Wild & Wondrous - Favorite World Press

The FWP weekly digest of wondrous wildlife happenings
and other interesting items from the natural world

Creatures to meet | Things to learn
Things to do

Lisa S. French

1.5-minute read

It would be understandable if the zebra’s fellow savanna dwellers experienced pelt envy. The wild horses’ intricate black and white coat patterning is an extraordinary sight to behold. According to researchers at the University of California at Davis, there is more to the snazzy fur of the African equine than meets the eye. After a century of stripe speculation, scientists studying how differences in color and pattern help species adapt to their natural environment have concluded that the zebra’s markings aren’t just good-looking—they’re functional, signaling pesky biting flies to bug off.

So how do zebra stripes repel insects? As it turns out, dreaded blood-sucking, disease-carrying tsetse, stable, and horse flies are fairly picky when it comes to landing sites. They are far less likely to land on black and white striped surfaces than either all white or all black surfaces. And the greater the number and the narrower the stripes, the fewer the insect attacks. Researchers discovered that zebras in regions of Africa with more flies had more and thinner stripes, especially on the vulnerable face and legs where flies bite while the animals graze.

You may be wondering why zebras, in particular, evolved to develop insect-repelling markings. Biologists believe that because zebras have shorter and thinner fur than many other horse species, nature may have equipped the African equine with the extra protection of stripes to help increase its odds of survival on the savannas.

Even with built-in bug protection, zebras will need ongoing assistance from their friends to keep prettifying the planet. There are currently three species of stripey-suited wild horses roaming the African continent: the plains, mountain, and endangered Grevy’s zebras. As a result of habitat loss, poaching, disease, competition for food, and lack of access to water, Grevy’s populations have declined from 15,000 in the 1970s to only 3,000 across Kenya and Ethiopia. You can find out how conservationists are working to prevent the extinction of one of Africa’s largest remaining land animals and how you can pitch in to help at Grevy’s Zebra Trust and Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

What else this week? June 4th and 5th, 2021, kick off the Virtual Launch Gala for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration—a global rallying cry to heal the planet. Can we get a determined woohoo for getting out there to reimagine, restore, and recreate healthy ecosystems? Generation restoration—heck yeah!

And on the local-to-FWP front, for the very first time, Cornell University scientists have recorded humpbacks singing in the waters off New York City. Have a listen to their haunting whale songs—goosebumps! Happy to have you, big fellas—be careful out there!

…

Lisa S. French June 4, 2021

Endangered Species Day: Say Hello to the Hairy-Nosed Wombat

2.5-minute read

We think one of the best ways to honor Endangered Species Day (May 21) is to increase awareness of the most precious wild creatures remaining on our planet because we believe that to know them is to love them and to love them is to protect them. So, to aid the conservation of a rare one, we’d like to introduce you to the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat. A species is classified as critically endangered if its population has declined by at least 90%. At last count, there were only 250 of the iconic Australian marsupials left in the wild. Although conservation scientists are working diligently to prevent the hairy-nosed wombat’s extinction, the cuddly-looking critter remains one of the most at-risk animals on Earth.

For your ESD information, here’s a wombat what’s what:

Claim to fame:
In addition to having an unusually furry snout, the northern hairy-nosed wombat is the largest, plant-eating, burrowing mammal on Earth. The average weight of an adult wombat is about 70lbs—roughly the same weight as a golden retriever. Now, that’s a big digger! By comparison, a burrowing groundhog weighs only 9 lbs.

Aboriginal name:
When the Dharug people of southeast Australia first came across the short-legged, bear-like marsupial, they christened the animal wambad, which officially evolved into wombat in 1798. Although they’ve also been called native badgers and native bears, we think they definitely have more of a wambad look about them.

Preferred Hangout:
Underground. Wombats are expert excavators, digging 70 to 100 ft of tunnels, 10 to 13 ft below the earth with multiple entrances for easy access. The northern hairy-nosed wombat’s burrowing habitat once spanned parts of New South Wales and Queensland, but now they can only be found in Epping Forest National Park and Richard Underwood Nature Refuge in Queensland. However, their reduced range hasn’t stopped the wombats from digging in—they’ve tunneled out 470 burrows in their Epping Forest habitat.

Social style:
The nocturnal hairy-nosed wombat is a social distancing specialist, spending about 70% of burrow time on its lonesome. In 1300 hours of video recorded in Epping Park, there were only 12 social interactions. Although wombats occasionally burrow hop, they prefer home base, avoid unfamiliar situations and aren’t particularly chatty. When the introverted marsupials do vocalize, they communicate through whispery squeaks. You can listen to the cautious chittering of the common wombat here.

Favorite foods:
The wombat might look a bit like a bear, but it eats like a bunny—90% of its diet is grasses.

Special skills:
What’s good for the wombat is good for healthy ecosystems. Burrowers help to improve soil quality and plant diversity and create habitats for other endangered animals like wallabies, echidnas, and bettongs.

Why they need TLC:
Between 1870 and 1920, the northern hairy-nosed wombat was nearly wiped out. Researchers believe that their burrows were destroyed to eliminate pests that inhabited their tunnel system. Habitat loss, invasive species, and competition for food resulting from worsening drought continue to take a toll on the critically endangered animals.

How to help:
Like many of Australia’s amazing species, wombats need help to survive the increasing threats of climate change and habitat loss. If you would like to find out how you can support the work of scientists and volunteers dedicated to ensuring the northern hairy-nosed wombat can tunnel on, visit the good people at The Wombat Foundation.

To learn more about the status of threatened wildlife globally, check out the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List—the world’s most comprehensive source of information for endangered flora and fauna. For a compelling overview of where we are on the wildlife conservation front and where we’re headed, we highly recommend The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert.

And because we’d like to leave you with some hopeful news, you can learn about a bold initiative launched by Leonardo DiCaprio to restore some of the planet’s rarest species at re:wild.org. The other good news is you don’t have to be a celebrity to help protect and preserve wildlife. You can find local ESD events, educational material, and more recommended reads at Endangered.org. Then head on over to World Wildlife Fund to sponsor a favorite creature year-round. Until we get Endangered Species Day off the calendar, it’s all hands on deck.

…

Lisa S. French May 21, 2021

The Countdown’s on for the Birdathon

It’s almost here! The New York State 24-hour Audubon Birdathon begins Thursday, May, 20th. That’s the day to get out and about, enjoy the lovely spring weather, and count as many different bird species as you can to support the environmental organization’s conservation work—from cities to suburbs and from Long Island Sound to the Great Lakes.

If you would like to help create healthy coasts, wetlands, and woodlands for our feathered friends, you can find out how to participate at Audubon New York. Just grab your binoculars and keep your eyes peeled. Here are 12 award-winning photos of fascinating bird behaviors for inspiration. You just never know what you’ll see out there.

Happy counting! Bird, bird—bird, bird, bird…

…

Lisa S. French May 15, 2021

Training Bees to Detect COVID-19

30-second read

We often marvel at the brainpower of bees, because well—it’s marvelous. Despite possessing only a minuscule amount of grey matter, the essential pollinators are also clever little problem solvers capable of basic math, maze navigation, and scent memorization. According to a news release from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and as reported by the Washington Post, the industrious insects may soon be adding COVID-19 detection to their bee CVs.

A worker bee’s daily duties include quickly and accurately discriminating one scent from another to locate the best sources of pollen. Now, scientists are putting that advanced sensory skill to good use by training the insects to sniff out the coronavirus, because bees are also able to detect the very subtle scent caused by COVID infection. During training, when an infected sample is presented to the insects, researchers reward them with sugar water. After several repetitions, the bees learn to extend their tongues without receiving a reward when they detect the scent of the virus.

With early lab results showing that COVID can’t elude sensitive sniffer bees, the research team is continuing the development of the tongues-out test to train multiple bees simultaneously, as well as a biosensor to deploy the insects for early diagnosis, and ultimately a biochip utilizing bee-gene odor sensing abilities that won’t require insect deployment. These projects aim to offer low-income countries lacking in financing and infrastructure quick, accurate, cost-effective tests for the coronavirus. Once again, when it comes to problem solving, it looks like the bee team is the A-team.

