“I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that our perceived reality is shaped by our minds and reflecting our inner world,” says artist Michelle Blancke, whose ethereal photographs of trees, glens, and foliage invite us into a familiar yet uncanny world. Her lens-based practice explores themes of interdependence, consciousness, and concealment, especially through the subject of nature.

Blancke’s vivid Secret Garden series comprises a total of five sub-categories: Realm, Ascent, Essence, Veins, and Origin. Whether capturing the waxy surface of an intricately veined leaf or the way vines create shadowy veils over gnarled trees, she’s interested in relationships between “transformation, mysticism, and the thin veil between the seen and the unseen,” she says. “When I enter woodland, it feels like stepping into a parallel space where something hidden becomes perceptible.”

Much of Blancke’s process involves walking—moving through forested areas until a certain atmosphere or interaction with sunlight resonates with her. “When I photograph, I’m responding to that feeling rather than to the literal scene in front of me,” she says.

It’s during digital post-production that Blancke begins to make more deliberate choices, shifting hues “to amplify the emotional tone I sensed in the moment,” she says. “The colours are a way of revealing an inner layer that already felt present while I was standing there. It’s an attempt to make the invisible atmosphere visible.”

Blancke’s work is on view through January 25 as part of the 2025 Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition at York Art Gallery. She also works closely with BBA Gallery. Explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Otherworldly Photos of Forests by Michelle Blancke Explore Mysticism and Transformation appeared first on Colossal.

The post How To Recycle Your Old Cookware appeared first on Earth911.

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Now Entering: Monteverde Cloud Forest

Above a cloak of the misty rainforest, mountains soar up above the clouds. Temperatures start to fall around 3,000 feet and the warm air from the forests below transforms into an ethereal fog. Moss- and lichen-draped trees add to the Lord of the Rings aura. This is a cloud forest—or, in Spanish, bosque nuboso. Specifically, Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Here, situated atop Costa Rica’s Continental Divide at the bottleneck of North and South America, the fog nourishes the plants and trees, releasing that moisture into small creeks that flow to larger streams and rivers. Think of a cloud forest like a sky sponge or a living aquifer. This sponge effect has been considered sacred by many civilizations, including the Indigenous peoples of Luzon in the Philippines, who were strongly against deforestation in their region.

There are cloud forests the world over, including Panama, Pakistan, Cambodia and, of course, Costa Rica. All told, these rare forests cover approximately 1% of global woodlands in tropical and subtropical mountain environments.

Three-wattled bellbird

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, established in 1972 and now encompassing more than 35,000 acres, is flanked by pristine and remote beaches on both the Pacific and the Caribbean. It comprises eight life zones, more than 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds and 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles. Six species of cat live here: jaguars, ocelots, pumas, oncillas, margays and jaguarundis. Here, too, live the endangered three-wattled bellbird and resplendent quetzal. Supporting 2.5% of the biodiversity on Earth over a landscape of rainforest, hazy mountains, rushing rivers and active volcanoes, Monteverde is home to many indicator species, which means they are sensitive to environmental changes and can throw up a figurative red flag when an ecosystem is threatened.

One of the rainforest’s most inviting aspects for conservation- and nature-centric travelers is Monteverde’s proximity to San Jose, Costa Rica—about three hours by car. With more than eight miles of trails available for exploration, the reserve lends itself to intensely authentic experiences like those you can have on our Natural Jewels of Costa Rica trip.

Wildlife of Monteverde Cloud Forest

As you venture through this Costa Rica cloud forest, you’ll likely be rewarded with glimpses of spiders, howlers, squirrel monkeys, sloths, tree frogs and anteaters. There are birds aplenty, from the eye-catching resplendent quetzal to tiny hummingbirds. By the sea, you can see green sea turtles and leatherbacks crawl up onto the shore at night to lay their eggs. Here’s just a taste of the wildlife Monteverde holds in store.

Resplendent Quetzal

With its shimmery green plumage, the resplendent quetzal manages to both blend in with the cloud forest’s emerald canopy and stand out with its iridescence. Look closely: the quetzal is brown, not green—so ephemeral in its coloring, in fact, that you can’t quite put a finger on it. Other birds of the rainforest rely on the quetzal for seed dispersal, which it does by swallowing whole fruits like avocados and regurgitating the pits far and wide. The best viewing time in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is during the quetzal breeding season from mid-February to June or July.

Anteater

Flicking their long tongues in and out in search of the rainforest floor’s termites and ants, smaller tree-dwelling anteaters are also known as tamanduas. They live in the lowland and middle-elevation habitats of Costa Rica. The giant anteater is a rare sighting, but if you see one, you’ll know it by its enormous bushy tail and distinctive coat. Look to the trees for the nocturnal silky anteater, which clings to branches with its semi-prehensile tail.

Capuchin Monkey

Named for the brown-hooded robes that a group of friars called the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin wore (the distinctive robes came down over their eyes), the capuchin monkey has a dark body and crown surrounding its striking white face. If they’re not on the prowl for food, they’re typically found napping. Look for them in groups of up to 35, led by an alpha male and an alpha female.

Capuchin monkey © Megan Koelemay

Caiman 

Look for the caiman, the smaller cousin of the croc, lounging on the banks of freshwater riverine habitats, in mangrove swamps and in certain saltwater environments. They’re found most often in the lower wetlands of Costa Rica on both ocean coasts. The spectacled caiman is one of the most common—and smallest—crocodilians, at 3.9 to 6.6 feet in length.

Howler Monkeys & Squirrel Monkeys

The cloud forest comes to life each morning with the call of the howler monkey, as the males greet another day—and each other—with guttural sounds reminiscent of a lion’s thunderous roar. These bearded folivores’ cries can carry as far as 3 miles. You’ll hear the call again at dusk or any time during the day that a trespasser comes too close to their territory, which ranges from 3 to 25 acres. If you see one mid-howl, notice the throat, which balloons outward, inflating and resonating. The female call is more a loud wail or groan. The howler monkey’s call is one of the loudest made by any land animal. The most abundant species of monkey in Central America and one of the largest New World monkeys, the howler is sure to be one of the most spotted animals on your Monteverde trip.

Look for smaller squirrel monkeys in the lowland rainforest on the South Pacific coast of Costa Rica. They’re very social, congregating and traveling in groups of 30 members or more. These omnivorous monkeys feast on fruits, insects, lizards, leaves, flowers, nectar and buds, often foraging for food beside capuchin monkeys from May through October. The squirrel monkey is active day and night, bounding across the forest floor on all fours, sheltered by the jungle understory from predators above.

Jaguar

A powerful presence in the Central American rainforest, the jaguar has long been revered. It rarely makes appearances today, but if you’re very fortunate, you might glimpse this rich, golden-hued mammal, recognizable by its black rosettes. Jaguars tend to live in jungle, lowland savanna and coastal mangrove habitats. They can grow to more than 7 feet long, stand 2 feet at the shoulders and weigh up to 200 pounds.

Sloth

Who doesn’t want to glimpse the lethargic, leisurely sloth? Cleanliness is not a virtue when it comes to these arboreal animals. Their matted hair is home to parasitic moths, mites and green algae—all of which work hard to keep the sloths camouflaged from predators such as jaguars and eagles. Look for the herbivorous three-toed sloth and the omnivorous two-toed sloth. The former is more active during the day, making it easier to spot.

Plants of Monteverde Cloud Forest

All that noisy, flying, scrambling, tree-hugging wildlife wouldn’t be in Monteverde at all if it weren’t for the plant life that thrives here, too. The cloud forest acts as nature’s terrarium and is home to tremendous floral biodiversity, especially plants known as epiphytes. These plants grow on other plants—without harming them—drawing moisture and nutrients from the air, rain and debris that surround them. With their unique climates and specialized ecosystems, cloud forests are also host to many endemic plant species. This is the place to see plants and flowers you don’t see at home and to add another level of appreciation for the rich display of life found in Costa Rica. Look for these plants among the approximately 2,500 species of flora that thrive here (including the giant strangler fig trees!).

