Category: Animals & Nature

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The First All-Female Indigenous Fire Crew in Australia Is Fighting 24/7 Fires to Protect Their Sacred Land

By now, you’ve heard about the awful and massive fires burning their way through huge swaths of Australia. On top of the terrible damage to the land, it’s estimated that 1 BILLION animals have died in the blazes. People from all over Australia and the world are pitching in to help in any way they can – including some that are pretty unorthodox. In one small Aboriginal community, a group all-female, all-indigenous firefighters are leading the charge to protect their town and their sacred lands.

The town is Lake Tyers in eastern Victoria, home to about 200 indigenous Australians. The town lies on a small, isolated peninsula and has just one access road in and out. The Lake Tyers Fire Brigade is led by Charmaine Sellings and the group is fighting hard against the blazes. Sellings said, “Just one crack of lightning on a stormy day could be disastrous. Things are pretty desperate. We are in extreme conditions, our dams are empty and it’s not a good situation. The crew will work around the clock. We hope for a quiet summer but we fear the worst.”

The fire brigade led by Sellings is the first of its kind in Australia and is made up of mothers and grandmothers in Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust, a self-governing community. The remote town is surrounding by thick bush on one side and a system of lakes on the other side.

Sellings said, “We are the lifeline if anything goes wrong, so we have an important role to play, and I think people are generally very grateful for what we do. There was a sense of helplessness before we came along but we feel empowered that we can look after ourselves and our people whatever the situation. The community is proud of us and they value us.”

About 20 years ago, a series of arson fires threatened the land of Lake Tyers and the nearest fire brigade was 45 minutes away. In response, Charmaine Sellings and her friends Rhonda Thorpe and Marjorie Proctor decided to form their own firefighting squad with other local women.

The women are not only saving lives and structures but also “scatters,” or clusters of historical artifacts that are scattered throughout the bush around Lake Tyers. Today, the fire crew consists of four women, with a few other volunteers who pitch in when they can.

Keep up the great work!

The post The First All-Female Indigenous Fire Crew in Australia Is Fighting 24/7 Fires to Protect Their Sacred Land appeared first on UberFacts.

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The First All-Female Indigenous Fire Crew in Australia Is Fighting 24/7 Fires to Protect Their Sacred Land

By now, you’ve heard about the awful and massive fires burning their way through huge swaths of Australia. On top of the terrible damage to the land, it’s estimated that 1 BILLION animals have died in the blazes. People from all over Australia and the world are pitching in to help in any way they can – including some that are pretty unorthodox. In one small Aboriginal community, a group all-female, all-indigenous firefighters are leading the charge to protect their town and their sacred lands.

The town is Lake Tyers in eastern Victoria, home to about 200 indigenous Australians. The town lies on a small, isolated peninsula and has just one access road in and out. The Lake Tyers Fire Brigade is led by Charmaine Sellings and the group is fighting hard against the blazes. Sellings said, “Just one crack of lightning on a stormy day could be disastrous. Things are pretty desperate. We are in extreme conditions, our dams are empty and it’s not a good situation. The crew will work around the clock. We hope for a quiet summer but we fear the worst.”

The fire brigade led by Sellings is the first of its kind in Australia and is made up of mothers and grandmothers in Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust, a self-governing community. The remote town is surrounding by thick bush on one side and a system of lakes on the other side.

Sellings said, “We are the lifeline if anything goes wrong, so we have an important role to play, and I think people are generally very grateful for what we do. There was a sense of helplessness before we came along but we feel empowered that we can look after ourselves and our people whatever the situation. The community is proud of us and they value us.”

About 20 years ago, a series of arson fires threatened the land of Lake Tyers and the nearest fire brigade was 45 minutes away. In response, Charmaine Sellings and her friends Rhonda Thorpe and Marjorie Proctor decided to form their own firefighting squad with other local women.

The women are not only saving lives and structures but also “scatters,” or clusters of historical artifacts that are scattered throughout the bush around Lake Tyers. Today, the fire crew consists of four women, with a few other volunteers who pitch in when they can.

Keep up the great work!

The post The First All-Female Indigenous Fire Crew in Australia Is Fighting 24/7 Fires to Protect Their Sacred Land appeared first on UberFacts.

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Toucans Are Really Weird and People Are Sharing Facts About Them on Tumblr

Birds totally freak me out. They’re a little too smart, their beaks a tad too sharp…they’re just too much like dinosaurs for my liking.

That said, I have no trouble admitting that they’re interesting, and fun facts are business, so…here are some things you probably didn’t know about toucans.

You’re going to be glad you read through these, I promise.

First, this Tumblr thread that just can’t get over how big their beaks really are (and also, how they sleep omg).

https://worriedaboutmyfern.tumblr.com/post/171023585676

Then, let’s move on to the fact that their beaks are used as cooling mechanisms. What even?

