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

Creatures to meet | Things to learn
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Lisa S. French
They’re Here!

Welcome the Springing!

I must have flowers, always, and always.

Claude Monet

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No, They Are Not Going to Suck Your Blood

2-minute read

If you are looking at the animal above and wondering what on Earth it could be, say hello to Vampyroteuthis infernalis, commonly known as the vampire squid of Hell. Pretty scary, right? Don’t worry, despite the squirm-inducing moniker, these multi-limbed denizens of the extreme deep are not befanged blood suckers—but they are extremophiles.

And what is an extremophile? An organism that can survive or even thrive in a habitat that would be intolerable for most living creatures, including environments that are extremely hot or cold, low on oxygen, or contain life-threatening substances we all hope to avoid like toxic waste, organic solvents, or heavy metals. One such hostile environment is the OMZ, or oxygen-minimum zone—the place the vampire squid calls home.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the specially adapted creature features that enable this shape-shifting 12-inch cephalopod to navigate life in the dark depths of temperate and tropical oceans, according to scientists at the Monterey Bay Research Institute:

  • A unique cloaked body structure (Dracula’s cape or fur-lined umbrella?) that allows the animals to stay submerged 2-3,000 feet below the surface.
  • Extremely efficient blood cells and metabolism that require less oxygen—must-have items for life in the OMZ.
  • In addition to the squid’s standard eight arms, two retractable modified arms used to scoop up tiny floating food particles.
  • Glands that produce giant plumes of bioluminescent mucus to frighten (or disgust) predators.
  • Extraordinarily large, highly developed eyes that enable the deep ocean dweller to see in very low light.
  • Specialized light-emitting skin cells that blink “back off” at interlopers.

So… glow-in-the-dark mucus, gigantic eyes, retractable arms, blinking skin, efficient blood cells, and a low-energy lifestyle. That’s what it takes to survive in an extreme, low-oxygen environment, squid-wise. Interestingly, through studying extremophiles like the vampire squid, scientists have discovered that many are closely related to the universal ancestor of all living organisms on our planet. Learning how extremophiles adapt to such inhospitable conditions is also helping to inform theories about the possible existence of extraterrestrial life forms. Squids in space?

ICYMI Nature News

100 New Deep-Sea Species
Speaking of deep-sea species, marine researchers have discovered 100 new to science creatures in waters off the coast of New Zealand. Take a look.

Corals That Shouldn’t Exist
Scientists have announced yet another startling deep-sea discovery—a cold-water coral reef off the West coast of Canada that has been described as a miracle of nature. Read how the colorful creatures have survived in some of the most ancient waters in the world here.

Incredibly Rare Gray Whale Sighting
Extinct in the Atlantic Ocean for more than 200 years, a gray whale has been spotted diving and resurfacing off the Massachusetts coast. Welcome back, big fellow.

Little Fish, Big Noise
Did you know that there is a fish the width of a human thumbnail that can make a noise as loud as a gunshot? Listen here.

Underwater Photographer of the Year
The winners of the 2024 Underwater Photographer of the Year have been announced, and you can see their amazing images right here.

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Farewell Flaco

New York City’s beloved owl dies.

The FLACO Act.

From Snowy Night
by Mary Oliver

Last night, an owl
in the blue dark
tossed
an indeterminate number
of carefully shaped sounds into
the world, in which,
a quarter of a mile away,
I happened
to be standing.

Thank you for gracing us with your presence.
Thank you for making our corner of the world more beautiful.

xo Favorite World Press

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The Best In Us

Nature is loved
by what is best in us.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy St. Valentine’s Day.

xo

Favorite World Press

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Otters are Here to Help

2-minute read

Just when we thought sea otters couldn’t possibly be more lovable, researchers at Sonoma State University have discovered that the bewhiskered marine mammals, aka kelp keepers, are also helping to save Monterey Bay’s coastal salt marsh, the Elkhorn Slough—one tasty crab dinner at a time.

The Elkhorn Slough, a seven-mile stretch between Santa Cruz and Monterey, is home to an amazing variety of wildlife, including 340 bird species, 550 invertebrates, and 60 mammals. Salt marshes like the Slough are among the most threatened ecosystems on Earth. And why is saving salt marshes important? Well, they are invaluable ecosystems that help protect shorelines, store carbon, and promote healthy fisheries, in addition to supporting thousands of species of plant and animal life.

