Wild Earth Integration

When I say the words “industrious real estate tycoon”, you’ll probably conjure up images of that oddly haired fellow who’s always saying “You’re fired” on national television.

Yes, Donald Trump might be awesome, but is he awesome as seen from space?

I didn’t think so.

Check this out. Scientists have discovered the world’s largest beaver dam – which sounds relatively unimpressive, until you realize the dam thing (har har) can be seen from space.

You already why beavers rock, but this dam takes architecture to the extreme. Located in Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, it measures 2,800 feet. To put that in perspective, that’s 8 football fields. Or, 2,800 rulers.

This slams the previous world record holder by close to 200 metres!

So, the next time you’re poring over NASA images, you can show off and pinpoint one of nature’s great marvels.

No word yet on whether the beavers are looking to expand on their franchise, but I hear Trump is in talks with them to head up his Alberta division.

Keep it wild!

Hey!

It’s Family Literacy Day.

Or as I like to call it, “put down the joystick and pick up a book’ Day. Rock on.

As you know, we go pretty nutso about nature and animals here. So I thought I’d inspire you with some nature and animal inspired reading for you and yours on this literary occasion.

I organized (or at least, attempted it) my bookshelves yesterday. We’ve recently had to install a handful of extra bookshelves because *someone* has too many books. Alas, I admit it – my name is Jess and I’m a book-a-holic.

The good news is, I found some gems in there you may love. Here are the tops gracing my shelves, for the nature adventurer in you:

• Walden and Other Writings by Henry David Thoreau – This guy basically said ‘Bah! Enough of society!’ and took off to live by himself in a cabin for 2 years. He grew his own food, talked with the animals and pulled the ultimate ‘unplugging’ known to man. His writing will make you want to go outside immediately and start preparing lists of vegetables.

• The Survival Handbook by Peter Darman – A book that everybody should have, in my opinion, because you just never know when you’re going to end up in the mountains without anything but some toothpicks and a shoelace. Learning the survival skills of “the world’s elite forces” will make you a better person, not to mention make for some great party tricks.

• The Sacred Balance by David Suzuki – Should be required reading for people who live on Earth. That is to say, everyone.

• The Emotional Lives of Animals by Marc Bekoff – Bekoff is easily one of my favorite writers and scientists. I was lucky enough to meet him at a lecture and his passion is contagious. This book outlines his work as a cognitive ethologist (someone who explores animal minds) and is a must read for animal lovers.

• The Tale of Peter Rabbit (the whole series) by Beatrix Potter – This woman is one of my heroes. She was not only a talented writer and artist, she had the observant eye of a scientist. Back in the day when women were expected to seek nothing in life other than a rich dude (gag me), Beatrix was writing nature journals in code and publishing what would later be the most successful children’s books of all time. Treat yourself to one of these classics.

• White Fang by Jack London – Nobody writes nature like Mr. London. To the best of my knowledge, this was one of the first books told from the perspective of an animal main character. You might want to move to the North after this one and buy some sled dogs.

• Supernature by Lyall Watson – I’ll bet a dollar to a donut that most people haven’t heard of this one. But don’t let its obscurity fool you. It’s a book about the ‘natural history of the supernatural’, but it’s not talking about ghosts and zombies. This book is about communication between living things, including plants. When science catches up with the natural world, I have a feeling this book will resurface and we’ll all say “Ohhh.. here it is written down already!” Definitely one for the ol’ noodle.

• Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr. Don’t lie – you’ve fantasized about living on a tropical island. Feed your imagination with this book and revel in a life where coconut is a staple. Also a great one to read to your kids during the grey of winter.

There you have it! I know there’s a lot I haven’t covered here, so I’d love to hear what books you pull out for a dose of nature – leave ‘em in the comments!

Happy Literacy Day, stay wild!

I have some happy news this week – as of 12:26 on Sunday morning, I officially have a new baby nephew!

My brother and his wife had their first child – a happy, healthy 7 pound 7 ounce wonder – born exactly on his due date. He clearly understands the importance of being punctual.

We are all ecstatic of course, and all of this baby business got me thinking about how much the world has changed since I was a wee one. Being a child of the 80′s (yes, I’m still rather young, but I *have* seen four decades), my generation has seen the rise of the Internet, globalization, climate change and yes, the Wii.

In the digital age, it’s easy to get seduced by the details. The high-res-high-def-high-speed-surround-sound-microwaveable-would-you-like-fries-with-that mentality is everywhere. I wondered what things my little nephew would see in his lifetime. How would the landscapes of the world change?