Miniature Orchids

These are best seen at the Monteverde Orchid Garden, where you can appreciate their delicate beauty through a magnifying glass. There are more than 460 species to inspect, alongside a knowledgeable Nat Hab Expedition Leader who can explain their growth process.

Bromeliads

Especially colorful, bromeliads are hard to miss. Like many plants in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, bromeliads are epiphytes, adhering to tree branches and adding to the lush landscape of the forest. Frogs often lay their eggs on bromeliad leaves, which are the perfect shape to hold water.

Lichen

Don’t overlook the humble lichen! This is the lifeblood of the cloud forest, adding another layer of green and providing food, cover and nesting materials for birds, mammals and insects.

Passiflora

This flowering vine, of which there are hundreds of species, often produces fruit (passionfruit, anyone?), but it’s the flowers you’ll notice first: wide-open petals with filaments that resemble a crown.

Conserving the Cloud Forest

According to an international study led by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) and published April 30, 2021, in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, “…despite conservation efforts, up to 8% of some [tropical cloud] forests have been lost in the past 20 years due to logging and small-scale farming.” This figure encompasses cloud forests found in 60 countries around the world. Satellite data shows that between 2001 and 2018, approximately 2.4% of the total area of cloud forests on Earth was lost.

In addition to human factors, climate change is also to blame. The cloud base continues to move downward or upward depending on the region, which leads to a loss of water supply. WSL states that about 40% of the loss is occurring even in protected areas.

“Tropical cloud forests are probably home to the largest concentration of terrestrial species in the world. These regions, already small and fragmented, continue to lose area, with dramatic consequences for biodiversity and its functions,” says Walter Jetz, co-author of the study and director of the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change in the United States.

In Costa Rica specifically, the System of Private Reserves and Biological Corridors (SIREP) created in Monteverde is being successfully expanded to other cloud forests in the country to preserve key ecosystems. All told, the program protects 11,120 acres of cloud forest, lowland rainforest and transitional dry forest. The Tropical Science Center, the first Costa Rican non-government environmental organization, was established in 1962 and works to conserve, sustain research efforts, promote ecotourism and develop sustainable initiatives to protect the Monteverde Reserve as well as other private reserves and biological corridors in Costa Rica.

One of the ways you can help support the Monteverde Cloud Forest is through thoughtful, eco-minded travel with a conservation tour company such as Natural Habitat Adventures. We’ll take you right to the heart of Monteverde for canopy skywalks and explorations of ferns, orchids and giant strangler figs. We’ll meet a great variety of birds in the Curi-Cancha Reserve, where 50% of the land is virgin forest, with the remainder restored to native forest from pastureland in recent decades. We’ll watch for resplendent quetzal, three-wattled bellbird, ocelot, white-faced capuchin monkeys, armadillos and much more in the most-studied montane cloud forest environment in the world.

We also visit Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula, home to Central America’s densest populations of scarlet macaws, tapirs and jaguars, as well as some of Costa Rica’s largest trees. You’ll come away with profound respect for, and renewed dedication to preserving, one of the world’s most threatened ecosystems.

The post A Walk in Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

The tried-and-true advice for handling awkward family members on Thanksgiving is to arrive with prepared conversation topics, take breaks to decompress, set boundaries for sensitive subjects and have some rehearsed, calm responses for challenging discussions.

Right now, as you’re probably finalizing your plans for the end-of-the-year holidays, there are some new developments in travel—and family get-togethers—that I think you might find interesting. No matter where in the world you intend to visit this season, you’ll probably run into a striking, new phenomenon: on every continent except Antarctica, distinct regions are seeing repeated heat waves that are so extreme that they fall far beyond what any model of global warming can predict or explain. And that excessive heat is significantly affecting our daily activities, leading people in multiple places to reduce their outdoor time and alter their transportation choices.

Heat will also cause our airline flights to change in the next few decades. Some airports with shorter runways may need to reduce their maximum take-off weight by the equivalent of approximately 10 passengers per flight during the hotter months.

And while sharing a Thanksgiving meal with crazy Uncle Charlie or confused Aunt Mary may not be something you’re exactly looking forward to, it may look a lot more enticing once you learn about one of your truly “awkward” cousins.

Lytton, British Columbia, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Thompson River (shown above) and the Fraser River. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Canada was in Lytton on June 29, 2021. While the community was devastated by a wildfire that year, the area remains a tourist destination.

Heat-wave hot spots are popping up across the globe 

July 22, 2024, was the hottest global average day in recent records, according to a NASA analysis of global daily temperature data. And 2024 has now officially taken over the title of hottest year on record from the former titleholder, 2023.

Amid this upward march in average temperatures, a remarkable phenomenon is emerging: distinct regions of the Earth are experiencing repeated, extreme heat waves that are unexplainable. In fact, the first worldwide map of such regions, which show up on every continent except Antarctica, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in November 2024. In recent years, these heat waves have killed tens of thousands of people, withered crops and forests, and sparked devastating wildfires.

Scientists at the Columbia University Climate School’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in New York conducted the study, which looked at heat waves over the past 65 years, identifying areas where extreme heat is accelerating considerably faster than more moderate temperatures. This often results in maximum temperatures that have been repeatedly broken by outsize, sometimes astonishing, amounts. For instance, a nine-day wave that hammered the U.S. Pacific Northwest and southwestern Canada in June 2021 broke daily records in some locales by 54 degrees Fahrenheit. This included the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada, 121.3 degrees Fahrenheit, in Lytton, British Columbia. The town burned to the ground the next day in a wildfire driven, in large part, by the drying of vegetation in the extraordinary heat. In Oregon and Washington state, hundreds of people died from heatstroke and other health conditions.

Heat waves in Australia are becoming more frequent, intense and long-lasting, with a particularly sharp rise in recent decades. Research shows that this trend is linked to climate change.

These extreme heat waves have been predominantly occurring in the last five years or so, though some happened in the early 2000s or before. The most hard-hit regions include scattered parts of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, eastern Australia, populous central China, Japan and Korea. Others include Canada’s Northwest Territories and its High Arctic islands, northern Greenland, the southern end of South America and scattered patches of Siberia. Areas of New Mexico and Texas also appear on the map, though they are not at the most extreme end.

According to the study’s findings, the most intense and consistent signal comes from northwestern Europe, where sequences of heat waves contributed to approximately 60,000 deaths in 2022 and 47,000 deaths in 2023. These occurred across France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and other countries. Recently, the hottest days of the year have been warming twice as fast as the summer mean temperatures. Europe is especially vulnerable, in part, because unlike places in the United States, few people have air-conditioning since traditionally it was almost never needed. The heat outbreaks have continued; as recently as September 2024, new maximum temperature records were set in Austria, France, Hungary, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden.

The researchers call the statistical trends “tail-widening”; that is, these anomalous occurrences of temperatures at the far upper end are beyond anything that would be expected with simple upward shifts in mean summer temperatures. But the phenomenon is not happening everywhere; the study shows that maximum temperatures across many other regions are lower than what models would predict. These include wide areas of the north-central United States and the south-central of Canada, interior parts of South America, much of Siberia, northern Africa and northern Australia. Heat is increasing in these regions as well, but the extremes are increasing at similar or lower speeds than what changes in average would suggest.

The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the global average, with some areas—like the Barents Sea—warming up to seven times faster. This accelerated warming is partly driven by the loss of reflective sea ice, which exposes darker ocean water that absorbs more heat.

Climbing overall temperatures make heat waves more likely in many cases, but the causes of the extreme heat outbreaks are not entirely clear. In Europe and Russia, an earlier study blamed droughts and heat waves on wobbles in the jet stream, a fast-moving river of air that continuously circles the Northern Hemisphere. Hemmed in by historically frigid temperatures in the Far North and much warmer ones farther south, the jet stream generally confines itself to a narrow band. But the Arctic is warming on average far more quickly than most other parts of the Earth; and this appears to be destabilizing the jet stream, causing it to develop Rossby waves, which suck hot air from the south and park it in temperate regions that normally do not see extreme heat for days or weeks at a time.

