Wild Earth Integration

So unless you’ve been living under a rock these days, you know about global warming.

The big culprits in global warming are greenhouses gases – stuff like carbon dioxide, methane, ozone and water vapor. These gases bog up in the atmosphere, essentially making a shell around the world that re-reflects light back onto us. You know, sort of like a greenhouse.

As you also know, a big part of fixing the planet up revolves around dealing with all these greenhouses gases. Little did we know that other critters are playing their part too. Some are even pooping their help.

Check this out – a group of scientists have been studying sperm whale poo. Don’t blame them, we all have our vices.

Sperm whales eat deep in the ocean, but return to the surface to … do their business. When they poop, they shower their diarrhea-like poo all over the floating phytoplankton. These are aquatic plants that take up carbon as they grow. The good guys.

Because the whale poo is so nutrient and iron-rich, the phytoplankton get a natural fertilizer. They flourish and grow, reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. By a lot.

It’s been estimated that sperm whales contribute 40 tons of iron to the light receiving zone of the ocean. Because this is where the plants are, they help draw down nearly half a million tons of carbon. This means that whales and other large marine animals are some of the most environmentally beneficial creatures on the planet.

Now the bad news. Whale populations are down – way down – from their historical numbers, somewhere between 1-10 percent of their original population. The fewer whales we have, the more global warming is going to be a problem.

Just another shining reminder that the Earth has mechanisms we’re only beginning to understand. If we thought less about our sushi plates and more about the big picture, maybe we’d start getting the hint?

Also, this makes me wonder — if poo is useful, can we really call it waste?

I love it when humans are confronted with something that forces us to step back and evaluate just what we think we know.

I particularly love it when we realize “Oh…… how about that?” and marvel at how we missed something.

Allow me to explain.

About a week ago, an article was published in Biology Letters, outlining a new species of monitor lizard living in the forests of the northern Philippines. Well, it’s new to us at least.

Now get this – we’re not talking about a tree frog the size of your thumbnail, or a deep sea fish that can make himself invisible – this lizard is two metres long and is a relative of the infamous Komodo dragon. In other words, it’s a big oops and scientists are kind of scratching their heads wondering “This is insane – how did we miss this?”

To top it off, instead of eating meat like we would expect this komodo-esque beast to do, it turns out that he much prefers a nice fruit salad. This monitor lizard is a frugivore.

A third point is also worth mentioning. Although biologists haven’t encountered this species before, it’s well known to the indigenous Agta and Ilongot people of the region.

I can’t help but enjoy watching this unfold, because like I mentioned above, it forces us to realize we don’t have it all figured out. This lizard throws a bit of a curve ball at us, and I think it’s good for us to be thrown curve balls. It teaches humility, no?

So, what can we learn from this lizard? Apart from its eating habits and genetic composition, this lizard serves as a nice reminder of a few things:

1/ Maybe this planet has secrets (biological or otherwise) that we aren’t aware of yet. Admitting that we don’t know what we don’t know will open us to those possibilities faster than assuming we do.

2/Even big things (animals, effects, concepts) can go unseen if we’re not really opening our eyes.

3/ When in doubt, ask the locals. They probably know a lot more than you think.

Keep it wild!

It’s that time of year! Spring is coming, cartoon lambs are showing up everywhere and chocolate is taking over the stores. Must be Easter!

To celebrate this year, I thought I’d take a look at the big man himself. What exactly do we know about the Easter Bunny? Or, as I like to call him, Commander BunBun.

Here’s your Wild 5: Easter Bunny Edition!

1 – The Easter Bunny wasn’t a rabbit at all. What?! I hear you saying? We’ve been bamboozled! Nope, the Easter Bunny was originally a European hare. His legend dates back to the early 1500s too, so this hare is probably getting up in his years. Nowadays, we have the newfangled Easter Bunny who is all white with big, doting eyes. The original BunBun was probably something of a badass.

2- Although his legend started in Germany, in the US and Canada, we’ve come to know the Easter Bunny as a cottontail rabbit. He has his own song “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” (you know the one). Whether he is related to the Beatrix Potter ‘Peter’, I have no clue!

3- The Easter Bunny is nocturnal, just like other European hares and cottontail rabbits. Of course, this is what allows him to get the job done and deliver millions of chocolates and colored eggs to kids all over the place. He’d be rather conspicuous hopping around in the middle of the day, no? To help him get around at night, hares and rabbits both have large eyes. All the better to see you with, my dear…

4- The Easter Bunny and his cousins of the family Leporidae are all prolific breeders. But despite what all those commercials tell you, they don’t lay eggs. But they do reproduce at an alarming rate, with bunny moms able to get pregnant again before giving birth to the first litter. I know, wrap your head around that one.

5- The European hare Easter Bunny would probably win in a competition against the Cottontail Rabbit Easter Bunny. Despite being extraordinarily cute, the hare has two advantages. Firstly, hares can run around and take care of themselves within minutes of being born. Rabbits on the other hand are defenseless, hairless and blind. The hare also has a longer set of hind legs, that are capable of taking him 50 miles/hr. So, the cottontail might be cuter, but when it comes to maneuvering around with thousands of eggs, I’d give the hare an edge on the competition.

Have a wild Easter!

Sometimes, you can see patterns in nature when you look at the bigger picture. Stepping back, widening your view and taking stock from afar can elucidate a lot of nature’s secrets.

Then, there are times when looking very, very closely can help open your eyes.

This is one of those times.

I hope you enjoy this video, all about the nature, numbers and grace.

Keep it wild!

It’s getting sunnier. And staying sunnier. Even as I write this, my normal winter backdrop of frosty dark morning is now replaced with a beam of sunlight in a bright blue sky.

Spring is sooo coming.

I’ve had a lot of people ask how Gerry, my resident squirrel neighbor, is doing. As you can see, Gerry has taken to napping on our back porch. This is, of course, after gorging himself on birdseed which he faithfully receives everyday.

What better way to enjoy the last of winter than with one last seasonal catnap? Sorry, squirrel nap.

I highly recommend them.

Keep it wild!

I can’t take credit for this photo – my better half was out there braving the flurry to get it.

This bad boy was originally chasing down a sparrow, but gave up and decided instead to just look regal. (I wish I could look that regal just by sitting and turning my head.)

Another good reason to keep lookin’ up, no?

Keep it wild, world!

You can’t feel it right now, but there are bugs all over you.

Before you freak out and jump in the shower, rest assured that if it weren’t for some of these microscopic critters, you probably wouldn’t be here. Many of these bugs keep us healthy and on any given day, you’re sharing your body with about 90 trillion or so.

In other words, resistance is futile!

So, who’s setting up shop on your body? Here are 3 animals that call you home.

DEMODEX

Do you recognize this one? Eight-legged demodex is a worm-like mite that likes to hang out near hair follicles. Specifically, this guy is particularly partial to your eyelashes. Adults are only 0.03 mm long, so you won’t actually see them crawling around up there. The cool thing about these guys? Their bodies are so efficient, they only have a mouth. That is to say, ahem, that there is no exit. They use everything they eat without any waste!

LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS

Don’t let the big name on this fella freak you out – lactobacillus is one of the good guys. In fact, I bet most of you have even walked into a grocery store and purposely bought food with Mr. Lactobac in it. You know all those commercials for yogurt that are pimping out the good bacteria? They’re talking about this one. Lactobacillus lives throughout your body, especially in your mouth and stomach. With this guy on the job, most people have improved immune function and a healthier GI tract. Eat up!

YOUR DNA

Yup, you read that right. Research has shown that 8% of our DNA comes from a virus and not one of our ancestors. This happens through a process called endogenization. These viruses (called bornaviruses) can cause disease in horses and sheep. Thankfully, we are not horses nor sheep. For the most part, we seem to be doing okay with this virus within us. It’s possible that this viruses causes mutation that leads to schizophrenia, but the labcoats haven’t ironed out all the details on that one.

So there you have it!  We are walking, talking ecosystems. Just another way we are all connected…

Have a wild Friday!

P.S Sorry if I made you itchy…

If you know me even a little bit, you know I’m a fan of Die Hard. What’s not to love? There’s explosions, gratuitous sarcasm and of course, Ka-Bruce Willis.

But, we’re here to talk nature. In the spirit of Die Hard, here are five extinct creatures that could show Bruce Willis a thing or two. And for the record, I’m not even talking about Bruce in the first Die Hard – where he’s wandering barefoot the whole film – I’m talking about Bruce in Die Hard 4. That’s the one where he drives a car off a ramp into a flying helicopter.

So yeah, these animals are pretty awesome.

THE SMILODON

The smilodon is probably one of the first guys you think of when you think of extinct animals. These pack animals were around in the late Pleistocene and were the one of the last bigtime predators before our own human ancestors came along. Their claim to fame? Eight inch canine teeth. These would deliver a devastating puncture wound through prey windpipes. Incidentally, they would also deliver nightmares to humans who came later.

ANDREWSARCHUS

This fifteen foot long monstrosity was the largest mammalian carnivore in the history of this planet. Basically, picture a massive 6 foot tall wolf with hooves. Who did Andrewsarchus become? Turns out his modern cousin is the sheep. Bahh indeed.