According to the Sonoma State researchers, striped shore crabs, left unchecked by natural predators, have been disrupting the soil and eating the roots of marsh plants that hold the shoreline of the Slough together, contributing to almost a foot of erosion every year.

Enter the hungry, hungry sea otters, enthusiastic consumers of the burrowing crustaceans. In areas of the salt marsh where the once plentiful native otters were reintroduced, erosion was reduced by 2/3, helping to maintain this critical habitat for all wildlife.

By protecting the sea otters that keep runaway grazers like striped crabs from disrupting coastlines, we can reduce erosion, protect marine habitat that supports native wildlife and help cool the planet—that’s a conservation triple win—otterly amazing!

ICYMI Nature News

It’s Beautiful Out There
If you need to rest your eyes on something restorative amid bleak mid-winter, the Nature Photo Contest winners have been announced, and you can see their work right here.

When Whales Walked the Earth
Did you know that seal-like whales used to walk the shores of North America? Find out how they moved from land to sea from the Smithsonian Magazine.

Flaco’s Year of Freedom
It’s been a year since Flaco the owl escaped from the confines of the Central Park Zoo and took up residence on NYC’s Upper West Side. How is the feathery fellow, and what’s he been doing? NPR has thoughts on his free-bird-a-versary here.

The World’s Oldest Forest Two Hours From NYC
Would you like to visit a forest that existed when dinosaurs roamed the Earth? You don’t have to travel to the heart of the Amazon because the world’s oldest forest was recently discovered just two hours north of NYC.

Silk Spinning Crustaceans
If you thought that spiders were the only creatures capable of spinning silk, scientists at the University of California would like you to meet these crafty crustaceans.

Big Bear Valley Eagle Nest Cam
Looking for some animal cam comfort? Magnificent bald eagles Jackie and Shadow are back on the roost, protecting their eggs from the elements. You can keep tabs on the dedicated parents and future hatchling happenings here.

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Here We Go!

It’s a new year.
Another chance to immerse yourself in something beautiful.

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature ― as the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”

Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

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All the Singing

“In winter
all the singing is in
the tops of the trees…”

Mary Oliver

May the music of nature
bring joy to your heart
this holiday season.

Whatever you celebrate,
however you celebrate,
wishing you peace.

xo Favorite World Press

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Community Conservation: Love and Hope in Action

2.5-minute read

And just like that, it’s December…

Before we give Wild & Wondrous a holiday rest, we’d like to dedicate one of the last posts of the year to one of our favorite topics: community conservation—local communities working together to restore nature and protect wildlife. This rights-based, bottom-up approach to preserving global biodiversity is one of the most effective strategies for healing our planet. What makes it work? It’s low cost, it’s flexible, and it benefits both people and endangered species. What’s not to love?

From the Florida Keys to the Amazon rainforest to the savannahs of East Africa, innovative conservation organizations are empowering local communities to protect the land and seascapes that sustain them and native wildlife and support the healthy functioning of ecosystems.

One of the most impactful community-based conservation organizations operating today and an all-around, results-oriented top pick that inspires us throughout the year is Big Life Foundation. Whether you’re new to their work or already a fan and can spare a moment to be re-enthused, we’d like to share some highlights about how they do what they do so well.

Big Life’s team of 500-plus rangers protects and secures wildlife and critical habitat across 1.6 million acres across the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem in East Africa. Home to an amazing variety of wildlife like African bush elephants, impalas, lions, cheetahs, Masai giraffes, Grant’s zebras, and eastern black rhinos, Big Life’s area of operation is one of the most important habitats left in Africa.

The secret to Big Life’s effectiveness is they understand that the only way to protect wildlife and wildlands is to win the hearts and minds of local communities and provide a mutual benefit through conservation—win-win. By including people in the decision-making processes that affect their livelihoods and offering income-generating opportunities, healthcare, education, school lunches, sustainable farming projects, land leases, and other critical community support, Big Life has been incredibly successful in helping to protect one of the world’s few remaining natural treasures.

One of their most important initiatives is preserving corridors for migrating wildlife—like Africa’s last tusker elephants. You can read about the challenges of saving space for these giants and other endangered wildlife here. And if you’d like to join us in supporting Big Life’s holistic, community-based conservation programs, you can put your love and hope into action here. Because when people come together to heal the Earth, amazing things can happen!

ICYMI Nature News: Resilience, Beauty and Brilliance.

