Mahiingan

Baby Tyrannosaurus Rex and its father at the beach.

A young female Bison grazes on winter grasses, Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming

Cropper

This is an interesting one and a story I’m a little mixed on so I’ll just explain the situation.

The man in the picture is Mike Trowler, who worked with The Fox Project in the UK. The Fox Project rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned foxes in the London and Surrey area and are considered a reputable rescue (although I have some issues with a few of their practices). Trowler would help raise orphaned cubs and also had a few permanent resident foxes who were unrealisable due to either being too tame or having a condition called toxoplasmosis. These are foxes that would otherwise have to be euthanised. 

The caption is incorrect about the date. I’m not sure exactly when Cropper was rescued, but he died in 2007 after many years in Mike Trowler’s care. When Trowler had Cropper social media wasn’t a thing and I believe he only ever gave the odd interview, so at the time his ownership of a fox was not harmful. The problem is when pictures like this get shared without further context that explains the unique situation.

Toxoplasmosis changes a fox’s brain so that they essentially become like a domesticated animal. They become very docile and tame and do not act like a normal fox. They tend not to have the hyperactivity or destructive nature of a normal pet fox, are usually easy to handle and rarely show aggression. This makes them unique in being able to live in a captive setting, even a house. Cropper didn’t actually live in the house, but had a large, outdoor enclosure. He only came indoors for part of the time. Ideally foxes with this condition should go to a wildlife park or sanctuary (and most do), but at the time there was no other options for Cropper. 

Here is a video clip of Mike Trowler and Cropper where you can see how different his behaviour is from a normal fox;

One thing that’s commonly noted about foxes with toxoplasmosis is that they have a far off stare and often look like they’re not all there. You can definitely see that in this clip. 

TIGER COLOUR SPECTRUM

Terror in the sky

[He scoops up the fish, it spits water and he turns it toward the camera]

This one is stumpy and green. Very beautiful, very powerful.

[He picks up another fish and turns it toward the camera]

This is what a normal lumpfish looks like. It is more elongated, but still a vibrant blue color. Very beautiful, very powerful.

[He picks up another fish and turns it toward the camera]

This is one of the stumpiest ones we have. Its hump is very high. It is very stumpy, but yet very beautiful, and very powerful.

[He pans over a lot of fish, all looking up at the camera]

bensimonrehn

Golden tortoise beetles