Then it hit me – the best things in life, those things that truly affect us, are timeless. The things I enjoy most about the world are the things my parents enjoyed, and theirs before them. They are also the things I hope any children I have would get to see. Incidentally, they’re also free.

Bonus.

So here, little nephew, is a list for you and other children (and kids-at-heart like my lovely blog readers), to remind you of the timeless things in life.

In your life, I wish you:

• Birds outside your window, singing away the night every morning.
• Mud to squish between your toes. Don’t worry what your parents say, just tell them that feet wash.
• Snow-fort building snow, and lots of it.
• Hot summer days, shared with lemonade, cool breezes and true friends.
• Open fields with itchy grasses that tickle your legs while you run.
• Flat rocks to skip, and big ones that just make huge splashes.
• Stars to count while you’re camping, or just to gaze at when you’re feeling small.
• Bugs! Watch them, follow them, enjoy them and set them free again.
• Trees to climb, with perfectly placed ‘helper’ branches.
• Polar bears, tigers and gray wolves. Remember every life has its place.
• Waterfalls that take your breath away.
• Heights that do the same.
• Hot sand on a beach that makes you do the anti-burn dance.
• Strawberry baskets for catching crayfish in ponds.
• Bridges. Some will lead you to better versions of yourself.
• Crackly piles of raked-up leaves in the fall. Feel free to leaf-dive.
• Rain on your face and inside your rubber boots. *Squish*
• Winter coat zippers that never nip at your chin as you do them up.
• A warm towel after a cool swim in the blue ocean.
• Books. These will take you to rainforests, deserts and the depths of the ocean.
• Grass stains on your legs and the perfect walking stick.
• Feathery, furry and scaly friends to learn about.
• And last but not least, a trusty dog. He’ll be a friend for life that you’ll never forget.

Happy Monday everyone! I’d love to hear about your timeless nature thoughts, so leave ‘em in the comments if you’re up to it!

Keep it wild!

On my recent trek (which you know as Planet of the Ducks), we also came across some 60 pound rodents. Don’t worry, we weren’t being taken over by giant rats. Nope, we were in beaver territory.

I was floored by how many trees they had taken down. Judging by the forest, beavers must have a pretty spectacular work ethic, if I do say so myself. In fact, if there’s one animal that makes everyone feel guilty about how little they accomplish, it’s the beaver.

Think about it – these guys waltz onto the scene, looking relatively unassuming, bat their big, brown eyes at you and then quietly carry on with their task of taking over the world.

What’s the secret behind nature’s architect? Read on, brave adventurer.

• Beavers have a flap of skin behind their teeth. That doesn’t seem to impressive until you realize that this means they can chew underwater. And here we are wasting time breathing air like suckers.

• Beavers have a built-in kickstand. Also a built-in rudder to help them steer while swimming. One tail, many uses. Score 2 for beavers.

• Four words: Free-running circadian rhythm. You’ve heard people complain about wanting more hours in the day. Well, beavers are too cool to complain. Instead, they do something about it. In the winter, they stop leaving their lodges at sunset and returning at sunrise. By staying in more, they don’t see the sun. This allows them to set their own biological clocks. For beavers, the day actually has 29- hours. Booya.

So, now that you feel completely inferior to a rodent, how’s work going?

Happy New Year!

Are you ready for another year? I have big plans for 2010, so let’s hit the ground running, shall we?

If there’s one thing I wish for everybody for the coming year, it’s to spend more time in nature. It will make you happier, healthier, smarter and quite possibly better looking. (Hey, it can’t hurt.) But according to the National Wildlife Federation, many kids are only spending four to seven minutes outside a day. Kid or adult – you need to get outside.

Here are 15 ways to get out there and rock the natural world.

1. Everyday when you wake up, take a deep breath. Air connects you to the rest of the world. Think about it – it’s quite possible that you’re breathing the same atoms that Da Vinci breathed in, hundreds of years ago. Thanks to Zen Habits for reminding me to breathe.

2. Go outside and look up. A change in perspective opens you up to new things. I promise you’ll see something new.

3. Go outside and look down. Ditto.

4. Touch trees. It sounds cheesy, but when you touch trees you’re reminded of what it feels like to be truly grounded.

5. Forget about the sanitizer for now and play in the dirt. Make moats, dirt castles and claim your land with a little flag.

