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Mom Captures the Special Moment When Her Daughter with Cerebral Palsy Receives a Puppy to Encourage Walking Independently

Mom Captures the Special Moment When Her Daughter

Briella Naif, a five-year-old from Michigan who has been dealing with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy since she was 21 months old, got a Christmas surprise.

Image source: Caroline Naif

Cerebral palsy has made it challenging for her to balance, move, and coordinate her legs. However, with years of therapy—physical, occupational, and speech therapy—Briella has shown remarkable improvement in her ability to move and communicate.

While speech therapy has assisted her in forming words, Briella continues to use American Sign Language for words that are still a bit tricky for her to say.

Briella had been expressing her desire for a dog to her mom, Caroline, for some time. When Caroline noticed Briella walking with a toy dog during therapy, she knew exactly what to do.

The Naif family made Briella’s wish come true. On November 20, they welcomed an eight-week-old pomsky named Mieka. They surprised Briella, and she laughed joyfully while holding her new pup on her lap.

Image source: Caroline Naif

Caroline said, “She had been asking for a dog every day this past year, and she would sign ‘little dog’. Briella needed a companion and an emotional support dog. With all of her hard work in physical therapy programs and watching her take so many independent steps, I knew getting a dog would be so motivating for her.”

“I knew on one of the last days of therapy when I watched her walk independently with a little toy dog that we just had to get her a real one. And Briella loves Mieka’s soft fur and her blue eyes. She also loves it when she wags her tail and sticks her tongue out.”

Image source: Caroline Naif

She also shared how cerebral palsy impacts Briella’s everyday life, making it challenging for her to move her muscles, coordinate, and maintain balance. However, Briella’s cheerful attitude remains unchanged despite these challenges.

“Briella is a happy and smiley five-year-old girl who doesn’t let cerebral palsy stop her,” Caroline said.

The close connection between Briella and Mieka shows how animals can be beneficial in therapy. It’s clear that having a real dog like Mieka will be a wonderful source of encouragement for Briella during her physical therapy sessions.

Image source: Caroline Naif

The goal is for Mieka to inspire Briella to keep taking steps on her own and eventually walk without needing assistance.

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ANIMALS

Amazing Video of Unseen Ocean Creatures in the Ningaloo Canyons

Amazing Video of Unseen Ocean Creatures in the Ningaloo Canyons

The Schmidt Ocean Institute recently explored the Ningaloo Canyons on the western coast of Australia using a robotic underwater vehicle called the ROV Sebastian. Check out the amazing video of what they discovered in the deep parts of the Indian Ocean.

More info: Youtube

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ANIMALS

These Pics Are Art and the Artists Are Insects

These Pics Are Art and the Artists Are Insects

Flying insects move so quickly that they are hard to follow, but new technology and some smart ideas have helped Spanish photographer Xavi Bou do just that. After spending 10 years focusing on birds in flight for his Ornithographies project, he turned his attention to insects.

For Entomographies, he uses high-speed video footage taken by Adrian Smith, an insect expert at North Carolina State University, to study and record how insects move. Bou then picks multiple frames and combines them into single images that show the fast movements of one or more insects through space and time.

With Smith’s help, Bou has captured the aerial tricks of wasps, the jumps of leafhoppers, and the fluttering of butterflies in amazing detail. He hopes that by doing this, he can make people more aware of the decline in important insect populations around the world.

1. Zebra longwing

This butterfly, which is common in many areas of the Americas, really fits its name. It can fly very high with just a few flaps of its large wings.

Image source: nationalgeographic

2. Two-lined spittlebug

This insect, which comes from the eastern United States, is often seen as a pest because it likes to eat grass. Its springy back legs can make it jump into the air like a rocket.

Image source: nationalgeographic

3. Yellow-collared scape moth

Unlike most moths, this North American species flies during the day. Its shiny blue-black wings sparkle in the sunlight.

Image source: nationalgeographic

4. Ailanthus webworm moths

These tropical moths have spread farther north in the U.S. Because of their larval host, the invasive tree of heaven, they are now one of the most common backyard moths in the country.

Image source: nationalgeographic

5. Common stonefly

Mostly found in eastern North America, this insect starts its life as an underwater nymph in forested streams or rivers. Then it leaves the water, sheds its skin, and becomes an adult with wings.

Image source: nationalgeographic

6. Green lacewings

Eighty-seven species of this insect have been found in the U.S. and Canada. Since they eat a lot of unwanted plant pests like aphids and mites, they are often used to naturally control these pests.

Image source: nationalgeographic

7. Grapevine beetle

This insect, fittingly named, eats the leaves and fruit of grapevines, both wild and farmed, but it doesn’t do much damage to the plants. As a type of scarab beetle, it often flies in a curved path.

Image source: nationalgeographic

8. Oak treehopper and green treehopper

Treehoppers are known for their uniquely shaped pronotum, the part behind their head, which often looks like plant parts to hide from predators. They can jump well thanks to special muscles.

Image source: nationalgeographic

9. Banded orange

This brightly colored butterfly can be found from Mexico to Brazil. Before mating season, male butterflies look for mineral salts, sometimes even drinking salty fluids from the skin, eyes, and nostrils of other animals.

Image source: nationalgeographic

10. Sapho longwing

Longwings can live for 6 to 7 months, longer than most butterflies. This type, found from Mexico to Ecuador, has shiny blue wings, which is why it’s also called the Sapphire longwing.

Image source: nationalgeographic

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ANIMALS

Eagle and Fox in an Epic Midair Battle Over a Rabbit, Were Captured by a Photographer

Eagle and Fox in an Epic Midair Battle Over a Rabbit, Were Captured by a Photographer

Wildlife photography often depends on the perfect combination of good timing and the right place.

That’s exactly what happened when Kevin Ebi, an experienced wildlife photographer, captured an incredible battle between a bald eagle and a red fox, both competing for a rabbit meal.

In a detailed blog post, Ebi shares the fascinating series of events that unfolded while he was photographing foxes in San Juan Island National Historical Park, located in Washington state.

Ebi noticed a lively group of eight fox kits as they began their hunting lessons. Suddenly, they spotted a rabbit, and a thrilling chase ensued. Eventually, one of the foxes emerged as the winner, proudly carrying the rabbit across the field.

Image source: Kevin Ebi

Ebi shares what happened at that moment: “As I followed the fox with my camera, a sudden bald eagle cry caught my attention. It was swiftly approaching, clearly aiming for the rabbit. I quickly focused on the fox, anticipating a quick turnover of events.”

To Ebi’s astonishment, instead of a quick surrender, the situation turned into a intense fight in the air.

The eagle used its power to lift the fox and rabbit high up in the sky. Even while airborne, the fox attempted to break free by swinging back and forth.

Image source: Kevin Ebi

Image source: Kevin Ebi

Image source: Kevin Ebi

In the end, the eagle moved the rabbit to its other claw, causing the fox to let go. The intense battle came to an end in less than 10 seconds.

Image source: Kevin Ebi

For those worried about the fox’s well-being after the fight, Ebi reassures that it was not injured. The fox swiftly bounced back from the encounter and resumed its playful behavior with the other young foxes, showing no visible wounds from the aerial clash.

Image source: Kevin Ebi

Image source: Kevin Ebi

Image source: Kevin Ebi

Image source: Kevin Ebi

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