This is only one hypothesis, and it does not seem to explain all the extremes. A study of the fatal 2021 Pacific Northwest/southwestern Canada heat wave identified a confluence of factors. Some appeared to be connected to long-term climate change; others to chance. The study identified a disruption in the jet stream similar to the Rossby waves thought to have affected Europe and Russia. It also found that decades of slowly rising temperatures had been drying out regional vegetation; so, when a spell of hot weather came along, plants had fewer reserves of water to evaporate into the air, a process that helps moderate heat. A third factor was that a series of small-scale atmospheric waves had gathered heat from the Pacific Ocean’s surface and transported it eastward onto land. As in Europe, in this region few people have air-conditioning because it is generally not needed, and this probably upped the death toll.

While the wealthy United States is better prepared than many other places, nevertheless excessive heat kills more people than all other weather-related causes combined, including hurricanes, floods and tornadoes. According to a study released in August 2024, the yearly death rate has more than doubled since 1999, with 2,325 heat-related deaths in 2023. This has recently led to calls for heat waves to be named like hurricanes to heighten public awareness and motivate governments to prepare.

Humans are not designed to cope with the increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves, which put a dangerous strain on our bodies, leading to heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Due to their unprecedented nature, these heat waves are usually linked to very severe health impacts; and they can be disastrous for agriculture, infrastructure and vegetation. We’re not built for them, and we might not be able to adapt fast enough.

Extreme heat is affecting daily routines and travel patterns

Last year, a team of researchers from Arizona State University, The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Washington conducted a study, which was published in the journal Transportation Research Part D in November 2024, that reveals that extreme heat radically alters how people go about their daily lives, influencing everything from time spent at home to transportation choices.

It was found that extreme heat vastly reduces the amount of time people spend outside their homes. On very hot days, people are more likely to stay indoors, cut back on outdoor activities and avoid nonessential travel. For instance, the data shows a marked decrease in trips made for leisure, shopping and socializing when temperatures soar. Additionally, people shift their travel to cooler times of the day, opting for early morning or late evening trips to avoid midday heat.

On very hot days, we’re more likely to stay indoors. If we must go out, we tend to use cars; while trips made by biking or walking drop significantly. This presents problems for cities aiming to promote sustainable transportation options.

A clear shift in transportation choices under extreme heat conditions was discovered, as well. Car use increases, while trips made by biking, walking and public transit drop dramatically. On average, public transit trips fall by nearly 50% on extreme heat days, as individuals seek relief in air-conditioned, private vehicles. The authors note that this shift presents significant challenges for cities aiming to promote sustainable transportation options.

Some groups are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of extreme heat. Low-income individuals and those without access to cars are more likely to rely on walking or public transportation, modes that leave them exposed to dangerous temperatures. These individuals also tend to be those with the least flexibility in terms of when and where they work, thus necessitating travel even when temperatures are oppressive.

While higher-income individuals reported making far fewer trips on extremely hot days, lower-income people and those without access to a car did not show appreciable drops in daily trip-making, suggesting that they are more vulnerable and exposed to the deleterious effects of extreme heat. Older adults, too, experience greater challenges in adapting their daily routines and risk more social isolation on days that they shelter indoors from the heat.

Urban design improvements, such as planting more trees, could help mitigate the impacts of extreme heat on communities and create more heat-resilient cities.

With extreme heat events becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, the study’s findings are especially timely. The authors propose a range of policy recommendations to help mitigate the impacts of extreme heat on communities and steps to create more heat-resilient cities. These include offering vouchers for on-demand, door-to-door transportation for vulnerable populations; urban design improvements, such as using heat-reflective materials on pavements, planting more trees and creating more shaded public spaces; and declaring “heat days” that are similar to “snow days,” when workplaces and schools are closed to protect the public.

Holiday flights could carry fewer passengers as the world warms

The fact that heat is increasingly affecting our travel patterns and plans is seen in another study. Rising temperatures due to climate change may force aircraft at European airports to reduce passenger numbers in the coming decades.

Scientists from England’s University of Reading studied how hotter air affects aircraft performance during takeoff at 30 sites across Europe. When air gets warmer, it becomes less dense, making it harder for planes to generate lift, the force that allows them to fly.

While larger airports like London’s Heathrow have runways long enough to handle A320 aircraft even in extreme heat, they may face challenges with larger aircraft, such as the Airbus A380, which needs more runway space.

The research, published in the journal Aerospace in February 2025, focused on the Airbus A320, a common aircraft used for short- and medium-haul flights across Europe. By the 2060s, some airports with shorter runways may need to reduce their maximum takeoff weight by the equivalent of approximately 10 passengers per flight during summer months. That could increase the price of your summer holiday as flights carry fewer people due to climate change.

Of the sites studied, the findings note four, popular tourist destinations that will be most affected: Chios, Greece; Pantelleria, Italy; Rome, Italy; and San Sebastian, Spain. These airports have shorter runways, meaning the airlines can’t operate planes at the maximum weight set by the manufacturer. Future increases in heat waves will only make this worse. While larger airports like London’s Gatwick and Heathrow have runways long enough to handle the A320 even in extreme heat, they may face challenges with larger aircraft, such as the Airbus A380, which needs more runway space.

The problem may also affect airport operations beyond simply reducing passenger numbers. Airlines might need to reschedule flights to cooler parts of the day, and runway maintenance needs could increase as surfaces degrade faster in extreme heat. Following a more sustainable climate path would stabilize these effects, state the researchers, whereas continued high emissions would make the problem significantly worse. Future studies will examine how other factors, such as humidity and changing wind patterns, may further impact takeoff performance.

Some say the sea lamprey, a 500-million-year-old animal with a sharp-toothed suction cup for a mouth, is a thing of nightmares.

Your cousin is a sea monster

Hotter temperatures and changing airline schedules aren’t the only things that can cause stress during the late-year holidays. Seeing and having to interact with distant relatives with whom you have little in common is often a challenge. But I’m about to make you feel a little better, because as bad as you think spending time with some of your family members may be, I’ll bet you haven’t had to deal with these “cousins.”

The sea lamprey, a prehistoric animal with a sharp-toothed suction cup for a mouth, is the thing of nightmares. Like other vertebrate animals, sea lampreys have a backbone and skeleton, but they are noticeably missing a head feature: a jaw. This striking difference in sea lampreys makes them valuable models for understanding the evolution of vertebrate traits.

Around 500 million years ago, there was a split at the origin of vertebrates between jawless and jawed. Seeking to understand how the vertebrate brain evolved and if there was something unique to jawed vertebrates that was lacking in their jawless relatives, researchers from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, Missouri, conducted a study into how the brains of ancient animals evolved. Previous work had shown that the genes structuring and subdividing the sea lamprey hindbrain (the back part of the brain that includes the cerebellum, the medulla oblongata and the pons; and that controls automatic body functions) are identical to those in jawed vertebrates, including humans. However, these genes are part of an interconnected network, or circuit, that needs to be initiated and directed to build the hindbrain correctly.

Although we look quite different, both humans and sea lampreys have hindbrains—the part of the brain that controls vital functions, such as blood pressure and heart rate—that are built using extraordinarily similar genetic and molecular tool kits.

The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications in February 2024, identified a common molecular cue. This cue is called retinoic acid, commonly known as vitamin A. While the researchers knew that retinoic acid cues the gene circuitry to build the hindbrain in complex species, it was not thought to be involved for more primitive animals like sea lampreys. Surprisingly, they found that the sea lamprey core hindbrain circuit is also initiated by retinoic acid, providing evidence that these sea monsters and humans are much more closely related than anticipated.

Fluctuating festivities are certainly ahead

Holiday traditions tend to change over the years, as we adapt to fluctuating family members and shifting addresses. Rarely, though, have we had to adjust to such rapid changes in the climate and their aftereffects.