…

Lisa S. French May 10, 2021

From Our Nest to Yours

Here’s to the joy of exploring
the wonders of the world
with mom.

Wishing You

a Beautiful Mother’s Day.

…

Lisa S. French May 9, 2021

Exploring Space on Fennec Fox Feet

1-minute read

Perhaps when fennec foxes dream, they dream of space—of lunar landscapes and secret missions to Mars. In their sleep-time adventures, they trot through lonely valleys on shifting sands under the glimmer of falling stars, and think to themselves, “Yes, I know this place. It was a long, long time ago, but I’ve been here before.”

Space, the final frontier—of fennec foxes? What could the elfin-eared, canine desert dwellers possibly teach us about space exploration? Well, if you were going to design the perfect vehicle for a planetary mission, you’d want to consult an expert in traveling on harsh terrains. And there are no more punishing landscapes than the Sahara and Sinai deserts, where the pint-sized animal makes its home.

Over four million years, the fennec fox evolved to withstand the high temperatures, violent winds, and scorching sands of North Africa’s desert regions. While the fox has developed several physical adaptations to help survive the heat, like it’s extraordinarily oversized ears and brain-cooling nose, mechanical engineers researching biologically-inspired solutions to traveling in the desert are particularly interested in the mobility advantages of the animal’s ultra-fluffy feet. The interwoven stiff hairs covering the bottom of the fennec fox’s paws enable it to easily navigate sandy terrain. Those advanced traction capabilities are just what land vehicles need to motor around demanding extraterrestrial environments.

NASA-supported researchers at Clemson University’s Creative Inquiry Program found that coating tires with bristle-like fibers similar in texture to the hair on the paws of fennec foxes significantly increased soft soil traction. The new concept inspired by physical characteristics of a creature that evolved to survive extreme conditions may help to improve space rover technology and allow us to go where no humans have gone before—(Pluto anyone? Don’t forget your thermals!). Sometimes, our most ingenious innovations in science, technology, engineering, and medicine have the most unexpected origins—like the tiny fur-soled feet of an ancient species of desert fox.

…

Lisa S. French May 3, 2021

Under the Blue Whale

0.5-minute read

Vaccine Day PSA

In case you missed it, if you’re a resident of New York City, starting Friday, April 23, you can get a COVID-19 vaccination under the watchful eye of the 94-foot, 21,000-pound blue whale model at the American Museum of Natural History. Find out how to get your vaccine here.

Everyone who gets a jab at AMNH will receive a free general admission voucher for four to come back and visit the whopping blue whale and other fascinating featured creature exhibits. A value-added vaccination site in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life—fin-tastic!

…

Lisa S. French April 23, 2021

Voices of Earth

Happy Earth Day,

Big Blue Mama!

In our small press manner, Wild & Wondrous aims to be a voice for Mother Earth. If we listen carefully, we can hear all of the eloquent, soul-stirring ways she also speaks for herself—today and every day.

Voices of Earth

by Archibald Lampman:

We have not heard the music of the spheres,
The song of star to star, but there are sounds
More deep than human joy and human tears,
That Nature uses in her common rounds;
The fall of streams, the cry of winds that strain
The oak, the roaring of the sea’s surge, might
Of thunder breaking afar off, or rain
That falls by minutes in the summer night.
These are the voices of earth’s secret soul,
Uttering the mystery from which she came.
To him who hears them grief beyond control,
Or joy inscrutable without a name,
Wakes in his heart thoughts bedded there, impearled*,
Before the birth and making of the world.

EarthDay.org

* poetry awe bonus points for rhyming impearled with world.

…

Lisa S. French April 22, 2021

What on Earth is Tree Equity?