Toucan’s bill has a network of blood vessels and expand them to cool down its body temperature — just like the elephants use their big ears from r/Awwducational

Who doesn’t love babies? ONLY MONSTERS.

Toucans have a courtship ritual that involves throwing and catching berries to each other with their beaks from Awwducational

Baby Toucan Bird from interestingasfuck

This is why they can fly with that enormous beak:

Image Credit: Blogspot

Seriously, that’s so weird!

An X-rayed toucan’s beak from interestingasfuck

Here’s a bonus photo of this “opportunistic omnivore” actually fishing. Sometimes I guess you just get a hankering for meat!

Image Credit: Wikipedia

I promised weird and random, and did I deliver, or what?

Did we leave anything out? Are you enamored with toucans now? Tell us about it below!

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Ford Created a Noise-Cancelling Kennel to Protect Dogs From Fireworks Noise

I hate to see how upset and nervous dogs get while fireworks are blasting away on the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve (and sometimes on other occasions depending on where you live).

The loud bangs can scare dogs badly and sometimes it seems like nothing will calm them back down. Well, hopefully that will change if/when this prototype noise-cancelling dog kennel from Ford hits the market.

The car company took noise-cancelling technology from their cars and put it into the dog kennel prototype. According to reports, “The kennel, like many high-end headphones, is outfitted with microphones that detect loud noises and cue the speakers to pipe in sound-canceling frequencies.” Ford says that noise is reduced to a level that ensures dogs won’t become upset.

For now, Ford’s people are saying that they built the kennel to show customers how the noise-cancelling technologies in their cars can be used in everyday life. But Anthony Ireson, director of marketing and communications for Ford Europe, said, “If there’s enough interest, we’ll explore the technology.”

It seems like a lot of people are really into the idea of buying this kind of kennel for their dogs.

We love our pets like family, so it’s only natural that a product designed to help ease their fears and anxiety would eventually hit the market.

Here’s a video showing the kennel in action.

Hopefully, this prototype will become available to the public to purchase sooner than later.

What do you think? Would you buy one of these for your pooch?

Let us know in the comments!

The post Ford Created a Noise-Cancelling Kennel to Protect Dogs From Fireworks Noise appeared first on UberFacts.

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Some Guys Asked Their Neighbor If They Could Walk Her Dog…They Got a Letter Back From the Dog…

If you’ve had a dog before and got used to all of the ways they bring joy and meaning to your daily life, living without one can be hard. Like REALY hard.

But if you find yourself living somewhere pets are not allowed, what can you really do?

Well, these four young engineers decided to take action, as desperate as it may sound. They reached out to their neighbor – a perfect stranger up til now – to offer their petting/playing/walking skills to their neighbor’s dog, who they’d seen through a window.

They sent this message to their neighbor, which was very polite and also showcased how very much they would enjoy spending time with the pooch.

Image Credit: Twitter

Dear Neighbour,

We are four engineers that have recently moved into the area in the past 3-4 months. Our house is comprised of an Englishman, two Scotts, and a Welshman. Diversity.

The other day we noticed a four-legged friend looking at us out the window when we arrived home from work. He or She looked like the good-est boy/girl there is. If you ever need someone to walk him/her, we will gladly do so. If you ever get bored (we know you never will, but we can dream), we are more than happy to look after him/her. If you want to come over and bring him/her to brighten up our day, you are more than welcome. If you want to walk past our balcony windows so we can see him/her, please do.

We hope this doesn’t come on too strong, but our landlord won’t allow pets, and we’ve all grown up with animals. The adult life is a struggle without one.

We look forward to hearing from you. Or not.

Yours Sincerely, 

The Boys from number 23.

xx

They waited and waited, until finally they received a response.

But it was from the dog herself!

Image Credit: Twitter

Once they saw the pawprint on the back, they suspected that good news was enclosed – and it was!

Image Credit: Twitter

Stevie Ticks and “the boys” have now met up twice, once for an introduction and once to play at the local park. Since they all got on well, more outings are definitely in the future!

Image Credit: Twitter

Her owners say she’s a 2.5-year-old sheprador (a lab/german shepherd mix) originally from Cyprus, but rescued from a local shelter. She loves playing tug-of-war, chasing birds, and licking feet.

She’s obviously the good-est girl, and now she has four more friends.

Everyone’s life is better, so this is just a happy ending all the way around.

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These Tragic Photos Show the Apocalyptic Devastation of the Australian Bushfires

I visited Australia in 2001, and it truly is a remarkable country. It’s a beautiful place filled with friendly, hard-working, generous people, and weird animals that you can’t find anywhere else in the world.