5. Take off your shoes. Feel grass, puddles, soil and even snow on your feet. You’ll definitely make people wonder with barefoot prints in the snow.

6. Take a count of all the living things in your house. Try to double, or triple that number. Plants count.

7. If you have the resources, adopt a pet from your local shelter. A dog’s joy is one of the most authentic things in life.

8. Collect rocks. Stack them somewhere. Reflect on how much older than you they really are.

9. Get down close to the ground and see the world from an ant’s perspective. Stay there long enough to get used to it. Stand up and feel like a giant.

10. Climb trees. Pretend you’re Tarzan (or Jane). Loincloth optional.

11. Check out a zoo (a responsible one) and look a wild animal in the eyes. Feel that awe you get when encountering something that powerful.

12. Make a deliberate choice to learn more about nature. Read books, watch documentaries and take a new path. Thanks to Henry David Thoreau for reminding me to live deliberately, and to Melissa for writing about him.

13. Look for incredible natural patterns around you. Need a start? Look at a shelled walnut. Now look at a picture of a brain. Cool huh? Also check out trees, snails and leaves.

14. Start a nature journal. There is an astounding amount of beauty in this world, but training yourself to notice it is a skill. Take time, get your family involved and create a nature journal to document the world around you. Sketch, sculpt or take pictures of what you see. Bring the outside in.

15. Learn about a new organism everyday. Spread the word about the awesome species living in the world – the more they know, the more they’ll care. Of course, this blog is a great place to start!

All the best in 2010! As always, feel free to drop me a line in the comments – how will you discover nature this year?

Twas the days before Christmas,

and all ’round the world

lots of creatures were stirring, without saying a word

With Christmas being right around the corner, it’s easy to get overcome by all the festivities. Shopping, baking, shoveling snow and general holiday-osity are important, but it’s also a good time to remember that there are those out there that need your help. Right now (and all throughout the year) there are homeless, hungry and unhappy animals, all without a voice. Let’s fix that, shall we?

Without further adieu, here’s how you can help. You might think it’s small potatoes, but with enough small potatoes, we can make a big difference.

• Feed the Birds

Sure it’s simple, but it can also bring some great rewards. Here’s a great ornament feeder for your yard that’s fun to make and sure to please your feathered neighbors. All you need is some yarn, rice cakes, peanut butter and bird seed. Using the tip of a knife, poke a small slit through each rice cake. String in your yarn, tying off a knot before and after each rice cake. Roll the sides of the rice cake in PB and dip them into the bird seed. Finito! Leave a bit of yarn at the top (or if you’re like me, mess it up and then have to tie on extra) and then string it up to a tree. Promise, the birds will go crazy over this one.

• Check out your local shelter. Lend a hand.

One of my first jobs was at the Humane Society. I can tell you first hand – there is no downtime for animal care workers. Why not drop by a shelter in your area? Even if you can’t give money, they are always in need of newspapers, blankets (to keep young animals warm), pet food, treats and cleaning products. If you want to make them really happy, bring some leashes, collars or pet toys. If you have awhile, you can always offer to walk shelter dogs (one of my favorite holiday activities), or spend some time with the cats and other small animals. Socializing the animals increases their chances of being adopted (because they get used to handling and people), so your gift could very well result in an animal finding a home!

• Donate money to an animal-related charity of your choice.

I know, money doesn’t grow on trees. But there are many organizations that are doing really fantastic things with even small sums. If conservation is your thing, you can donate to the World Wildlife Fund. These people work around the clock throughout the year to inform and educate people and improve ecological policies. If you can’t look at a malnourished puppy without crying, you would probably get a lot from donating to the World Society for the Protection of Animals. WSPA spends countless hours trying to eradicate animal cruelty of all kinds around the globe. Everything from bear-baiting to bull fighting – WSPA covers it. These organizations also have hundreds of gift ideas, so your giving can also get you a beautiful present for someone. Win-win.

There are many more ideas, but these are a few that can get you started. If you want to learn more about shelter donations, you can check out your local Humane Society. If conservation or cruelty aid are more your thing, you can click the logos below to find each website. I hope you guys have a fantastic week, and I’d love to hear what you do to help out our animal friends. Of course, one of the easiest ways to help animals is to give your own pet a hug – so go to!

See you on Wednesday!