I do hope, however, as the end of this year approaches, you find comfort in some old, family customs, as well as in embracing some new, creative conventions—and rad, remote relatives!

Here’s to finding your true places and natural habitats,

Candy

The post Hot Holiday Travels and Awkward Family Reunions first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

In Amazonian folklore, botos are often depicted as shapeshifters, referred to as “encantados,” who transform into attractive humans during the night to seduce villagers. Encantados are believed to attend local festivities, donning hats to conceal their blowholes, and engage in romantic encounters before returning to the river by dawn—a sweet way to account for the children born months later!

Such legends have traditionally fostered a protective attitude toward the Amazon river dolphins, contributing to their conservation. Harming or killing a boto was considered taboo and thought to bring misfortune or bad luck, but changing cultural dynamics and increasing human activities have erased the benefit of those traditional protections.

Contemporary World Wildlife Fund research shows that global river dolphin numbers have plummeted by 73% since the 1980s, with water infrastructure, unsustainable fishing, pollution, and other threats endangering their existence.

This article was inspired by recent footage WWF shared from Ecuador’s Amazon Basin in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, where Amazon river dolphins were filmed playing in ways rarely observed in the wild—swimming alongside kayakers, leaping and interacting with each other. The sighting provides new insights into the social behaviors of Amazon river dolphins.

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Amazon River Dolphin Facts

There are six species of river dolphins remaining in the world today; they are all endangered or critically endangered. The Amazon’s pink river dolphin is the largest of them at up to 9 feet long and 350 pounds.

The pink river dolphin also has the largest range and is found throughout much of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Venezuela. 

The species is characterized by its long snout and pale pink color. It has two recognized types or subspecies: 

• Bolivian Bufeo (Inia geofferensis boliviensis)
• Common Bufeo (Inia geoffrensis geoffrensis)

The Amazon pink river dolphin, also known as the boto, is a unique freshwater cetacean native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. Here are some key facts about its biology and behavior:

Physical Characteristics:

• Size and Weight: Adult males can reach up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) in length and weigh as much as 185 kilograms (408 pounds). Females are generally smaller, averaging around 2.25 meters (7.4 feet) and weighing between 100 to 160 kilograms (220 to 352 pounds).
• Coloration: While calves are typically dark gray, adults exhibit a distinctive pink coloration. This pink hue is more pronounced in males and is believed to result from scar tissue formed during social interactions or combat. The pinkish coloration is a result of the blood vessels located along the body and increases with age.
• Anatomical Adaptations: Unlike marine dolphins, the boto possesses unfused cervical vertebrae, allowing it to turn its head up to 90 degrees. This flexibility aids in maneuvering through flooded forests and complex riverine environments. Pink river dolphins can navigate through the forest and maneuver with their specially adapted necks, which can be moved sideways.

Behavior and Ecology:

• Diet: Amazon river dolphins have a diverse diet, feeding on over 50 species of fish, including piranhas, tetras, catfish, and cichlids. They also consume freshwater crabs and turtles.
• Habitat Utilization: These dolphins inhabit a variety of freshwater habitats, such as rivers, small channels, and floodplains. During the wet season, they venture into flooded forests, taking advantage of the expanded foraging area.
• Social Structure: Botos are generally solitary or found in small groups, typically consisting of a mother and her calf. Larger aggregations may form in areas with abundant food resources.
• Reproduction: Females reach sexual maturity between 6 to 10 years of age, while males mature later, around 7 to 12 years. The gestation period is approximately 11 to 12 months, usually resulting in the birth of a single calf.
• Echolocation: Due to the often turbid waters of their habitat, Amazon river dolphins rely heavily on echolocation to navigate and hunt, emitting a series of clicks to detect objects and prey.

Understanding the biology and behavior of the Amazon pink river dolphin is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies to ensure the survival of this remarkable species.

Threats Facing Amazon River Dolphins

Amazon river dolphins face several threats, including habitat fragmentation from dam construction, pollution (notably mercury contamination from gold mining), deforestation, entanglement in fishing gear, and deliberate hunting for use as bait in certain fisheries.

Across their range, Amazon pink dolphins face threats including:

• habitat loss and fragmentation as a result of unsustainable development
• entanglement in fishing nets
• hunted for fish bait
• pollution
• climate change—heat and drought

The Amazon River dolphin faces challenges from development projects. Dam construction fragments populations and limits the species’ range and ability to breed. Pollution, including mercury, also impacts these dolphins. They’re also often deliberately killed for use as bait in the mota catfish fishery, which gathers fish that demand high prices in cities.

Freshwater dolphin conservation has had good results in other areas of the world, though, prompting optimism. “Now is the time to act,” said Jordi Surkin, WWF`s director of the Amazon region coordination unit. “These dolphin populations are still strong, and their habitats are in relatively good shape. If we address the threats now, we can ensure a future for all.”

River dolphins act as indicators of ecosystem health in the river basins where they live. If the dolphin population in a river is thriving, then the overall state of that freshwater system is also likely flourishing. But if that population is on the decline, then it’s considered a red flag for the ecosystem as a whole.

Recent research indicates the downward trend is continuing, and climate change is a growing threat. In 2023, more than 330 river dolphins died in just two lakes during a period of extreme heat and drought, highlighting the increasing threat to river dolphins posed by climate change.

Tracking the Amazon River Dolphin to Drive Conservation

WWF and numerous partner organizations are actively working to protect these dolphins through habitat conservation, research initiatives, and community engagement to promote sustainable practices.

Despite their iconic status, relatively little is known about Amazon river dolphin populations, habits and key habitats. While there are estimated to be tens of thousands of river dolphins, both pink and gray river dolphin species are currently listed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Counting & Monitoring: In 2020, a comprehensive 9-day survey led by WWF, the Omacha Foundation, the Mamirauá Institute, Solinia, and the South American River Dolphin Initiative (SARDI) traversed a 950-kilometer stretch of the Amazon River across Peru, Colombia, and Brazil to monitor and protect Amazon river dolphins.

The survey revealed:

• 484 pink river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis)
• 442 gray dolphins (Sotalia fluviatilis)
• a higher concentration of dolphins between Peru and Colombia,
• a noticeable decline in numbers along the Brazilian stretch, raising concerns about environmental pressures or human impacts affecting dolphin populations in certain regions.

This large-scale monitoring, spanning over 3,000 miles of river in the Amazon Basin and using methods like drones and river expeditions, provides essential data on population dynamics and dolphin habitats. These insights help conservationists understand the impacts of threats like habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. SARDI’s efforts, combined with community engagement programs, foster local stewardship, empowering those who live closest to the river to participate in the dolphins’ protection. Together, these initiatives are building an international framework to protect Amazon river dolphins and their essential habitats, ensuring a sustainable future for these unique freshwater species.

Satellite Tracking: In 2017, WWF and research partners attached small transmitters to 11 dolphins—both Amazon and Bolivian river dolphins—in Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia, to gain new insight into the animals’ migration patterns, feeding grounds, and seasonal movement, providing valuable insights into their habitats and movement within the basin​.

The information gathered from the tags will help :

• create stronger conservation plans,
• illuminate threats,
• better advocate for the protection of river dolphins and their habitats, and
• prove these animals depend on connected river systems for survival.

Marcelo Oliveira, a WWF conservation specialist who led the expedition in Brazil, said:

“Satellite tracking will help us better understand the lives of this iconic Amazonian species more than ever before, helping to transform our approach to protecting them and the entire ecosystem. Tracking these dolphins is the start of a new era for our work because we will finally be able to map where they go when they disappear from sight.”

Studies use telemetry data to map overlaps between dolphin habitats and areas of anthropogenic impact, such as planned dams and pollution hotspots. One study published in Cambridge University’s Oryx: The International Journal of Conservation relied on satellite tracking data from eight dolphins (one female and seven males) in the Peruvian Amazon, demonstrating that the dolphins inhabit a variety of habitat types and have core areas and home range areas of variable magnitudes.

To gain a better understanding of exactly how threats affect the dolphins, the authors examined the distance of dolphin records to locations of current and potential future threats posed by human activities:

• On average, dolphins’ home ranges overlapped with fisheries by 89%.
• Dolphins were found at an average distance of 252 km (826 ft) from the nearest proposed dam.
• Dolphins were tracked closer to proposed dredging sites—125 km (410 ft) from the nearest.

Tracking data supports conservation in a variety of ways, including:

• identifying high-priority habitats,
• focusing protection efforts,
• offering decision-making support.

These kinds of data can guide efforts to tackle some of the major threats facing river dolphins, including hundreds of planned dams that would separate many of the Amazon’s remaining free-flowing rivers, worsening mercury contamination from small-scale gold mining and illegal fishing. This would result in further habitat fragmentation—groups of dolphins being cut off from one another, unable to interact and breed and potentially threatening the long-term survival of these populations.

During tagging, scientists also collect samples to determine mercury levels and the general health of the dolphins.

Role of Local Communities in Freshwater Conservation

WWF’s 2024 Living Planet Report indicates there has been a catastrophic 73% decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations in just 50 years (1970-2020). The strongest decline is in freshwater ecosystems (-85%) upon which river dolphins rely. As a result, a variety of conservation efforts are focused on these areas:

• Community Partnerships: Discuss WWF’s collaboration with local groups to promote sustainable practices that reduce mercury use and improve fishing techniques, benefiting both people and wildlife.
• Community Education: WWF educates communities about the ecological role of dolphins, reinforcing traditional beliefs and promoting eco-friendly livelihoods that safeguard both human and dolphin health.
• WWF engages local communities and partners with governments to identify solutions that bridge the needs of economic development and conservation—including providing scientific support to help find dam locations that will do the least harm to the environment. Travel plays a role in this work.

Conservation Travel in the Amazon

Market analysis of conservation travel in the Peruvian Amazon has shown that ecotourism is more profitable in the long term than other common uses of the land. Short-term benefits of large-scale logging, for example, exceed those of ecotourism, but deplete the land at a rate that leaves it unusable within just a few years.

The same study reported that avoiding deforestation had a far greater positive impact than the carbon footprint of visitors; ecotourism significantly reduced carbon emissions when comparing those two metrics. Finally, the study showed that conservation tourism increased the value of other local businesses by making the area increasingly attractive to wildlife, tourists, and locals alike.

Our mission is conservation through exploration: protecting our planet by inspiring travelers, supporting local communities and boldly influencing the entire travel industry. Travel can imbue value to natural habitats, bringing economic resources to local communities and inspiring them to protect wild places and the wildlife that thrives within them. Travel can help visitors and locals alike understand what is at stake in the Amazon.

Nat Hab Guests explore Peru’s Amazon © Nat Hab Staff Megan Koelemay

We offer multiple itineraries for exploring and contributing to conservation in the Amazon River basin:

Discover Amazon & Machu Picchu

Cruise to the headwaters of the Amazon River for an immersion in the primeval rainforest on the Discover Amazon & Machu Picchu’s year-round itinerary. Select departures for this trip sail on Nat Hab’s new 164-foot-long river cruise ship, the Zafiro, which offers guests the opportunity to participate in turtle restoration and forest replanting. The ship eschews single-use plastics, minimizes waste through recycling and repurposing materials, conserves energy and water through automatic shut-off and water-saving devices, and uses energy generated from solar and biomass systems.

Great Amazon River Expedition

On our Great Amazon River Expedition, the journey’s focus is the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve at the Amazon River’s headwaters. According to Nat Hab Expedition Leader Renzo Zeppilli, the reserve is home to 250 fish species and protects more than 130 species of mammals, 150 reptile and amphibian species and 450 kinds of birds. It also contains the largest variety of flora in Peru, including gigantic bromeliads and 22 orchid species.

Supporting conservation efforts through travel and advocacy helps preserve not just the dolphins but the entire Amazon ecosystem. Mariana Paschoalini Frias, Conservation Analyst at WWF-Brazil, reminds us:

“River dolphins are considered ‘sentinels’. In other words: They are indicative of the health of the environment where they live. What happens to them is reflected in the other species that live around them, including humans.”

Delfin III, The Great Amazon River Expedition

The post Ancient Legends, Modern Challenges: Protecting the Amazon’s Pink River Dolphins first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

He looks a little like a furry watermelon, with his unique blackish-brown color with white stripes and spots. Blending into the surroundings, he scurries along through forest and within the shadows of majestic 1.3-billion-year-old tepuis, perhaps running into his neighbors: the jaguars, giant otters and seven primate species who call this 10.6-million-acre region home.

Baby South American (Lowland) tapir, Brazil.

Elsewhere, in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the Central American tapir, or Baird’s tapir, traverses the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, which spans 1.8 million acres of Mesoamerica’s Maya forest. Resembling a pig, rhinoceros, horse and anteater combined, the species is essentially a living fossil, around since the Eocene, a period dating back 55 million years.

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These stout herbivores—which can be seen on Natural Habitat Adventures trips in Costa Rica, Brazil and Peru—are a prominent symbol of the Central and South American tropics. The calves, which remain with their moms at first and then become more solitary adults, are born with trademark white stripes and splotches that fade with age. They have a short, prehensile trunk that they use to pluck fruit and leaves from branches.

Baird’s tapir, Costa Rica.

Earning their moniker as “nature’s gardeners,” tapirs are crucial to seed dispersal across long distances through their droppings. This process helps regenerate forests, maintain biodiversity and provide food and shelter for countless other species. Without the tapir, many tropical ecosystems would be disrupted

> Wildlife Guide: Tapirs

Threats to the Tapir: The Underdog of the Ecosystem

Tapir populations—including the Baird’s tapir, the lowland tapir and the mountain tapir of the Andes Mountains, as well as the Malayan tapir of Southeast Asia—are experiencing rapid declines. Because of their low numbers (the Baird’s tapir is endangered, while lowland tapirs are considered vulnerable), tapir sightings are rare.

Malayan tapir, Southeast Asia.

They live mainly within national reserves and protected areas where hunting is banned, and they’re wary of people. Tapirs hide from predators by wading knee-deep into swamps and camouflaging themselves at the first sign of danger. They’re fast runners and can nimbly navigate the forest, but it’s often not enough to save them from pursuers, as they leave a discernible trail behind them. Dogs can easily pick up their musky scent and the dung that marks their territories.

Thirsty Tapirs

Despite surviving through millennia and multiple waves of extinction, today’s tapirs face a new threat: climate change. Like their natural predator, the jaguar, with which they share habitat, tapirs are suffering more and more at the hands of humans through deforestation, agriculture and urban development. Recently, rising global temperatures and shifting weather patterns have meant more challenges for the increasingly rare tapir. Crucial water sources are drying up, and tapirs are thirsty.

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, which marks the northernmost part of the Central America tapir’s range, has experienced prolonged periods of drought in recent years. Freshwater reserves are critical to the tapir’s survival—but there’s more to it than that.

There are no rivers or lakes here, as the soil consists of dissolved bedrock. Instead, the available water sources are small, shallow lagoons and small holes in the rocks (called sartenejas) that are filled only by rainwater. As rain patterns have changed, and drought is more common—in part due to human-caused climate change—these water stores simply don’t have enough rain for tapirs to sustain themselves throughout the dry season.

What’s more, some animals have entered communities in search of water, raiding and destroying artificial water supplies unintended for them. Stumbling into human territory may also cause the tapirs to raid crops on local farms. In Nicaragua’s Indio Maiz Biological Reserve, 63% of farmers have reported tapirs eating banana, plantain, corn, cassava and bean plants. Unfortunately, this leads to hunting, not only to keep the tapirs out of crops, but also for their meat and hides.

Baird’s tapir, Costa Rica.

Quenching the Thirst: Water for Tapirs

So, what’s being done to protect these increasingly rare creatures that have survived so much for so long? We return to the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, where Nat Hab’s conservation partner, World Wildlife Fund, and Mexico’s National Commission for Natural Protected Areas have installed water collection and storage systems for wildlife, particularly tapirs and white-lipped peccaries.

