ඞ amogus ඞ

Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia), mother and chicks, family Strigidae, order Strigiformes, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, USA

Tenkile Dendrolagus scottae

Also known as Scott's tree-kangaroo, it is endemic to a very small area of the Torricelli Mountains of Papua New Guinea. The tenkile is listed as endangered due to hunting and logging activities in Papua New Guinea. It was thought that the tenkile population could have been as low as 100 individuals in 2001.

“We decided to make the most of a quiet afternoon by ringing some Manx Shearwater chicks. With over 15,000 pairs on the island, most with a single chick down a single burrow, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was an easy, straightforward task. But the burrows which the Manxies excavate can be deep and awkward, and a few inconsiderately placed rocks and right angle bends in the tunnels made finding the chicks an epic task. Some of them are becoming quite fat but still have another 25 or so days left in their burrows before they make their first flight. The grey down which covers their body like a giant fleece insulates them well from the damp conditions in their burrow. We take wing length measurements as well as weights and this allows us to calculate their age and how well they are being fed. This particular chick is around 50 days old, and weighed over half a kilogram!” © Richard Brown

Sonoran or Arizona Coral Snake (Micruroides euryxanthus), family Elapidae, Arizona, USA

Venomous.

Eastern Pebble Mouse Pseudomys patrius

A rare mouse from Queensland, Australia. Like other pebble-mound mice, it is known for building shallow burrows with mounds of pebbles surrounding the entrances. This function is understood to be protective and collects dew.

Deep-sea jellies, siphonophores, and more: MBARI's Southern California expedition 🌊🪼💫

From graceful jellies and sleek siphonophores to dazzling comb jellies and dancing worms, MBARI researchers are revealing the hidden diversity of delicate drifters in the deep. Our Biodiversity and Biooptics Team, led by Senior Scientist Steven Haddock, recently concluded a 10-day expedition from Monterey Bay to the Channel Islands aboard MBARI’s flagship research vessel David Packard to study the biogeography and physiology of gelatinous plankton. 

Using MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Doc Ricketts, they observed and collected gelatinous plankton deep underwater in the ocean’s midnight zone. A specialized low-light camera developed by MBARI scientists and engineers allowed the team to record the remarkable bioluminescence displays of these deep-sea jellies in their natural habitat. They logged observations of several undescribed ctenophores, a new species of Erenna siphonophore with elaborate lures, and a siphonophore they had previously only seen in the waters of the Gulf of California, advancing efforts to catalog life in the deep ocean.

Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), family Emydidae, found in coastal salt marshes along the east coast of the United States

Anyways! HERE'S YOUR HANDY GUIDE TO WHAT CAN COUNT AS EYESTRAIN! I'm pulling this straight from the Artfight rules page about what needs to be labeled and filtered as eyestrain because it's VERY helpful and VERY accurate! I also know not everybody has an AF account and might not always have access to this handy guide, and this is an important resource; That's why I'm sharing it here! (under the cut)

PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!!! THIS IS ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OTHERS!!!