TYRANNOSAURUS REX

Probably the most famous of all things extinct, thanks to a certain blockbuster movie that shall remain nameless. These babies weighed about 7 tons and was over 40 feet long from teeth to tail. Although only one is famous, we’ve found 30 species of T-Rex with complete skeletons and even some soft tissue. Don’t worry, they won’t add in frog DNA and bring them back to life. Humans aren’t that silly, right?

THE IRISH DEER

Move over, Bambi – this deer meant business. Another specimen from the late Pleistocene, this deer stood about as high as a moose, but had a rack of antlers that spanned over ten-twelve feet. It lived in Eurasia and Ireland (surprise) and up until about 7,700 years ago was pretty much the King. There’s no way Bruce could escape this one, unless, say, he walked through a door frame.

MOSASAUR

Mosasaur was the most terrifying reptile to ever exist. Picture a crocodile, mixed with a Great White Shark – then add some mad growth hormones. Mosasaur was 50 feet long, with a sensitive inner ear that allowed it to perform aquatic acrobatics like no other creature. It was fast. Of course, I have to mention the teeth. These graced not only the top and bottom jaw, but also the roof of its mouth. Even Bruce Willis wouldn’t have a prayer next to the Mosasaur. In fact, if it weren’t for that asteroid that hit us, they’d still be around today. Thanks, asteroid.

Have a wild Wednesday!

Ahh, l’amour! Love is a many splendor’d thing, love lifts us up where we belong – all you need is love! But of course, we humans aren’t the only ones searching for love. This Valentine’s Day – creatures everywhere are looking for their special someone. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?

To lend my fellow creatures a hand in their quest for their other half, I give you some of their Wild Classifieds.

Quiet, shy, traditional fellow looking for down-to-earth companion to share cabbage, long, long walks in the forest and Clark Gable movies. Won’t you be the carapace to my plastron? Apply in-shell: Stuart.

Tall, dark-eyed female looking for nice guy who smells good and doesn’t chase cars. Must love off-roading, chewing Kleenex and must NEVER hog the frisbee. Please, no bitches.

Seriously, I’m like just looking for a guy, who won’t like, try and spray me on the first date. I mean, really, that’s like totally disgusting and who wants to come home smelling like that? Are you kidding? My mother would freeeeak. Puh-leeze. Contact: Rose

Yes, hello. Is this thing on? Get a hold of yourself, minion. Hello. I am placing this ad to request aid in teaching my human a lesson. He does not prepare spaghetti to my liking and has taken to calling me ‘Trixie’ despite my obvious proclivity towards male dominant behavior. I fear, without the help of a suitable feline – his days are numbered. Respond today and together, we shall rise to the occasion and conquer the enemy. Fare thee well, biped.

Trixie, indeed. Contact: Spartacus

Holla! Lookin 4 a luvly lady to share nibbles of korn, gr8 cuddles and rollz in my plastic ball. Must B fun, Xciting and hate cats. Life is short, baby – so let’s B 4 Realz! No smokerz. Contact: JIMI4EVA

Have a wild Valentine’s Day everybody!

Happy Groundhog Day everybody!

Sorry for being MIA yesterday, I was having a bit of a long weekend (don’t be jealous, it was only because I had a Monday dentist appointment in my hometown). *thumbs down*

In other less toothy news, today’s the day! Will the groundhog see his shadow? Will spring ever come back? Today is the only day a year we place all of our seasonal hopes and ambitions into the paws of a rodent.

But he’s a classy rodent at least.

To celebrate this rodent’s return, I give you the Wild 5: Groundhog Edition.

• Groundhog Day wasn’t always Groundhog Day. Ancient Romans used to believe that early February was a good indicator of future weather patterns, but instead they turned to a hedgehog for their predictions. So it was more of a Hedgehog Day.

• Groundhogs are one of 14 species of marmots. They’re cousins to the squirrel (but don’t often show up to family reunions) and are also called woodchucks and whistle pigs. This name comes from the loud whistle they use as an alarm call when danger drops by.

• Groundhogs build themselves burrow mansions under the ground with many chambers, including a bathroom. They’ll remove 700 pounds of soil for a 20 foot burrow. In other words, if groundhogs did chuck wood, they would chuck about 700 pounds worth. Now you know.

• When he hibernates, Mr. Groundhog reduces his heart rate to 5 beats a minute. Normally, that’s up somewhere around 80. If you’re a fan of the Princess Bride, we call that ‘mostly dead’.

• Groundhogs can climb trees. Remember that the next time a groundhog is chasing you and you think a tree will save you! *groundhog victory*

For the record, I think there should be more animal related holidays. Like Blue Footed Booby Beach Day and Turtle Tax Day.

Can you think of any others?

Keep it wild!