Adult male tapirs were fitted with a GPS collar so scientists could track their movement and understand their habits and water usage during the dry season. One of the collars generated approximately 300 location points, which showed a tendency to move toward the artificial water sources. Scientists plan to monitor the region’s water sources and install new sources in critical areas.

The WWF project is expected to benefit more than just the tapirs. Scientists have also set up camera traps to better understand the variety of wildlife that would use the intentionally placed water sources, including the second-largest jaguar population on the continent. The endangered tapir is important prey for the endangered jaguar, meaning that artificial water sources will directly and indirectly benefit both species.

South American tapir, Brazil’s Pantanal.

What Else Is Being Done to Protect Tapirs?

While artificial water sources are proving successful, this initiative alone won’t save the tapir. As we identify additional threats to their survival, more organizations are taking strides to safeguard the animals’ homes. Costa Rica has designated over 25% of its land as protected national parks and reserves, providing critical habitat for Baird’s tapirs and other endangered species.

Zoos and wildlife sanctuaries are participating in breeding programs to increase tapir populations. Even small losses in their numbers have a lasting impact due to their long gestation period and small birth rate. Tapir mothers give birth to a single calf after a 13-month gestation period. The Colombian Initiative of Tapir Conservation works with global campaigns and initiatives, including the Tapir Specialist Group and the Costa Rica Wildlife Foundation, to raise awareness about tapirs, foster collaboration between conservationists, and help local communities live peacefully with and act as tapir protectors.

Where to See Tapirs in the Wild

As they become increasingly rare, seeing a tapir in the wild is a truly special experience. At Nat Hab, our naturalist guides and Expedition Leaders have the expertise to take you to their habitat, show you how to recognize traces of the animals, and hopefully, help you catch a glimpse of one.

Tapir, Costa Rica. Photographed by Nat Hab Guest © Clifford Berger

Tapirs & Turtles in Costa Rica

Our new trip Sea Turtles & Wildlife of Northern Costa Rica exposes you to the areas of the country where the rare Baird’s tapir is most plentiful. Look for them with top naturalist guides in a protected area dedicated to the animals’ conservation. Known as Tapir Valley, this largely unknown private reserve, well off the standard tourist track, holds the country’s largest population of Baird’s tapir. While we’re not guaranteed to see them, the odds are better here than anywhere else. (And we often do!) Although classified as endangered, sightings are increasing, and local farmers are joining efforts to protect the Baird’s tapir habitat.

After sunset, we’ll watch and listen to the forest around us transform as nocturnal animals hunt, eat and look for mates. You’ll seek out amphibians, insects and mammals that are difficult to spot during the day, including a variety of frogs, sleeping birds and kinkajous. Look for tapir footprints on the network of private hiking trails that lace the reserve. Even when we don’t spot the tapirs themselves, it’s exciting to find evidence of their presence when we know they are active in the forest!

During this seven-day trip through Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province, you’ll also have the opportunity to witness the mass nesting of leatherback and olive ridley sea turtles as they come ashore at nighttime at Punta Islita and visit the Macaw Recovery Network.

> Sea Turtles & Wildlife of Northern Costa Rica

Tapir, Brazil. Photographed by Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Fred Tavares

Search for Tapirs in South America

On our Jaguars & Wildlife of Brazil’s Pantanal trip, guests enjoy an exclusive stay at Caiman Ecological Refuge, a remote and secluded base from which we seek out the tapir, giant anteater, ocelot and hyacinth macaw.

Fly directly via small plane into the refuge (avoiding a rugged 10-hour drive), which sits in the remote heart of a 130,000-acre sustainable cattle ranch. The protected area is an oasis of wooded and scrubby savanna, open pasture, stands of caranda palm, hammock forests, streams and seasonal channels—all of which provide sustenance for numerous Pantanal species, including the Brazilian tapir.

On private wildlife drives in the Caiman Ecological Refuge and further explorations of the Pantanal, we hope to spot a tapir, but also keep an eye out for the elusive jaguar, capybara, giant armadillo, giant river otter, maned wolf and caiman. With seven full days at three different locations in both the north and south Pantanal, you’re privy to the very best locations for wildlife viewing in this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

> Jaguars & Wildlife of Brazil’s Pantanal

Nat Hab Guests explore Peru’s Amazon © Nat Hab Staff Megan Koelemay

Get a Peruvian Perspective on Tapirs

One more trip that might scratch that itch for possibly spotting a tapir: The Great Amazon River Expedition. During this trip, we’ll spend a day at Amazon Natural Park, where we’ll scout for capybara, howler and titi monkeys, tapirs, sloths and a wide range of birds.

In double kayaks and open skiffs, we’ll investigate a virtually unvisited section of Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, where the Yanayacu and Pucate rivers meet. This 5-million-acre sanctuary is Peru’s largest protected area, and you’ll learn all about the various micro-ecosystems and wildlife that exist amongst the giant kapok and strangler fig trees along the riverbank. In the evening, head to the top deck of our boat to listen to the symphony of night sounds, envisioning a tapir traipsing along somewhere out there.

> The Great Amazon River Expedition

Amazon River Delfin III

How Conservation Travel Helps Tapirs

Seeing a tapir in the wild is awe-inspiring, yes, but it’s also a reminder of the fragility of Earth’s ecosystems and the vital role one unassuming species can play in the health of our planet. Your trip with us to hopefully see a tapir in the wild is not only a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but a chance to support conservation efforts, travel responsibly and spread awareness so that the understated tapir may continue its vital role as nature’s gardener.

Search for tapirs with Nat Hab in Costa Rica, Brazil and Peru! 

The post Tapirs: Nature’s Gentle Gardeners & Where to See Them first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

A new concept called “nature’s chefs” describes interactions between species according to how they provide food—or the illusion of food—to other organisms.

At the end of the year, many of our holiday celebrations revolve around food, such as a Thanksgiving feast or a Christmas dinner. This food-intensive season reminds me of a new concept in nature studies: “nature’s chefs.” In essence, nature’s chefs are organisms that provide food—or the illusion of food—to other organisms. On the surface, this concept looks quite simple, but, in reality, it offers a whole, new perspective on species interactions.

Of course, the aftermath of any food-centric celebration will involve some food waste. And now, researchers are finding extraordinary, new uses for what we throw away. For example, beet pulp may help crops resist disease, while composted coconut fibers could replace peat moss. Discarded beet and radish greens are rich in bioactive compounds that boost gut health and protect cells. Food waste is rapidly becoming a source of sustainable solutions for both agriculture and our health.

To work off some of those extra calories before or after your Thanksgiving meal, your local community probably has some sort of “turkey trot,” a long-distance footrace named for the use of the turkey as a common centerpiece for Thanksgiving dinners in the United States. But do real turkeys trot? Yes, they do. In fact, wild turkeys are capable of running, strutting and trotting, and fibular (the fibula is the outer and usually smaller of the two bones between the knee and ankle in the hind or lower limbs of vertebrates) reduction among some dinosaurs tens of millions of years ago helped to make it possible.

Plants use the colors, patterns and scents of flowers as “advertisements” to attract pollinators. These ads honestly indicate the presence of rewards, like nectar and pollen.

Nature’s chefs: using food-making to understand species interactions

There are many ways of classifying species interactions, say ecologists at North Carolina State University, who led a study published in the journal BioScience in June 2023. Mutualists interact with other species to both of their benefit. Parasites rely on other species, but the other species doesn’t benefit. Predators devour other species. But the nature’s chefs concept spans members of all of these groups, with the common factor being that the relevant interactions all rely on food—or the lure of food.

The genesis of the idea for nature’s chefs occurred at an interdisciplinary gathering several years ago when, in response to an explanation of the evolution of fruits, a chef uttered, “You mean to say, fruits are nature’s chefs.” This seed of an idea led some scientists to review and synthesize what is known about food preparation and sharing across the animal, fungal and plant kingdoms. The research team ultimately outlined three ways that species can produce or prepare food for other organisms: as drinks, as foods or as food-like lures.

