Catastrophic winds exceeding 130 mph have battered the Pacific Northwest, leaving over half a million residents without electricity while exacerbating severe ongoing floods.

As emergency teams battle life-threatening conditions in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, local authorities are urging extreme caution during this unprecedented weather event."

“In the end, you only have yourself. Take a deep breath and stay calm.”

Some animals can recognize humans by sight from 5 km away.

Your dog?

It can’t recognize you until you are just 20 meters away. That’s because dogs primarily use scent to understand the world, not vision.

But for some in the animal kingdom, vision plays a huge role—and some species are remarkably skilled at spotting us from great distances.

Deer, often alert and skittish, can identify humans from as far as 100 meters. But it’s the taller or airborne animals that truly impress—giraffes can spot a person from roughly 1.5 kilometers away thanks to their height and keen eyesight.

Birds of prey take it even further. Owls, masters of nighttime hunting, can detect small movements from 2 kilometers away. Falcons and eagles top the list with their ability to identify and track humans or prey from staggering distances of 3 to 5 kilometers. This elite visual acuity supports their hunting lifestyle and allows them to react swiftly to changes in their environment.

These differences in visual range highlight how each species has evolved to suit its ecological niche, with vision being a vital survival tool.

Source: Potier, S., Bonadonna, F., Kelber, A., Martin, G.R., & Duriez, O. (2016). Visual abilities in birds of prey: Vision and foraging strategies. Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 202(2), 83–95.

In the wide, sun-bleached grasslands of Australia, this boldly patterned traveler flits between seed heads with restless cheer. It feeds on fine grass seeds and scattered grains, cracking each one with swift efficiency as it moves in lively flocks. What makes it extraordinary is its resilience — thriving where water is scarce, breeding opportunistically after rain, and spreading seeds across harsh landscapes that few birds can endure. A burst of stripes and song in the heat, yet a tireless steward of the outback’s fragile balance.

Zebra Finch 👇

#ZebraFinch #AustraliaBirds #OutbackGuardian

EXIT z

Thank you 🙏

In the cool farmlands and quiet ponds of Scandinavia, this slate-blue waterfowl moves with unhurried calm, its soft plumage blending seamlessly with northern skies. It forages along grassy banks and shallow waters, grazing on plants, grains, and small aquatic life with steady patience. What makes it extraordinary is its resilience — bred to thrive in cold, damp climates, it embodies a long partnership between people and landscape. A muted wash of blue on still water, yet a living symbol of Nordic rural heritage.

Swedish Blue Duck 👇

A place where AC is not needed! ♥️

Image credit to respective owner.

Growth never happens by accident.
It's built brick by brick in the quiet practice of consistency.
Jim Rohn often reminded us that direction matters far more than speed.

Focus in on the goal ahead, and let nothing stop that daily persistence.

Dolphins are quietly disappearing from some of the world’s great rivers — and in a few places, fewer than 100 are left.

One of the most heartbreaking examples is the Irrawaddy dolphin. With their rounded heads, gentle expressions, and almost constant “smile,” these dolphins are famous not just for their looks, but for their rare cooperation with humans. In Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady River, Irrawaddy dolphins have learned to work alongside local fishers, herding fish toward cast nets and signaling with tail flicks — a behavior passed from mother to calf across generations.

This relationship goes far beyond fishing. Irrawaddy dolphins are woven into local culture and folklore, support ecotourism, and form deep emotional bonds with riverside communities. But today, their future is hanging by a thread. The three major freshwater populations — in the Mekong, Mahakam, and Ayeyarwady rivers — each number fewer than 100 individuals. As a species, they are officially listed as endangered.

Living so close to people exposes them to constant danger. Gill nets are the biggest killer, but they also face toxic fishing pellets, electrofishing, chemical pollution, dams that fragment rivers, and heavy boat traffic. Conservationists fear they could vanish like China’s Yangtze river dolphin, or follow the vaquita toward near-extinction.

Efforts to save them are underway. In Indonesia’s Mahakam River, researchers are fitting fishing nets with acoustic pingers to warn dolphins away, while river patrols remove illegal gill nets and communities are engaged through education programs. In Cambodia, scientists and supporters swam 120 kilometers along the Mekong to raise awareness and funds, pushing for enforcement of dolphin-safe zones and alternative livelihoods for fishers. Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangroves host a stronger population of around 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins — offering hope, if long-term, community-centered protection continues.

Saving Irrawaddy dolphins isn’t just about protecting a species. It’s about preserving living relationships between people, rivers, and wildlife — and honoring cultures that, in some cases, cherish these dolphins as family.

Source:
National Geographic (2025)
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

G.M

@note10lvtq...

Beware of those you trust. Salt and sugar look similar.