The devastating wildfires taking place in Australia are so enormous and have killed so many animals – scientists estimate nearly half a billion – that it is almost incomprehensible. Here are 15 moving photos to show you the hell on Earth that is occurring right now Down Under.

https://twitter.com/Sci_Phile/status/1213703245794693120/photo/1

Be sure to look through all the photos and scroll to the end of the article to find out how you can help!

1. Watching it burn.

2. Heroes.

This fire fighter (and all FF’s) saving the people, animals, and homes in Australia. from HumansBeingBros

3. All those poor animals.

4. Unbelievable.

5. These guys need a rest.

Exhausted firefighters in Australia from pics

6. World on fire.

Balmattum Hill is really glowing tonight, however not as much as all of our incredible & selfless emergency services. Thank you 🙏

Posted by Melissa Ericksen on Saturday, January 4, 2020

7. The numbers are staggering.

8. The eyes say a lot.

My uncle at the end of a 13 hour shift volunteering with NSW RFS from australia

9. The smoke is moving.

Caught the smoke as it was spreading over our suburb in Australia from pics

10. Hell opens up.

Hell opens up in Australia. Thoughts go out to our brave fire fighters. from pics

11. Scorched earth.

In Australia after a fire. from pics

12. All red.

No filters. Australia is red from wildfires. from pics

13. Raging inferno.

A picture one of the local postmen took from his front yard. This was in Forster. from australia

14. Looks like the Apocalypse.

This is a pyrocumulus cloud produced by smoke from the Australian bushfires. It’s 12km high. It produces its own thunderstorms, fire tornadoes and 100km/h winds. from WTF

15. No filter.

No filter. A motel in NSW Australia in middle of the day. from WTF

Click HERE to learn about how you can help out and organizations you can donate to help out during this terrible tragedy

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A Dog Owner Built a “Stick Library” for the Pups at the Local Park

You’ve probably seen “Little Free Libraries” that are popping up in towns all over the world. You just need a box sturdy enough to protect books from the elements, a sign, a collection cup for donations, and of course, some books.

People are free to check them out, return them, donate their own, etc. It’s an awesome idea to bring books into the world.

Now one dog owner has taken that concept and applied it to man’s best friend, in the form of a stick library at the local dog park.

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Allie loved the stick library at Kaiapoi dog park #sticklibrary

A post shared by Allie (@alliemylabrador) on

Why sticks? Well, they make dogs happy, of course – big dogs, little dogs, in-between dogs, they all love to carry, chase, and chew on a bit of wood when they get the chance.

59-year-old dog owner Andrew Taylor got the idea for a stick library because his dog, Bella, really loves sticks. Plus, they’re great toys for her because she always ripped anything less sturdy to shreds.

The New Zealander took sticks he’d amassed while trimming trees at home, sanded them until they were smooth and clean (saving the dogs’ teeth and gums!) and then crafted a wooden box to store the sticks in at the park.

View this post on Instagram

This morning as I took Danu for a big yomp to the ocean. Look what we found!!! . . Some gorgeous, creative, quirky person had made a fabulous “stick library” for the doggos and left it on the side of the trail. . . Creativity comes in many forms and I love it when people share what they create. After all in my neighbourhood there are lots of little “Take a book, leave a book” library’s. So now there’s “Take a stick, leave a stick” library for doggos! And the dogs knew exactly what to do! Thank you to this creative being. . . Love it! . . . #creativity #creativityfound #showupandshine #sticklibrary #dallasroadbeach #dogsofinstagram #mademesmile #mademesmiletoday #createyourlife #shareyourlight #shareyourgifts #happydogs #islanddogs #thankyou #quirkyart #quirky #sticks

A post shared by Jenny Heston (@jennyheston) on

On the top he engraved “Stick Library” and a few words encouraging people to return the sticks once their dogs were finished.

Taylor’s daughter invited a bunch of dog owners to the park to give the new box a try, and around 50 people and their pooches showed up to play.

Everyone loved the box and couldn’t believe no one had ever considered the simple idea before then – after all, we’ve all going looking for that “good stick” to toss to our dog, only to come up empty.

I think this could definitely catch on at dog parks around the world, don’t you?

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Research Shows That Underwater Speakers Can Help Revive Dying Coral Reefs

Dying coral reefs have been a problem for years now, and scientists have struggled to figure out ways to revive struggling reef ecosystems. But a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications has given scientists (and everyone, really) newfound hope about this critically important issue.

The study found that playing sounds on underwater speakers could entice fish to come to dying reefs. The sounds being played on these speakers aren’t pop music, to be clear. Rather, they mimic the sounds of a healthy reef. Researchers found that when a loudspeaker played the sounds of a healthy reef, double the number of fish came by, and 50% more fish species visited compared to dead coral reef areas without any artificial sounds.

