The world is full of all sorts of fascinating critters, but one of my favorites is the Pangolin, also known as the scaly anteater. Pangolins are mammals that are covered from head to toe in scales made of keratin, which is the same substance found in our nails and hair. Sadly, they are some of the most heavily trafficked animals on the planet. Here are some interesting facts about them: - The word "Pangolin" comes from the Malay word "penggulung," which means "roller." This refers to the way Pangolins defend themselves - by rolling into a ball. - Pangolins' diet is exclusively ants (and termites). - Pangolins typically give birth to only one baby per pregnancy after a gestation period of 69-150 days (species dependent). The babies are born with soft scales, which soon harden. - Pangolins are not related to anteaters, sloths or armadillos. - Pangolins are the only mammal with scales, which make up about 20% of their body weight.

This week's essay from the Whales in My Backyard series is live. I hadn't read it in awhile and was a little surprised by how raw the memories remain. I've been working on the section in the first Wild Dialogs course (almost done) that describes the different ways the left and right hemispheres of our brains process information. One (the left ) is time based and linear. The other (the right) exists in the eternal now and is associative. Can you guess which side of my brain was working overtime when I wrote this? Out of curiosity, have any of you ever spent any time out on the ocean far from land? How about deep sea fishing? https://www.skool.com/wild-dialogs-2031/classroom/2e3b103e

We are all in this together. No one can do it all alone. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AqZz61XVj/ Who (and who I don’t mean just humans) do you think of as your pack? How do they support you, and how do you support them?

Pigeons are not only devoted partners — they are highly intelligent and complex beings that possess abilities most humans don't even know exist. Pigeons have tiny magnetic crystals in their beaks that act like biological compasses that allow them to sense Earth's magnetic field and navigate accurately. They can also detect sounds too low for humans to hear and read polarized light patterns in the sky that are invisible to humans. Pigeons can also count, recognize themselves in mirrors, and learn abstract concepts. They rank among the top ten most intelligent beings on the planet. For more on the brilliance of pigeons, see "The Genius of Birds" by Jennifer Ackerman.

I can't think of too many things that are cuter than this. The perfect palette cleanser. Enjoy :-)