Featured Animal Article Archive
1/11/25
Okapi (Okapi Johnstoni), otherwise known as the Forest Giraffe, is the only other member of the Giraffidae Family. They are an Endangered species living near the Congo River of Africa, spending its days eating figs, ferns, and other wonderful plant treats. Most identifiable by their latter half zebra stripes and undoubtable ossicones, this precious creature is an underrated spectacle of Earth that we must protect.
2/8/25
Egyptian Fruit Bat (Rousettus Aegyptiacus) is a species of Megabat. An avid lover of fruit, this bat is a wonderful pollinator and disperser of seeds. These friends live in colonies up to the thousands and engage in synchronized sex and birth. Being one of the only species of Fruit Bat to use echolocation, this creature is a unique and vital part of our ecosystem.
Perhaps you would like to Sponsor a Bat? Click the highlighted "Sponsor" if you are interested!
2/25/25
Fisher (Pekania Pennanti) is a large, mostly carnivorous member of the Mustelid family. Inhabiting boreal forests across North America, the Fisher is adept at climbing but prefers to dwell on the forest floor. Their name directly comes from the fishbait that 18th century trappers would use to lure Fishers into traps for the fur trade. Fisher is an animal that has come "back from the brink," conservation efforts skyrocketing their species from critically endangered to least concern. They sport the label of being "small but mighty;" they are able to drop bobcats and even humans wouldn't want to go toe to toe with this unique member of the Mustelids.
Check out this video from a trailcam of a Fisher climbing a tree!
5/6/25
Bush Dog (Speothos Venaticus) is a little, mysterious canid who lives in the dense forests and lowland rainforests of Central and South America. They are an exceptionally shy creature, making them one of the most under studied canids in the wild. They are cooperative hunters, finding kinship and strategy in their fellow Bush Dogs due to their small stature and light weight. With wonderfully adapted webbed feet and a face full of expression, Bush Dogs are a spectacularly underrated and rare member of the canid family that must be advocated for and adored.
Check out this video of a Bush Dog family; you can hear their unique vocalizations in this video!!
7/20/25
East Javan Langur (Trachypithecus auratus) is an Old World Monkey residing on the Indonesian island of Java. Ranging in color from black to orange, these primates are known for their relaxed and docile disposition. These monkeys are listed as vulnerable, taking up only a small portion of Java. Deforestation and poaching are the main causes of such a travesty. As a truly striking long-tailed wonder of the old world, we must protect these arboreal friends while we can.
Check out this video capturing the beauty and the calm of a baby langur!
Check out this conservancy for primates!
American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) is a silent flier known for their lovable heart-shaped facial disk.
Like other owls, they are nocturnal hunters with exceptional hearing, large eyes, and a flexible neck.
Barn owls have asymmetrical ears that enhance their hearing more than other owls; their heart-shaped facial disk also aids in scooping up the sounds around them. This is essentially beneficial in their detection of danger and in hunting for prey. Barn owls primarily prey upon mice and voles---and swallow them whole.
This bird is a cavity nester, often making home in tree cavities or barns, hence their name! They are monogamous owls who mate for life, working together to find cavities to make home in and hunt for prey cooperatively. Barn owl couples make time to regularly reinforce their courtship bonds with gentle chitters, grooming, and beak touching.
Barn owls are often brought up for their eerie screeching and hisses, even their excessively fluffy owlets make a surprisingly chilling hiss when they are begging for food.
Barn owls are unique in that they are an owl with a low wing loading, meaning they have big, fluffy wings with a small, light body. This gives them a graceful, gentle flight and makes them hover in the air at times. Their light, silent wings make them able to hunt prey in the complete dark without needing to use their eyesight.
Barn owls are endangered in the Midwest, United States, particularly in Michigan. Michigan's prairie vole is listed as endangered and serve as barn owl's main source of prey in the state.
With declining numbers in named states of the United States, it is important to highlight that the declining population of our rodents will negatively impact the flora below and the fauna above.
Check out this conservancy dedicated to barn owls!
Check out this video to learn about the various screeches, chitters, and clicks of a barn owl!
Featured Song Archive
1/11/25
Plantlife by Autolux
2/8/25
the Dream Team by Fievel is Glauque
2/25/25
fat cat by PilotRedSun
5/6/25
plague dogs by Oklou
Array by An April March
As I was editing my homepage, this song came on my playlist shuffle. It is a song that speaks to my soul. I think it is a very owly kind of song. Barn Owls are going to be a huge part of my semester with my Honor's research. This will be the serendipitious anthem of my studies!
Featured Pokemon Archive
Noctowl #164 - Owl Pokemon
"NOCTOWL never fails at catching prey in darkness. This POKéMON owes its success to its superior vision that allows it to see in minimal light, and to its soft, supple wings that make no sound in flight."
Featured Artwork Archive
Boy Giving Oats to an Unhitched Horse
by Théodore Géricault
c. 1823, oil on canvas
On Display at the Toledo Museum of Art
Special Girlfriend Feature
