Officials say that 12-16 pups have survived their first few months.
The critically endangered red wolf population in North Carolina welcomed four new litters this year. Researchers estimate that 12-16 pups have survived their first few months, which is a very big deal for a species with only 22 adults remaining in the wild.
Budget for additional wildlife crossings in the wolf's habitat offers additional hope for the species, since road strikes are currently one of their greatest threats.
Thanks to @calliopechild for submitting this story!
This is easily one of the CRAZIEST videos I've ever gotten. I was rafting down a river when a Yellow Jacket came, landed on my bright pink waterproof phone pouch, and started drinking from the water droplets that had gathered there.
The most amazing part is how the water droplet magnifies the Hornet's mouth parts, so you get to see them up-close!!!! It was FASCINATING to witness!
Here's some of my favorite still shots from that video:
the only jason resurrection story i accept is superboy prime punching a hole in the universe wherein jason is forced to wake up and then dig himself out of his own grave because its both funny (universe punch) and tragic (grave crawl) and I think thats the kind of life jason should be living
Dropping the first papercraft of the year, and the first full papercraft I've personally done in 4 years (if you exclude commissions and standees). I was grateful to catch one of the limited theatrical screenings of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (2025) at the end of last year and I think we can all agree this scene was the stand-out moment in the film. But there were also several themes that hit me with such a powerful resonation, I felt like my soul was sucked into the film and split between the mind of Victor and the heart of the Creature.
Firstly, how could I have not captured this scene in papercraft? Assembling the Creature from scraps of paper, moments before he's meant to become scraps himself. It allowed me to step into Victor's shoes, and relive the obsessive pursuit he describes in the film, only to suddenly meet his goal and aimlessly fumble with what he's created, chaining it in the dungeon, out of sight and mind. I find myself, after tireless nights of dedicated crafting, throwing my completed papercrafts into my closet, documented, abandoned, eager to start the next one.
My Cake Tier Patreon members can download a digital papercraft kit of this when I drop the files later tonight!
Read on further if interested in how this papercraft marks a personal health milestone for me. Otherwise, have a wonderful day!
Why this papercraft marks a personal health milestone for me.
March 2023 is when my health suddenly took a left turn (see Facedown Fate and Night-Glimmer posts). Out of nowhere, I began to have what I call 'low heart rate sessions', where my heart rate for any activity was running 10-15 points lower than normal. I felt like I was walking underwater, my chest felt heavy, I felt cold, and would have to breathe heavy to keep up with the activity I was doing (whether that be walking, or even sitting). Then after several hours, it would suddenly disappear. My HR would rise to normal levels, my breathing would ease, my temperature would rise. No explanation or trigger.
I went to the ER 7 times over the next two months, and with the onset of my second now-chronic symptom, what I refer to as a PVC, I checked into the hospital for evaluation. People who have PVCs describe them as heart flutters, but mine are heart 'kicks'. Like a miniaturized version of the wind being knocked out of you. It's a scary, uncomfortable heart rate hiccup, invoking a short cough, and there's a feeling of dread lasting moments after it happens.
Over the next two years, I went to gastrologists, pulmonary specialists, allergists, 3 different cardiologists, tested so many medications, had multiple CT scans, MRIs, Echos, holter monitors, stress tests, all coming back with 'you're healthy as a horse, it's just stress'. In the end, the only solution my cardiologists could offer were anti-depressants for the stress or beta-blockers for the PVCs (which, hah, lower the heart rate….hello???), which I declined both. I felt if it was stress causing these mystery symptoms, medications interfering with my productivity would just make me more stressed.
During the height of my symptoms I would experience a PVC every 20 minutes, invoked by sudden HR changes (even something like eating shaved ice, which triggers a hypothermic response through your tongue) or random stress events. Eventually, I cut out unnecessary stress in my life (like the news) and I saw my PVCs start to recede to a handful of times per day, months later.
Now, almost three years later, I'm only experiencing them a couple of times a week, if at all, after significant lifestyle changes and rigorous stress deterrents that I invoked at the start of 2025.
I sat through the Frankenstein film marveling at how bosom buddies I was with Victor's ambitions, only to realize I was experiencing my second self through the Creature. A being who was confused in his body, and clashing with his creator, desperate for answers on how to continue living as he is.
Him holding onto the dynamite stick was a taunted retribution toward Victor, but there's a moment of desperate hope in his eyes that this could be the way to unmake himself, perhaps into something Victor would realize he has to accept.
Last year I had to unmake myself to put everything back together with where I'm at now. With those tools in my pocket, I have a better outlook for 2026 and beyond. Rather than the closet, I've hung this frame in my hallway to remind me of this milestone, my Creature, everyday.
i think the first time grace loses a tooth from scurvy, once they get past the initial panic (“no, i won’t die from losing one tooth” and “yeah, it hurts, but it’s not that bad” and “i can still eat just fine, i promise”), rocky tentatively asks if he can hear it more closely.
“yeah, sure.” grace holds up the tooth to the xenonite barrier.
“no, closer,” rocky says, claws clicking nervously. “want to hold.”
grace considers that. if rocky were to, say, lose a chunk of carapace, he’d ask to have it without a second thought. he’d probably make an excuse about wanting to point a spectrometer at it or test its properties, and he’d obviously do those things, but he’d mainly just want to touch it. to hold a piece of rocky without fear of either of them being harmed.
he drops the tooth into the exchange drawer and rocky lunges to retrieve it. grace has a thousand self-hating, existential thoughts about losing it — his health is declining so quickly, his smile is changed forever, he can guess which tooth he’ll lose next — but they all quiet as he watches rocky pick it up with trembling claws. rocky cradles the tooth in the palm of his hand like a delicate treasure, warbling a wordless tune of delight, and grace thinks that, if he makes it through this, everything might just be okay.
Me when I literally just recolor my own drawing and change the quote on it (no work was done (I think I may prefer this one??? (I’m aroace myself I’m biased)))
returning to my roots with more huntrixgenius as a birthday gift for my friend @frogsnfungi203 !!! can you tell i'm weak for zoemira getting pattern tattoos of their own? :')
vaporwave
tangentwithtanner
yousharknotpass
turnnoffyourmind
kianamaiart
dailybridgerton