1.5-minute read

When we first heard the term tree equity, we wondered—what could it mean? Trees getting their fair share? Trees getting what they have coming to them? As it turns out, tree equity isn’t about what trees get; it’s about what they give and how they’re distributed. Trees are often sparse in socioeconomically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. Achieving tree equity ensures that every community has enough trees to attain the highest level of life-enhancing health and climate benefits.

To make a case for urban forestry investment in areas with the greatest need, our planting partners at American Forests have developed the Tree Equity Score Project, enabling cities and towns of at least 50,000 people to calculate whether enough trees have been planted to positively impact all of their residents. This spring, American Forests will deliver Tree Equity Scores to all 486 Census-defined urbanized areas in the country—home to 70% of the U.S. population.

Mapping tree cover is the first step in addressing harmful environmental inequities and climate change-induced problems that affect everyone, but especially the most vulnerable. Planting trees to achieve neighborhood by neighborhood green equity helps create healthier, safer, more climate-resilient communities by:

Improving air and water quality
Lowering temperatures
Reducing heat related illness
Improving mental health
Enhancing cognitive function
Reducing stress
Reducing energy use
Reducing flooding
Increasing biodiversity
Increasing carbon storage

So far, American Forests has created pilot Tree Equity Scores for Rhode Island, Phoenix and Tucson, AZ, Detroit, MI, Houston, TX, Puget Sound, WA, San Francisco Bay, CA, and Miami, FL. You can find out how these urban areas stack up tree-wise at TreeEquityScore. We’ll keep you posted on new scores as they roll out. In the meantime, you can learn more about American Forests’ plan to maximize the health and climate benefits of urban tree planting to ensure everyone gets their fair share of nature from Vibrant Cities Lab.

Btw, it’s officially Earth Week! Exciting! You can find educational resources and activities to help teach K-12 students to nurture nature at WideOpenSchool. And from April 20-22, you can follow Restore Our Earth™ events at EarthDay. See you there!

…

Lisa S. French April 19, 2021

Earth Month: One Nation Under Trees

2-minute read

If you’re a friend of Favorite World Press, you know that we’re tree people. We love trees for their beauty and solidity, their music, and their majesty. We love looking at them and listening to them, and most of all, we love planting them so that everyone can benefit from their leafy, green goodness. That’s why we have partnered with American Forests to plant one wildlands tree for every print or electronic book that we sell from our K-4 series Frankie and Peaches: Tales of Total Kindness. We’re investing in the future health of our planet by planting trees on behalf of our young readers—trees that will grow with them and for them.

As we celebrate Earth Month at Wild & Wondrous, we’re thinking about forests and how they bring us together—one nation under trees. Restoring our forests by planting trees helps us all by providing jobs, cleaning our air and water, and nourishing our bodies and minds. Plus, forest restoration is one of the most effective natural ways to combat climate change. Trees help to cool our warming planet by capturing 15% of U.S. carbon emissions. Forests and trees also provide critical food and shelter for wildlife. Vulnerable keystone tree species like the whitebark pine, found across the western U.S. and Canada, are essential to the health of biodiverse high-elevation ecosystems. Supporting American Forests helps to ensure that we can save our summits by protecting the struggling whitebark pine and all the creatures that depend on it for survival.

You can learn more about projects underway and plans in the works to reforest the U.S. from our planting partners. And you can explore American Forests’ participation in the World Economic Forum initiative to increase the number of trees on the planet and prevent the loss of trees that are already in the ground at the Trillion Trees Campaign. The global campaign brings together a like-minded community of people, governments, non-profit organizations, and corporations committed to stopping deforestation and forest degradation. As co-managers of the U.S. chapter of 1t.org, American Forests has pledged to plant 100 million trees in large forested landscapes and 1.2 million trees in cities.

Favorite World Press is proud to contribute to the growing movement to create healthy and resilient forests. We have planted thousands of trees thanks to thoughtful readers like you—we are so grateful for your ongoing support. And for new friends of FWP (well, hello there!), this Earth Month, we hope that you’ll consider branching out and joining us in our mission—one nation under trees for people, for wildlife, for the planet.

Photo credit: Timothy G. Lumley, Bugling Elk, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

…

Lisa S. French April 9, 2021