The experiment lasted 40 days, and the species of fish that flocked to the coral with the loudspeakers were very diverse. This is valuable because fish clean reefs of choking algae and help make space for new coral to grow. While this certainly isn’t the only ingredient in reviving dying coral reefs, it definitely can help reefs begin to recover. And diverse fish species bring different functions to coral reefs, which further helps recovery.

Andy Radford, a co-author of the study, said, “If combined with habitat restoration and other conservation measures, rebuilding fish communities in this manner might accelerate ecosystem recovery.”

Coral Reef, Florida

There are many factors that cause a cause reef to suffer or die. In the Florida Keys, sewage and fertilizer runoff has led to nitrogen enrichment in areas with coral reefs, killing corals. Rising ocean temperatures kill coral as well – around 50% of Australia’s famous Great Barrier Reef has been bleached to death because of high oceanic temperature caused by climate change. Though, on a positive note, it looks like some corals are becoming more resistant to increasing temperatures in the water.

Let’s hope that research and ACTION continues to develop for this very important cause. We only have one Earth, let’s take care of it!

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There’s a Great Facebook Page Dedicated to All the Dogs UPS Drivers Meet

UPS drivers encounter a lot of people along their daily routes. They probably see a lot of the same faces day in and day out. And that includes dogs who they meet on the road.

So many UPS drivers make friends with pups along the way that there’s even a Facebook page dedicated to showing off these unique relationships.

Here are some great pics of drivers and their furry friends.

1. A whole gaggle of dogs.

Lloyd making some new friends in Shipton Oliffe, CHELTENHAM, UK

Posted by UPS Dogs on Friday, December 27, 2019

2. New friends!

Father/daughter duo delivered packages to River and Jax’s house! Tigard, Oregon

Posted by UPS Dogs on Tuesday, December 24, 2019

3. Santa’s here!

Merry Christmas! Ups lake wales ,fl ( Avon park )

Posted by UPS Dogs on Wednesday, December 25, 2019

4. Big fans of each other.

Harper getting some love from her boyfriend Darren at Blossom and Basket Boutique. Mt. Airy, MD

Posted by UPS Dogs on Friday, December 27, 2019

5. Come on in the truck.

Who ordered a pair of Neos for Christmas?! ❤🌟💚

Posted by UPS Dogs on Monday, December 23, 2019

6. Along for the ride.

Our awesome driver, Trevor, and Claire. Best of friends!Beale AFB, California

Posted by UPS Dogs on Saturday, December 28, 2019

7. Big hugs all around.

Ruby loves our UPS man! Hugs for Christmas!Wantage, NJ

Posted by UPS Dogs on Wednesday, December 25, 2019

8. Here they come!

Merry Christmas from Kentucky 🎄 🎁

Posted by UPS Dogs on Saturday, December 21, 2019

9. Back home safely.

Have to say a big THANK YOU!!! to our driver, Dakota! None of my Amazon packages came today..lol..but he did bring my…

Posted by UPS Dogs on Thursday, December 19, 2019

10. How about a kiss?

This is Storm with her very own UPS Dad, stopping to give him some kisses on this cold day! I love you!❤

Posted by UPS Dogs on Thursday, December 19, 2019

It doesn’t get much better than that, folks!

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A Study Shows That Cats Are Less Stressed When They Have Access to Cardboard Boxes

If you have a cat, you’ve probably suspected this for a long time, but now we know that it’s official: cardboard boxes help alleviate cats’ stress.

Researchers from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands conducted the study on shelter cats to see if access to cardboard boxes genuinely helped lower their stress levels in a scientifically measurable way. The scientists used 19 shelter cats in the study, 10 of which were given access to boxes, while 9 were not.

What...?

The study showed that the cats who had access to the boxes showed a faster recovery ability and adapted more quickly to their new environment than those cats that didn’t have access to boxes. The researchers noticed major differences between the two groups just three or four days into the study.

Nap time photoshoot

The researchers explained, “Stressful experiences can have a major impact on the cats’ welfare and may cause higher incidences of infectious diseases in the shelters due to raised cortisol levels causing immunodeficiency. Though several studies showed preference for hiding places and stress-reducing effects of hiding boxes on cats in combined studies, none of these studies determined if proper hiding enrichment would be effective in a quarantine cattery.”

Muffin9

The study lasted 14 days and the cats who had access to the cardboard boxes had a lower mean CSS, which means they had lower stress levels than the cats without the cardboard boxes. Also, the 10 individual cats with the boxes showed little difference in their stress levels while the 9 cats with no access to boxes showed high variance in their levels.

Bottom line: if you have cats, you’ll probably make them feel a lot more comfortable if you toss some old boxes around the house. It makes sense – in the wild, cats are pretty small, and would likely spend quite a lot of their time hiding out of sight.

So help your kitties keep those stress levels down!

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