These Penguins Take a Thousand Naps a Day
When it comes to power napping, it’s hard to beat the micro-sleeping skills of chinstrap penguins. To keep a watchful eye on nests and chicks while also managing to snooze, the Antarctic birds only sleep for seconds up to a thousand times a day. Talk about dedicated parenting!

Redwoods Recovering from Fire Sprout 1000-Year-Old Buds
In an amazing testament to the resilience of nature, scientists have discovered that northern California redwoods affected by a 2020 wildfire mobilized sugar energy to sprout centuries-old buds. Who’s a clever ancient tree!

Starfish Arms Are Actually Head Extensions
They might look like arms, but according to new research, the five appendages forming the star of a starfish are not arms but a part of the creature’s head. That explains why the sea animals have eyes on the ends of their arms—because their arms are not arms but head. Okay.

Preventing Sea Life Entanglement in Advance
What if we could plan to avoid sea animal entanglement a year in advance? Well, thanks to the brilliant work of marine ecologists in Australia, it’s now possible to forecast when whales and turtles are most likely to get caught in fishing gear and keep them out of harm’s way. That’s what we’re talking about.

Has the Time Come for Flatworm Emojis?
If you feel that the current library of animal emojis doesn’t quite represent your full spectrum of emotions or the natural world, scientists agree. To help increase awareness and enthusiasm for all the amazing biodiversity on the planet, they’re calling for an expanded collection of creatures, including invertebrates. Perfect for when a text leaves you feeling… flatworm.

The Beauty of Northern Lights
The travel and photography blog Capture the Atlas has announced the winning photographers of northern lights for 2023. You can enjoy the splendor of nature as captured by artists around the world here.

A Murmuration in Italy
You can read about the mechanics of a starling murmuration here, and you can watch the sheer magnificence of the sound-shapes of birds in flight here, courtesy of everyone’s favorite positive Twitter (X) purveyor, Buitengebieden.

A Celebrity Owl in Central Park
If you’ve not seen news of zoo escapee Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle Owl who has graced NYC’s Central Park with his magnificent presence for the past year, you can read about his fan club here and follow his escapades here. He’s a FWP neighborhood regular, and there is no more hauntingly beautiful sound in this city than listening to Flaco speak at night.

And A Brilliant Podcast on Animal Perception
Science writer Ed Yong’s book, An Immense World, winner of the 2023 Royal Society book prize, is one of the best books we’ve read on the functioning of creature features this year. You can listen to Ed talk about the fascinating world of animal senses right here.

And that’s our final nature news picks for 2023. Thank you so much for reading!

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Gratitude

From Mary Oliver

What did you notice?
The dew-snail;
the low-flying sparrow;
the bat, on the wind, in the dark;
big-chested geese,
in the V of sleekest performance;
the soft toad,
patient in the hot sand;
the sweet-hungry ants;
the uproar of mice
in the empty house;
the tin music
of the cricket’s body;
the blouse of the goldenrod…

Who Did We Notice?
The kindness curators,
the hope merchants,
the nature protectors,
the planet appreciators,
the friends of the finned,
feathered, and furry,
our readers—you.

Thank you for stopping by,
coming back, and hanging in.
We are so grateful for your support.

Wishing you peace
this Thanksgiving and always.

LSF • WW • FWP

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Tilda is Here!

Dear readers—old friends and new friends—hello!

We’re excited to introduce you to our latest release written by LSF (me) for FWP (Favorite World Press) and illustrated by the brilliant, award-winning Lithuanian artist Marija Smirnovaitė (genius).

Inspired by our love of the living world and the uniquely amazing wildlife of Australia, Dear Earth, I Love You Too! features Tilda, the intrepid koala, in a story of courage and cooperation, hope and healing, created to foster the appreciation and protection of nature and all its furry, feathered, slippery, and scaly inhabitants.

Hugs all around to the new pals of Tilda out there, your dedicated support of the wild ones means the world to us! Here’s just one good reason why: ‘I need your help saving koalas’.

And a leafy, green reminder: for every print or e-book sold, we plant one native tree in a community-based conservation project in partnership with Tree Nation—for people, for nature.

Learn more about how reading with FWP contributes to a healthier planet here.

LSF • WW • FWP

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Don’t get up. We’ll come to you.

Sign up for new releases, promotions, and free stuff. We email very sparingly.

We don’t share our mailing list with anyone. Ever.

FWP News?

Don’t get up. We’ll come to you.

Sign up for new releases, promotions, and free stuff! We email very sparingly.

We don’t share our mailing list with anyone. Ever.