BLOG - WildAware

The Physics of Penguin Poop — and Parental Love!

When nesting, they never want to leave their precious eggs or chicks exposed to the freezing Antarctic air. So instead of walking away to poop… they launch it!

With a built-in “poop propulsion system,” penguins can shoot their droppings up to 1.3 metres (4 feet) away — keeping their nest clean and their family safe from bacteria and cold.

It’s funny, a little gross, and totally brilliant — proof that even penguin poop has a purpose in nature.

#WildAware #Penguins #WildlifeWonder #AnimalFacts #WildlifeEducation #FunFactFriday #Antarctica #ConservationThroughCuriosity #animals #wildlife

The Miami Seaquarium Has Closed — But Lolita’s Story Lives On

After 70 years, the Miami Seaquarium has permanently closed its gates. Once known for dolphin shows and marine “education,” it later became infamous as the tank that held Lolita the orca (Tokitae) for over five decades — in one of the smallest orca tanks in the world.

Lolita was captured from her pod in the Pacific Northwest in 1970 and spent 53 years performing for crowds, unable to swim freely or socialize with other orcas. She passed away in 2023, just before plans were made to relocate her to a sea sanctuary.

Now, with the Seaquarium’s closure, many are calling it the end of an era of marine captivity — and a beginning of something new: compassion-based education, rehabilitation, and sanctuary care for marine life.

Did you know?

Wild orcas can swim up to 150 km a day, dive hundreds of meters deep, and live in tight family pods.

In captivity, their lifespan and health drop dramatically.

True conservation comes from protecting animals in the wild, not displaying them in tanks.

Let Lolita’s legacy be a lesson

Her story reminds us how far we’ve come — and how far we still have to go — in protecting the freedom and dignity of all animals.

#Lolita #Tokitae #MiamiSeaquarium #EndCaptivity #AnimalRights #MarineLife #EthicalTourism #WildAware #whales #Dolphins #Conservation #SanctuariesNotShows #animals #wildlife

— at Miami Sea Aquarium.

KILLED BY COMFORT

The reason you feel so depressed and terrified of not living up to your potential is because you have been killed by comfort.

As a modern human, you have caged yourself in cotton wool in an effort to make life more convenient but in the process, you have robbed yourself of the very things that make you feel most alive.

You don’t need another coach or an online course to live your best life – you need the raw howl of the wind and rain on your face, the smell of sweat from building your own bed, the hunger pains in your belly that widen your predatory senses, and the lick of the fire to warm your cold hands.

The numbness you feel is a symptom of not indulging your senses anymore. The same senses that mould how you experience the world & your place within it.

We all seek to feel spiritually powerful and resilient but are you willing to surrender your false sense of security in order to meet who you really are when everything else is stripped away.

I’m not saying it has to be hard. In fact, it can be incredibly liberating as your cellular memory begins to awaken and remember the true source of your wellness that you crave.

In my experience, mental health issues are the most common reason people turn to rewilding and other nature connection spaces. Because, deep down, many people don’t feel they belong in the crazy western world & their bodies communicate this through depression, anxiety and adrenal fatigue.

In which case, the thought of ‘pushing past your edges’ or ‘doing a survival trip/wild campout’ sounds like that last thing you’d want to do.

But as challenging as it may be to hear:

The true alivesness and freedom you seek is waiting for you on the other side of comfort.

When you’re personally required to meet your basic human needs (i.e shelter, water, fire, food etc), you realise what you’re really capable of as a human being and you get a glimpse of what an allyship with the Earth truly looks like.

In essence, you meet your power.

And rather than unconsciously giving your power away to external sources who sustain/drain you – you realise you have a choice.

And the power to choose is what really matters.

When you realise this, the fun really begins.

Words: Brittany Jane

#wildaware #fire #campfire #outdoors #outdoorliving #life

Tiny life, big wonder!

What you’re seeing here isn’t a mythical creature — it’s a 2-day-old zebrafish larva, magnified thousands of times under a scanning electron microscope.

Zebrafish might be small, but they’ve made a huge impact in science. These tiny freshwater fish share about 70% of their genes with humans, making them one of the most important model species for studying development, genetics, and disease.

This stunning micrograph, captured by Jürgen Berger and Mahendra Sonawane at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, won first prize in their Images of Research Focus photo contest.

It’s a powerful reminder that beauty exists at every scale of life — even in creatures smaller than a grain of sand.

©Jürgen Berger & Mahendra Sonawane / Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology

#Zebrafish #ScienceArt #WildAware #MicroWorld #ConservationThroughEducation #STEM #MarineBiology #Microscopy #Biodiversity #NatureIsArt #animals #wildlife #WildAwareAnimals

Big news for Australia’s koalas!

Australia has just approved the world’s first vaccine for koalas—a groundbreaking step in saving this iconic species.

Koala chlamydia is a bacterial infection that causes blindness, infertility, and even death. In some colonies, up to 70% of koalas are infected.

After more than a decade of research, scientists have developed a single-dose vaccine that:
Lowers disease risk during breeding age
Cuts mortality by at least 65%
Protects without antibiotics that disrupt eucalyptus digestion

Why it matters:
A century ago, millions of koalas roamed Australia. Today, only about 60,000 remain. Chlamydia alone accounts for nearly half of all wild koala deaths.

This vaccine offers three levels of protection—preventing infection, slowing disease, and boosting survival. It could be the game-changer koalas desperately need.

From “at risk” to hope: this breakthrough is a major step in keeping koalas thriving in the wild.

#wildaware #wildlife #Australia #nature #koala #endangered #animalrights
#animals #AnimalRescue #positivenews

Meet the Valais Blacknose Sheep — The Cutest Sheep on Earth!

Native to the Valais region of the Swiss Alps, these striking sheep have been bred for centuries in one of Europe’s most dramatic mountain landscapes. Their distinctive black faces, ears, knees, and feet make them instantly recognizable.

Did you know?
The Valais Blacknose is one of the oldest sheep breeds in Switzerland, with records dating back to the 15th century.
They’re incredibly adapted to alpine life, thriving on steep, rocky slopes where few other livestock can graze.
Each sheep’s pattern is unique — no two have exactly the same black markings.
Both males and females grow beautiful, spiral-shaped horns.
They’re known for being gentle, curious, and sociable, often approaching people for pats or snacks.
Lambs are born mostly black, and their wool lightens as they grow.

Today, these sheep are a protected breed in Switzerland and are becoming popular in other parts of the world thanks to their friendly nature and charming looks.

#ValaisBlacknoseSheep #CutestSheepEver #AnimalFacts #SwissAlps #WildAware #WildAwareAnimals #FarmAnimals #SwissHeritage #AlpineLife #Biodiversity #Conservation #animals #Switzerland

7 Fascinating Facts About the Mysterious Springhare

(No, they’re not actually hares!)

They’re Africa’s “kangaroo bunnies”!

Springhares are small nocturnal animals that hop on two legs—just like kangaroos—but they’re not related to either kangaroos or hares.

Masters of the night

These adorable creatures spend their days in underground burrows and emerge only after sunset to forage for roots, seeds, and grass.

Built for bouncing

With powerful hind legs, they can leap up to 2 metres in a single bound to escape predators.

A glow in the dark secret

Under UV light, springhares glow bright pink and orange! Scientists think this bioluminescence might help them communicate or confuse predators.

Desert architects

Their burrows are like cool, humid sanctuaries that help them survive hot African nights — and even shelter other species like lizards and insects.

Tiny but mighty herbivores

Despite their rabbit-like look, they’re more closely related to squirrels than hares!

Silent survivors

Springhares are rarely seen, but their presence keeps ecosystems balanced by aerating soil and spreading seeds.

Next time you see the African savanna come alive at night, imagine the springhare quietly bouncing under the stars.

#wildaware #wildawareanimals #springhare #wildlifeeducation #animalfacts #animals #nocturnalanimals #africanwildlife #wildlifelovers

#wildlife #Africa

10c for Every Bottle: How the Container Deposit Scheme Helps Us All

Big cheers to Sunshine Coast Council for forward thinking! Imagine if all our bins had this built-in — easier recycling, cleaner streets, and less waste.

Did you know in Australia you can get 10c back for every eligible bottle, or can you recycle through the Container Deposit Scheme? That’s money in your pocket and less plastic in landfill.

Win–win for the planet and for us.

Of course, the best option is to use a reusable bottle in the first place.

#Recycle #CircularEconomy #Australia #SustainableLiving #WinWin #wildaware #plastic #plasticfree #Maroochydore #sunshinecoast

Historic Win for Koalas: NSW Creates the Great Koala National Park

HISTORIC WIN FOR KOALAS!

BREAKING: The NSW Government has officially announced that the entire 176,000 hectares of state forests will be permanently protected as part of the Great Koala National Park!

This means:

12,000 koalas will have their habitat safeguarded.

Countless other threatened species will be protected.

Millions of tonnes of carbon locked away.

First Nations cultural heritage preserved.

An immediate logging moratorium is in place, ensuring the forests are safe starting today.

This victory didn’t happen overnight. It was the result of thousands of people:

signing petitions

contacting MPs

rallying in the streets

sparking conversations everywhere

Your actions made this possible.

This is more than a win for koalas – it’s a win for climate, culture, and community.

#GreatKoalaNationalPark #KoalasForever #ConservationVictory #ProtectNature #wildaware #Australia #wildaware #animals #wildlife

Protecting WA’s Blue Heart: Exmouth Gulf Marine Park Announced

Big news for WA’s (Western Australia’s) oceans!

The WA Government has just announced the creation of the Exmouth Gulf Marine Park — a long-awaited step to protect one of the world’s most unique marine ecosystems, right next to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef.

Why it matters:

Exmouth Gulf is a nursery for humpback whales, dugongs, and threatened shorebirds

Home to mangrove wetlands, coral gardens & vital prawn fisheries

Holds 40,000+ years of cultural history with traditional owners

What’s planned:

30% of the Gulf will become no-catch sanctuary zones to protect ecosystems

Joint management with traditional owners (Nganhurra Thanardi Garrbu Aboriginal Corporation)

Consultation with fishers over the next 12–18 months

The Gulf has recently suffered from record marine heatwaves and coral bleaching — making this protection more urgent than ever.

“The Exmouth Gulf is home to one of the most extraordinary and unique marine ecosystems on the planet, and it deserves the very highest level of protection.” – Premier Roger Cook

This is a major win after decades of advocacy — but the details of zoning and fishing rules will shape how effective the protection really is.

What do you think: Will marine parks like this help safeguard WA’s oceans for future generations?

#ExmouthGulf #MarinePark #OceanConservation #NingalooReef #ProtectWhatYouLove #wildaware #ningaloo #Australia #saveouroceans

See less

— in Australia.