Nature’s chefs sometimes prepare food for other organisms of the same species, such as the nuptial food gifts that some species use to attract mates. For example, male cockroaches prepare a nuptial food gift for females that constitutes an important nitrogen source for the female and her eggs. Nature’s chefs may also prepare food for organisms of different species, such as the fruit many plants produce to attract animals to disperse their seeds.

“Nature’s chefs” include humans, who use the attractive plating of food to attract diners.

It’s also worth noting, say the ecologists, that nature’s chefs include humans, and there are striking similarities between human and nonhuman chefs. For example, human chefs use the attractive plating of food or billboards to attract diners, whereas evolutionary processes have led plants to use flowers as an advertisement for their nectar.

The nature’s chefs concept also distinguishes between organisms that produce “honest meals” versus organisms that produce “deceptive meals,” such as lures or food mimics. Fruit is a good example of an honest meal: animals (including humans) are able to consume and benefit from the sweet or starchy fleshy material surrounding the seed. Plants, meanwhile, benefit when animals consume or defecate seeds away from parent plants, thereby reducing competition, inbreeding, parasitism and predation that can be higher near the parent plants.

Snapping turtles, on the other hand, are an example of a species that uses food mimics to deceive would-be diners. The tongue of the snapping turtle has an appendage that closely resembles an aquatic worm. The fake worm attracts organisms that eat worms to the snapping turtle’s mouth, making them prey for the turtle. In the context of nature’s chefs, this is a predator-prey interaction influenced by one species, the chef, preparing a deceptive meal to obtain its food.

Snapping turtles are an example of species that use food mimics to deceive would-be diners. The tongue of the snapping turtle has an appendage that closely resembles an aquatic worm. It attracts worm-eating organisms to the snapping turtle’s mouth, making them prey for the turtle.

Discussions among the North Carolina State University research team members from disparate disciplines led to several discoveries that reinforced the concept of nature’s chefs, especially regarding similarities to human chefs. For example, chefs and ecologists were fascinated by the fact that both human and nonhuman chefs change the viscosity of liquids and alter the density of foods to appeal to different diners.

The scientists hope that the nature’s chefs concept will stimulate further discussion and learning; and they identified several research questions to explore in the future, such as how does the availability of local or seasonal ingredients affect the behavior of nature’s chefs? We know that humans warm food as part of meal preparation. Do fungi and plants, as well? Why are there so few fruits that smell or taste like meat?

In conclusion, the university researchers say that the nature’s chefs concept provides yet another way to organize our spectacularly diverse world.

Most fruits evolved or were bred for appearance, durability and sweetness; not meat-like qualities. Jackfruit, however, is an exception because unripe, cooked jackfruit has a mild flavor and a fibrous texture that makes it a popular vegetarian and vegan substitute for meat.

Food waste: finding the hidden “gold”

Food waste can be far more valuable than a pile of scraps left behind after a meal. Scientists are uncovering surprising ways to turn discarded materials—from dried beet pulp to coconut fibers processed by millipedes—into useful resources. In four new studies published in American Chemical Society (ACS) journals, researchers reveal how food waste can offer eco-friendly tools for agriculture and new sources of beneficial compounds for medicines:

1. Sugar by-products may “beet” wheat disease. In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in September 2025, researchers found that sugar beet pulp could help farmers cut down on synthetic pesticide use. This leftover pulp, which makes up about 80% of the beet after sugar extraction, was transformed into carbohydrates that trigger plants’ natural immune responses. When tested on wheat, these compounds helped protect against fungal infections, such as powdery mildew.

2. Composted coconuts help seedlings grow. Coconut fibers broken down by millipedes may serve as a sustainable replacement for peat moss, a material commonly used to start seedlings but often sourced from fragile wetland ecosystems. A study published in the journal ACS Omega in September 2025 explored this “millicompost” and found that, when combined with other plant materials, it supported the healthy growth of bell pepper seedlings as effectively as traditional peat-based mixes.

The often-discarded radish tops might be more nutritious than the roots. These peppery greens contain abundant fiber and bioactive compounds, including antioxidants and polysaccharides. They promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes, hinting that they might also boost digestive health in humans.

3. Radish leaves support gut health. In a review that was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in September 2025, researchers in Korea suggested that the often-discarded tops of radishes could be more nutritious than the roots themselves. These peppery greens contain abundant fiber and bioactive compounds, including antioxidants and polysaccharides. In animal and lab studies, the radish greens promoted the growth of beneficial gut microbes, hinting that they might also boost digestive health in humans.

4. Beet greens supply bioactive ingredients. Research described in the journal ACS Engineering Au in September 2025 outlines a way to preserve the powerful compounds extracted from beet leaves for use in cosmetics, food and pharmaceuticals. Scientists created microparticles by drying a mixture of antioxidant-rich, beet-green extract with an edible biopolymer. The resulting encapsulated particles not only remained stable but also showed greater antioxidant activity than the uncoated extract, suggesting that this process helps protect the bioactive ingredients from degradation.

Turkey trot: looking at dinosaur drumsticks

Rather than looking at wings when studying the connection between dinosaurs and birds, say scientists at Connecticut’s Yale University Department of Earth and Planetary Science, the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies and the Yale Peabody Museum, we should examine drumsticks, like the ones we eat on Thanksgiving.

When studying the dinosaur-bird connection, we should look at the drumsticks—like the ones we eat on Thanksgiving—rather than the wings. Millions of years ago, that part of the leg in some dinosaurs is where fibular reduction made it possible for peacocks to strut, penguins to waddle and turkeys to trot.

That’s because under the meat of a drumstick, there are two bones—the tibia, which is long and thick; and the fibula, which is much shorter and thinner. This abbreviated fibula is what allows birds to twist and turn around when they’re not in flight. And to understand this bone’s evolutionary story, we must look at dinosaurs.

The fibula is often neglected in the study of vertebrate form and function, often viewed as merely a small remnant of a once-larger, physiological feature. The idea that the shortened fibula has a distinct evolutionary benefit was relatively unexplored—until now.

For a study published in the journal Nature in November 2024, the Yale University researchers used X-ray videos of a present-day bird—a helmeted guinea fowl—to precisely measure the knee-joint poses of the bird. Using cutting-edge computer animation software, they combined the videos with 3D models to visualize how the bird’s bone surfaces fit together geometrically and how those joints appear in motion. They also collected X-ray videos from an alligator and an iguana, and examined the shapes of leg bones in other birds, including a crane, an ostrich, an owl and a penguin.

Helmeted guinea fowls are large-bodied, small-headed, gray game birds with perfectly lined rows of hundreds of white spots. Large flocks roam the African savannas, digging for invertebrates and tubers. While the birds are capable of strong flight, they often stay terrestrial, choosing to run rather than fly.

The researchers found that in birds, the tibial joint surfaces have curved arcs, and the shortened fibula is able to roll within the bird’s drumstick for about its length relative to the tibia. Taken together, these features enable the knee bones to maintain smooth contact, even when the joint twists by more than 100 degrees. In other words, the fibulas of birds are moving completely differently from that of other living reptiles. It’s why the knees of birds are uniquely able to spin, allowing them to navigate their world more effectively. They use that mobility to turn and maneuver on the ground, but it’s suspected that they’re also using it in mating displays, prey gathering and moving about in tree branches.

Next, the researchers searched for the evolutionary origins of the shortened fibula in birds and found their answer in certain species of dinosaurs. While many dinosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus rex, had straightened tibial surfaces and stiffened drumsticks that only allowed for hinge-like knees, certain avian ancestors, including Rahonavis ostromi and Ichthyornis dispar, showed indications of curved tibial surfaces and a shortened, thinner fibula that was free to move on its own. In fact, say the Yale researchers, the very features that appeared in early dinosaurs to stiffen the leg ended up being co-opted in birds and their close relatives to mobilize the knee joint in a unique and extreme way. Over and over again, they state, we see that evolution operates by repurposing existing structures and functions, often in surprising and unpredictable ways.

