animal!)

Possibly the strangest creature you have seen all day - a chongololo! Its common name is a millipede , or “thousand legs”! 🌍😎

Pheasant display of Cabot‘s Tragopan(Tragopan caboti) .


Discription:
" Witness the resplendent Cabot's Tragopan, a true marvel of nature's artistry! The male's elaborate display of iridescent feathers, a mesmerizing dance of color and light, is a sight to behold. As it spreads its magnificent plumage, the Tragopan showcases its unique beauty, a testament to the wonders of the natural world."

All Australians have to learn our national dance, Nutbush City limits, and it isn't easy!

For kangaroos learning to hop is like a human learning to walk, it takes practice. (Just ask Raygun)

Why do kangaroos hop? The story begins about 30 million years ago, when the ancestor of the kangaroo – a creature a lot like a small possum – climbed down from the treetops to move around on the forest floor. Its feet and ankles, previously suited to climbing, stiffened up to handle its new terrain.

As this ancient kangaroo’s foot was very long, the animal couldn’t walk or run properly. However, hopping was easy – as it is for modern-day ’roos. The large, stretchy tendons in a kangaroo’s hind legs act like giant springs. As these tendons strain and contract, they generate most of the energy needed for each hop. This is very different to the way humans jump, which uses a lot of muscular effort.

The tail is also important, acting both as a balancing aid and a counterweight, propelling the animal into each leap. And there’s the added bonus that, while hopping, kangaroos barely need to waste effort on breathing. The jumping motion drives their gut up and down, which inflates and deflates their lungs for them.

This beautiful creature is in rehabilitation with registered carer Ashley Azzopardi and the great team at Wildlife Empire. Please never attempt to rehabilitate an orphaned macropod. They need specialist assistance.

Watch this eagle owl's powerful call! These big birds use their voice to mark territory and find mates.

Fun Fact: Eagle owls have asymmetrical ear openings - one higher than the other - which helps them pinpoint sounds with incredible accuracy, even in complete darkness!

Watch in amazement as our newest rescue, Mare Noi starts to bond with our oldest female here at BLES, Dok Lak!

We watched this first interaction with bated breath - it was so exciting to see these two beautiful girls gently touch each other, slowly getting to know each other.

A few minutes later, Pang Suai and Pang Noi appeared, seemingly protective of their new friend, but in a surprising turn of events, Mare Noi decided to follow Dok Lak and Mare Ladee deeper into the forest, leaving Pang Suai and Pang Noi behind!

So much bananaramadrama here at BLES!!

Wishing you all a MARENOITASTIC start to your week!

Trunks of thanks for your support xx

❤️🧡💛💚🐘💙💜🤎🖤