Faith in the possibility of change, the prospect of a better future. For green shoots in the rubble, fresh water in the desert. And our faith is often tested. Everywhere I have looked, everywhere I have been – places bent and broken, despoiled and desolate, polluted and poisoned, I have found new life springing fromContinue reading “Environmentalism boils down to faith in the end”
Category Archives: The Natural World
The Anatomy of Fantastical Creatures
Do you know what the juicy interior of a Kraken looks like? Have you ever seen the inside of a unicorn’s magical horn? What about the biochemical transformation of a man into a a werewolf? Here are some marvellous anatomical figures from French Chimerologist Camille Renversade who in 2014 combined zoology charts, anatomy boards andContinue reading “The Anatomy of Fantastical Creatures”
Six Quirky Facts About Red Pandas
Red pandas are sweet looking, unobtrusive and stunning mammals that live in the mountainous forests in the Himalayas. With their lustrous and vibrant reddish brown fur and round sweet faces; they have the vague appearance of a fox rather than a Giant Panda. Here’s more about a mysterious animal that my boyfriend and I fellContinue reading “Six Quirky Facts About Red Pandas”
The Sky Bastard Who Ate My Ancestors in New Zealand
Here is another rough diamond plucked from the caverns of Content Catnip’s vault, this post from 2014 and resuscitated for your enjoyment. I still love megafauna just as much, even now. Introducing the Sky Bastard who once sparked universal terror in the hearts of my Māori ancestors. Common Name: Haast’s Eagle Scientific Name: Harpagornis moorei (DiscoveredContinue reading “The Sky Bastard Who Ate My Ancestors in New Zealand”
Eight Quirky Facts About The Kea: NZ’s Alpine Trickster
Kea Nestor notabilis are an endemic parrot of the South Island of New Zealand. Playful, inquisitive, bright eyed and stunningly beautiful, keas are also incredibly resourceful. Many scientists argue that they are the world’s smartest bird. Not convinced? Here are some more juicy facts to win you over. A kaleidoscope of colour The glorious coloursContinue reading “Eight Quirky Facts About The Kea: NZ’s Alpine Trickster”
Captain Seeks a Sea-Going Cat to Sign on for a Trip Around the World, New York Times (1922)
Captain Edwin Dyason, master of the freighter Woodfield will welcome any ablebodied seafaring cat wishing to join the crew of his vessel, sailing today for Manila and China. “We missed the ship’s cat shortly after we put into port here,” said the Captain. “Her name was Cleopatra. She joined on in Fremantle, Australia and didContinue reading “Captain Seeks a Sea-Going Cat to Sign on for a Trip Around the World, New York Times (1922)”
Amazing Website Alert: The Deep Sea by Neal Fun
The Deep Sea is a scrolling deep-dive into ocean life and charts how deep each organism can go into Earth’s final frontier, the deep ocean. There are a lot of surprises and little-known facts about obscure ocean creatures you have never heard of. As well as tales of adventure from humans who dared to delve
Ancient Word of the Day: Brumation
A word coined in 1965 by American Zoologist Wilbur W. Mayhew. Brumation denotes a state of torpor and sluggishness brought on by winter. Mayhew used the word to describe the cold-weather dormancy of reptiles. Brumation is also a term commonly used in Biology to describe the dormant period for reptiles. As with hibernation in mammals,Continue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Brumation”
A History of the Beautiful Highland Cow
Highland Cows or as they are commonly known in Scotland Highland Coos are an ancient breed known to have grazed the rugged Scottish landscape since the sixth century. Their genetic origins are still up for debate. They may be native to Scotland or introduced by the Vikings to Great Britain. One scientific train of thoughtContinue reading “A History of the Beautiful Highland Cow”
The high-spirited thoroughbred
The great affair, the love affair with life, is to live as variously as possible, to groom one’s curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred, climb aboard, and gallop over the thick, sunstruck hills every day. Diane Ackerman
Content Catnip 