Birds. They’re cute. They’re spunky. They’re probably eating from your feeders right now. Whether you live in a snowy climate right now (guilty) or not, chances are you’ve doled out some cash to feed the birds in your backyard. But what do you really know about your avian neighbors? Today on ‘Science with a Side of Awesome’, I give you 5 things worth knowing about the birds. (No, not the birds and the bees, you’ll have to figure that out for yourself.)

• Okay, so you’re probably not actively feeding this guy, but I had to include him because he’s just so awesome. And really, he will eat birds and rodents from your backyard, so indirectly, you’re feeding him. Along with having talons like nobody’s business, hawks have eyesight that is 8 times stronger than a human’s. Seriously, a hawk could read a newspaper from seven stories high. (If you are a hawk and reading this, congratulations on learning to read.)

• Birds don’t have diaphragms. You know what that means? They can’t get hiccups. Which really, is too bad, because I think they’d be hilarious to watch if they did.

• Many birds have hollow bones. Inside them are criss-crossing tresses which help support them. This helps keep the weight down so they can fly, but not get crushed easily.

• Have you ever noticed how birds reach their heads around and preen from the base of their tail? This is because there is a special gland there called a uropygial gland. This gland secretes oils, which help waterproof its feathers. A bird will rustle feathers at the base of its tail to collect some of the oil, then spread it all over its body.

• There isn’t a single blue feather in the world. No, I’m not just messing with you. The reason some birds look blue is that there are 2 optical illusions going on in your brain. Feathers that look blue to us are really showing off a series of deformed prisms and iridescence. And to think, those blue birds are probably walking around thinking they’ve got us all fooled…

If you’re a bird fan (and who isn’t, really?), one of my twitter pals @KerriFar has a lovely shop set up with all sorts of bird-related goodies. Pop on by here to check it out!

She also has a great blog at www.thesunriseofmylife.blogspot.com. Need incentive? Check out this gorgeous shot of hers!

That’s all for today. Happy Friday!

We all have our secrets. Today, I thought I’d introduce you to one of mine.

This is Gerry. Say hi to him!

Gerry is an Eastern Gray Squirrel that has been inspiring me for months. Everyday, he comes around to the patio outside of my office (lucky writer, I know) and eats binges on the seeds that I have so graciously tossed out for the wildlife. Of course, Gerry has grown to be a pretty hefty squirrel (in fact he probably weighs about as much as a cat at this point), so the birds have to get up pretty early to get the jump on him!

As a busy writer/illustrator/educator/aspiring nature superhero, life can get pretty hectic. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget about the simple things – the reasons why we do what we do. For me, animals, nature and science are my thing. My shtick. Having Gerry (and his assorted friends) around outside the door is a great reminder of why it is that I do what I do. I know many of you reading are also nature superheros, so Gerry is a reminder to you too. But I digress.

So, my top 3 favorite things about squirrels? Glad you asked.

#3 – They have no thumbs. Yep, they accomplish all of their squirrel-tastic tasks without any thumbs. If I had no thumbs, my writingwouldprobablylooklikethis. But this guy climbs trees, scares off cats (I’ve seen him do it!) and otherwise kicks squirrel booty without so much as an opposable digit. Fantastic.

#2 -They stand up for what they believe in, and when needed, yell at you. We’ve all been minding our own business, walking under a tree, when suddenly we hear it. Grinding chitter-chatter coming from above our heads. Alas, it is Gerry (or one of his relatives) reaming us out for daring to walk under his tree. Forget the fact that we outweigh Gerry a hundred-fold and that he’s got no thumbs. Nope, squirrels stick up for themselves. No matter how big (or human) their foes are.

#1 – That crazy tail-bopping thing they do. If you’ve spent any time with squirrels (why wouldn’t you, really?) – you know what I’m talking about. They’ll hop and scamper along, with their tails bopping up and down in weird, jumbly rhythms. I’m convinced that there is some sort of behavioral/evolutionary reason for all of this bopping, but I have yet to devise a scheme experiment to figure it out. Is it a signal of some kind? Reflective of their physiology? Only Gerry knows.

And now my friends, I leave you with a picture of Gerry – decked out 300 style. You know, the movie about the Persians and the battle for Thermopylae? He is a squirrel to be reckoned with. Epic, no?

I’d love to hear your own backyard wildlife stories – feel free to introduce us in the comments!

“Many things take time to create and to come alive. Be patient.”

I’ve been working on some new illustrations for a book I’m putting together. This is the first one. Incidentally, chameleons are great self-help gurus.

Details: