The hottest Wildlife Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Science Topics

Of Acorns and Oaks and Ants

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 59 implied HN points • 14 Oct 21
🌞 Climate & Environment Wildlife
  1. Acorns are a great food source for many animals and even humans. They're high in carbs, protein, and fat, making them a nutritious option.
  2. Some ants live inside acorns, using them as homes after other creatures have left. They clean out the empty acorns and set up their colonies there.
  3. Oaks are important trees that have been part of human culture for a long time. They provide beauty with their fall colors and have fascinating connections to history and nature.

Of Eagles and Terra Cotta

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 79 implied HN points • 29 Jan 21
🎭️ Culture Wildlife
  1. There are many eagle sculptures in Seattle, especially made from terra cotta. They're designed to show off strength and grace, reflecting the traits people admire in bald eagles.
  2. The bald eagle population in Seattle is growing, thanks to efforts like banning harmful chemicals. People can enjoy watching these beautiful birds in urban areas.
  3. The Camlin Hotel is home to a famous terra cotta eagle, and it's just one of many artistic ways that Seattle honors this powerful symbol.

Little Red Fish of Lake Sammamish

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 39 implied HN points • 16 Dec 21
🌞 Climate & Environment Wildlife
  1. Kokanee salmon, also known as little red fish, have returned to Lake Sammamish after facing serious population declines. It's exciting to see them swimming up streams where they have been going for thousands of years.
  2. Their comeback is thanks to local efforts to restore their habitat and educate the community. People have worked hard on projects like removing barriers for fish passage and building small hatcheries.
  3. A recent discovery shows that there may still be native kokanee salmon in Lake Washington, which scientists thought were gone. This opens up new possibilities for their conservation and health.

Potentially Attractive Amenity

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 39 implied HN points • 07 Oct 21
🌞 Climate & Environment Wildlife
  1. Nature quickly takes back space when humans leave, as seen in a Seattle block filled with trees and shrubs after a building was demolished. It shows how resilient nature can be.
  2. Instead of building more structures, letting nature thrive in urban areas could create beneficial environments for both plants and animals. Less management of these spaces could lead to more biodiversity.
  3. Urban green spaces should allow nature to grow and decompose naturally. Places that embrace the natural cycle can improve the quality of life for all city residents.

Beasts Among Us

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 19 implied HN points • 17 Jun 21
🎭️ Culture Wildlife
  1. Nature is everywhere in urban settings. We just need to take a moment to look around and notice it.
  2. Animals like robins and raccoons interact with our gardens in amusing ways, reminding us we're sharing our space with them.
  3. Even in city areas, we can have exciting wildlife encounters, like watching owls hunt, which encourages us to explore and appreciate our local nature.
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Surf scoter

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 19 implied HN points • 22 Apr 21
🔬 Science Wildlife
  1. The surf scoter is a bird known by many different names, highlighting the variety of ways people refer to it. This shows how unique and interesting this bird is.
  2. Surf scoters are very active, especially in the morning and evening, diving for food like insects and crustaceans. They spend more time underwater than on the surface while feeding.
  3. During mating season, male surf scoters compete for the attention of a female in a dramatic display of courtship. The female chooses among them while they show off their skills in the water.

The First Cat War

Bird History • 1 HN point • 25 Jan 24
🔬 Science Wildlife
  1. Conservationists in the early 1900s identified cats as a serious threat to bird populations, sparking a heated debate with cat-lovers accusing bird-lovers of hysteria.
  2. Outdoor cats were seen as harmful to bird populations, particularly during nesting seasons, with young birds being easy prey, leading to significant declines in bird populations.
  3. Efforts were made to find humane solutions to protect birds from cats, including restraining cats at night, using bells on cat collars, and advocating for laws requiring cat licenses to reduce the feral cat population.

It's Shark Week.

Off-Topic • 2 HN points • 24 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Wildlife
  1. Shark Week shows often bend the truth and rely on sensationalism for entertainment.
  2. Being entertained by fear-inducing shark programs can perpetuate harmful myths and attitudes towards sharks.
  3. Shark Week's evolution highlights the shift towards profit-driven, exaggerated content at the expense of educational value.

7x50 Binoculars Are the Best

Kartick’s Blog • 0 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
🏝 Travel Wildlife
  1. 7x50 binoculars give the best balance of steady magnification and a large exit pupil, so they’re bright, easy to align with your eye, and comfortable for detailed viewing day and night.
  2. Higher magnification and smaller objectives (like 10x42) amplify hand shake and produce a smaller, darker exit pupil, so they often don’t show more detail and cause more eyestrain; zooms also perform worse and good image-stabilized models are very expensive.
  3. Big tripod-mounted bins (like 20x80) can give more magnification but are heavy, need a very stable tripod and a seat, and are less portable, so they’re best kept as a second pair while 7x50s remain the mainstay.

There's a difference between looking and seeing...

lifeboat • 0 implied HN points • 31 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Wildlife
  1. Photography can transform everyday sights by freezing a moment, revealing details we might not notice otherwise.
  2. Filmmaking requires understanding how to slow down action to show what's happening, balancing practicality with creativity.
  3. Observing wildlife with patience and respect is key, knowing when to film and when to simply observe to avoid disturbing the animals.

Lake Manyara and Serengeti National Parks

Splattern • 0 implied HN points • 17 Jun 24
🏝 Travel Wildlife
  1. Elephants are amazing creatures and play a huge role in their environment by helping to shape the land. They can communicate over long distances and even help create watering holes.
  2. The relationship between whistling acacia trees and cocktail ants is really interesting. The ants protect the tree from being eaten while getting a home in return.
  3. Zebras have a unique way of conserving energy by resting on each other's backs. This also helps them keep an eye out for predators.

Beluga whale thought to be a Russian spy has been potentially assassinated, police report released

Really Stupid • 0 implied HN points • 15 Sep 24
📰 News Wildlife
  1. A beluga whale named Hvaldimir was found dead in Norway, with a stick causing his death.
  2. There are suspicions that the whale might have been intentionally harmed due to allegations of being a Russian spy.
  3. Hvaldimir was known for being friendly with humans and was possibly trained for therapy with children, but his origins remain unclear.

Fourteen-Lion Parade

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 0 implied HN points • 26 Jun 25
🏝 Travel Wildlife
  1. In 2007, earthquakes changed the flow of the Savuti Channel, allowing it to become a year-round wetland again instead of just a seasonal one. This is important for the local ecosystem.
  2. A group of fourteen lions was observed moving quietly and stealthily to hunt. It's fascinating to see how they work together as a team.
  3. Having a skilled guide can really enhance the experience of wildlife watching. Good guides help you notice things you might miss on your own.