Natural interactions: consuming food

Food and nature are deeply interconnected: nature provides the resources for food production, while the way animals (including humans) produce and consume food significantly impacts natural systems, such as biodiversity, lands and waters. And how various animals interact with and use food can determine the relationships between them.

Food and nature are deeply interconnected: nature provides the resources for food production, while the way animals (including humans) produce and consume food significantly impacts natural systems like biodiversity, lands and waters.

The production and consumption of food—including eating our Thanksgiving meals—generates waste. But today, luckily, much of that natural waste can be transformed into beneficial products. And that great icon of Thanksgiving, the turkey drumstick, can reveal nature’s connections between dinosaurs and birds.

As nature provides the foundation for plants to grow and animals to live, food is intrinsically connected to the environment. It’s a thought worth remembering during all those hearty, winter meals will soon be sharing with family and friends.

Here’s to finding your true places and natural habitats,

Candy

The post Nature’s Chefs, Dinosaur Drumsticks and Turkey Trots first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

The post Guest Idea: Chicago High School Students Launched Eccodrone To Fight Litter appeared first on Earth911.

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But Churchill’s polar bears share the limelight with another fascinating creature, this one aquatic: the beluga whale. With their melon heads and alabaster-white coloring, these gentle giants are just as captivating as the ice bears of the north. 

To give this beloved Arctic whale its due, let’s get to know them better, find out when, where and how to see them, and learn why they migrate to Churchill every summer. 

Where Do Belugas Live?

If you’re looking for beluga whale habitat, you’ll want to head north. The whales inhabit the icy polar regions of the Arctic and the sub-Arctic coasts of Svalbard, Greenland, Europe, North America and Asia, where the water temperatures are below 59ºF.

Particularly motivated belugas have been found as far south as the Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest and off the coast of New Jersey in the Atlantic. 

Where Do Beluga Whales Migrate?

The very social white beluga whales migrate in pods of ten or so under the guidance of a large, dominant male (in the past, pods have numbered in the thousands, but groups of this size are rarely seen anymore). Migration is determined by the distribution of prey and the amount of sea ice in the region.

Swimming at a speed of 2 to 6 miles per hour (though they can speed up to 14 miles per hour for about 15 minutes at a time), they migrate toward warmer estuaries formed by the Seal, Nelson and Churchill rivers on the southwestern coast of Hudson Bay.

The Arctic beluga whale thrives by the shoreline and can survive being stranded on land until the next high tide. The Hudson Bay beluga whale population has been known to number more than 50,000 during migration season.

When Can You See Beluga Whales in Canada?

As the ice recedes in the spring and summer, the Northland awakens. During July and August, when the amiable white whales are migrating from their spring breeding grounds, more than 3,000 of them congregate at the mouth of the Churchill River.

Past travelers to the region at this time have described it as “literally hundreds, almost making the water boil.” There’s ample food here and it’s a safe place to birth their young. The stone bottom of the river provides a spa treatment of sorts for the whales, cleaning their skin and sloughing off old layers. 

While they’re in the estuary region, the belugas fill up, to the tune of 50 pounds a day, on herring, flounder, salmon, shrimp, mollusks, octopus, squid, snails, crab and an array of bottom-dwelling organisms. They use their excellent echolocation skills to locate prey and dive for three to five minutes to feed.

How Can I See Beluga Whales in Canada? 

The best way to be buddies with a beluga is on a specialized summer tour in Churchill, Canada. With expert wildlife and naturalist guides by your side, your beluga tour will take you up close to these curious cetaceans by way of motorized raft or kayak, without disturbing them. In small groups of no more than seven travelers, you can expect an intimate experience on the water, viewing whales in their natural habitat.

What’s more, as this is when the Arctic wakes up from winter, you’ll be privy to all sorts of other subarctic summer flora and fauna, from those popular polar bears, set against the dark boreal forest, to caribou, Arctic and red fox, Arctic hare, snowy owl, ptarmigan and hundreds of migratory bird species. Some fortunate travelers will also have the opportunity to view the northern lights.

5 Fun Beluga Whale Facts

1. Beluga Whales Are Considered Small 

To the average human, beluga whale size is large, but in the cetacean sense, they’re relatively small. The toothed belugas weigh between 1,100 and 3,300 pounds. Males are bigger than females, reaching up to fifteen feet in length. 

2. Belugas Have Melon Heads

Call a beluga a “melon head” and it’ll agree with you. Their blunt head, small eyes, and unique beak are complemented by a large, protruding forehead, often referred to as a “melon.” It plays a significant role in echolocation and communication. As a beluga spouts air through its sinuses, its melon can change shape, becoming flatter or more rounded depending on its nourishment.

And, their melon can actually be used to express emotion; an agitated beluga will elevate its melon into a raised position, which means, “I’m stressed out. Give me space.” 

3. Belugas Aren’t Born White

While their name has etymological origins in the Russian word biejuii, which means “white,” beluga whales are actually born with gray skin. As they age, they lose their pigmentation, resulting in the alabaster-white coloring we equate with belugas. The white skin also helps them camouflage into the Arctic sea ice, protecting them from orca whales and polar bears. 

4. Beluga Whales Are Flexible

Well, their heads are. There are seven unfused vertebrae in a beluga’s neck, giving it the ability to turn its head in different directions. 

5. Beluga Whales Are Friendly

Beluga whales love their friends! They are very social, gathering in large pods during migrations and times of plentiful prey. They love to “talk” to each other by squeaking, trilling, mooing, clicking and whistling. Listen carefully—most of their calls are audible to the human ear above and below water, leading whalers of old to nickname them “sea canaries.” The belugas use these sounds, as well as actual smiles, to convey a wide range of emotions within their pods. They even amicably blow bubbles from their blowholes!

So if you’re wondering, “How smart are beluga whales?” the answer is, “Quite.” The beluga may possess the most advanced and diverse sonar system of all cetaceans. 

Witness belugas on their annual migration on Nat Hab’s Churchill’s Belugas, Polar Bears & Arctic Wildlife adventure!

The post Why Beluga Whales Migrate to Churchill, Canada, Each Summer first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.

Experience the “Great Migration” of the North as thousands of beluga whales make their way to the warmer waters of the Churchill River estuary to feed, mate and give birth. On Zodiac excursions and in kayaks, greet these friendly white whales at eye level as you soak in the awe and wonder.

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Belugas are naturally curious and often swim directly alongside our boat, just arm’s length away! Bask in the joy of Nat Hab’s unrivaled beluga whale encounters as these gentle mammals follow our motorized rafts.

© Michael Poliza

Through a hydrophone, we’ll listen to the songs of these highly vocal mammals, nicknamed “the canaries of the sea” by early mariners. Paddle with a playful pod and keep an eye out for a wandering polar bear—along with being a whale-watching hotspot, Churchill is the Polar Bear Capital of the World. While fall is the time for exhilarating polar bear adventures, during the summer, we may spy a lone bear roaming the shore and gain an aerial view on a helicopter ride over the tundra.

What is summer like in the Canadian subarctic? Wildflowers carpet the green tundra as new life abounds. In the company of naturalist Expedition Leaders, you’ll search for Arctic foxes, Arctic hares and caribou aboard all-terrain Polar Rovers. Peak summer months of near-constant daylight are also a fantastic time for birdwatching, as tundra swans, sandhill cranes, Arctic terns and snow geese migrate to the area.

Fireweed sprinkles the landscape in the summer.

Ready for an exhilarating and unique nature adventure? You’ll also hop on a dog cart ride through the boreal forest, hear stories from the region’s Indigenous residents and learn about what is being done to preserve this unique subarctic environment.

Prepare for the thrill of coming face to face with belugas…and maybe even a polar bear! Encounter a rare wildlife trio of belugas, bears and birds on this exclusive summer adventure.

The post Spend an Arctic Summer with Churchill’s Belugas & Bears first appeared on Good Nature Travel Blog.