Today I learned about North America's largest wildlife overpass in Colorado and its incredible success in less than a year. The wildlife crossing system has already reduced animal-vehicle collisions by 91%! They were averaging one collision a day during peak wildlife movement seasons, so you can imagine the lives already being saved. Here is the bridge I crossed researching this wonderful project. The I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass opened in December 2025 near Larkspur, Colorado. This beautiful bridge stretches 200 feet wide and 209 feet long over six lanes of interstate traffic, reconnecting 39,000 acres of wildlife habitat that had been separated by the highway. And it's not just a bridge! It's part of an 18-mile wildlife crossing system that includes five underpasses and fencing to guide animals toward safe crossings. The bridge was specially designed for elk, pronghorn, mule deer and other wildlife. Its wide, gently sloping entrances are covered with soil and vegetation, creating a more natural path. The open design is especially important for elk and pronghorn, who prefer being able to see their surroundings rather than entering enclosed tunnels. The fencing helps guide animals toward the crossings instead of onto the highway. Wildlife escape ramps also provide a way out for animals who accidentally end up on the roadway side of the fencing. And the animals are using it! Wildlife cameras have recorded herds of elk crossing safely, along with pronghorn reaching the western side of I-25 for the first time in decades. Just imagine what reconnecting these habitats means for future generations of wildlife! And, like you might be thinking right now, I too asked who's making all this possible. The Colorado bridge cost approximately $15 million to construct, with most of the funding coming from a federal grant. Colorado's Department of Transportation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Douglas County, conservation organizations and other partners worked together to make the project possible.

I want to introduce you to a little girl I've fallen madly in love with at Animals as Natural Therapy (ANT), where I donate my serves as an Animal Chaplain. Her name is Lily, and she's ao one-year-old Kunekune pig with quite a story. Lily came to ANT about three months ago after her family was going through a divorce and could no longer keep her. Unfortunately, Lily hadn't received the care she needed. Her diet consisted of oatmeal and ice cream, she was severely overweight, and her hooves had never been properly trimmed. They had grown so long that they curled up like clown shoes. ANT staff initially trimmed what they safely could to make her more comfortable, but her hooves were in such bad shape that she needed a more extensive procedure under sedation. Before that could happen, Lily needed to get healthier. ANT immediately started her on love and a proper pig diet, and Lily began getting a little exercise by walking between her enclosure and the barn where she slept at night. She didn't move much because of her weight and the condition of her feet. Well, I'm happy to report that Lily had her hoof procedure last week, and OH MY GOSH, what a difference! Two weeks ago, I walked into her enclosure without even calling her name, and she came running over to greet me. My heart melted. I started scratching her butt, and she flopped over for the full spa treatment. She was so relaxed that she fell asleep with her little tongue hanging out of her mouth. She owns me now. This weekend was a completely different story. Lily was far too busy enjoying her newfound mobility to bother with spa day. She was running around, rooting up the yard, and pushing the goats out of the way because apparently ALL the carrots belonged to her. The enclosure looked like it was taken over by an excavator, and I can only imagine what the goats think of their new landscaping contractor! Lily still has some weight to lose, but she's doing beautifully. She's got her little pig feet back, she's moving comfortably, and she's enjoying being a pig!

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, working with Ojai Raptor Center and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, has released the results of Jackie's necropsy. The primary underlying cause of her illness and death was Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), but her case was unusual. Rather than primarily affecting her respiratory system, the virus caused a severe ulcer in her gizzard that led to ongoing internal bleeding and explained the persistent anemia her veterinary team struggled to treat. Bacteria also entered through the damaged tissue, causing sepsis. Severe inflammation and blood clots were found in her heart and major blood vessels. Although rodenticide was detected in her liver, investigators did not identify it as the primary cause of her illness or death. One reassuring finding is that there was no evidence from the nest cameras that Shadow, Sandy, or Luna were sick. Would knowing earlier that Jackie had avian influenza have saved her? Unfortunately, there is no established, reliably effective treatment for HPAI in wild eagles. An earlier diagnosis might have helped guide her care, but there's no way to know whether it would have changed the outcome. Knowing what caused Jackie's illness doesn't make losing her any easier, but it does help us understand what she was fighting. Her case may also help veterinarians recognize and treat this unusual presentation of avian influenza in other birds. Jackie may be flying Home, but she's still helping others. ❤️ Jackie's full necropsy results and medical information are available here.

My mom would have turned 87 today. I lost her in 2018. She was too young and I wasn't ready to let her go. Today I want to share her love of frogs. Her grandcat took after her and always had a pet frog with her when she went outside in her cat-safe backyard. ❤️ There are more than 8,000 species of frogs in the world, living on every continent except Antarctica. You'll find them in rainforests, deserts, grasslands, wetlands, and even high in the mountains. Depending on the species, frogs can live anywhere from a few years to more than 20 years. These little amphibians do some pretty important work for our planet. They help control insect populations, provide food for birds, snakes, fish, and other wildlife, and their tadpoles help keep aquatic ecosystems healthy. Because their sensitive skin absorbs substances from their surroundings, frogs can also help scientists detect environmental problems. One frog I think Mom would have loved is the poison arrow frog, a tiny rainforest resident with an extraordinary parenting routine. In some species, Dad takes on the responsibility of transporting the tadpoles. After the eggs hatch, he carries the little youngsters on his back, climbing high into the trees to find tiny pools of water collected in plants. Each tadpole gets a little nursery where they can continue growing and developing into frogs. He also monitors the tadpoles, and when they tell him they are hungry, he calls for a female. Mom then comes over, doing what all good poison arrow moms do, inspects the situation, and lays an unfertalized egg for dinner. What a beautiful family dynamic. Imagine being a tiny frog growing up in your own little swimming pool high in the rainforest canopy with room service! 🐸💚 Watch this incredible BBC Earth video showing a poison arrow frog caring for his youngsters. And in a wonderful coincidence, today I'm helping move endangered toad tadpoles as part of a reintroduction effort. I can't think of a more fitting way to celebrate Mom's birthday than helping the little creatures she loved so much.

This incredible designer came in second place in our decorating competition. The male bowerbird has some pretty impressive ideas for his bachelor pad, complete with a cassette of love songs featuring bird calls, impressions of other birds, and sounds from his surroundings to serenade the ladies. Each species has their own decorating style and their own ideas about what a girl wants, what a girl needs. (That song popped on my head. It might be on the cassette too. 😂) These bachelors carefully build and decorate their bowers with colorful flowers, fruits, stones, leaves, and even human-made treasures like bottle caps and plastic pieces. Some prefer everything in blue, while others enjoy a variety of colors. And they’re serious about decorating. They’ll collect dozens of similar objects, arrange them by color or size, and sometimes even steal a few treasures from the bachelor next door. Some are so clever they use their decorations to create optical illusions. Now, these aren’t family homes. They’re elaborate courtship displays, complete with decorating, dancing, and serenading. Once a female chooses her mate, she builds her own nest to raise her babies. These little designers certainly know how to make a first impression. Watch David Attenborough’s five-minute video of these incredible decorators in action, and let me know if you gleaned any tips for decorating your own bachelor pad.