ANIMALS
Sausage Dog and Seal Puppy Became Instant BFFs at First Sight
![Sausage Dog and Seal Puppy Became Instant BFFs at First Sight](http://beginandbegin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Sausage-Dog-and-Seal-Puppy-Became-Instant-BFFs-at-First-Sight.jpg)
Meeting someone and feeling an instant connection is a common experience, especially during vacations. It’s thrilling to find someone we can connect with right away, and these chance encounters can turn into long-lasting friendships, despite differences in background and culture.
Interestingly, the same can be said for animals, as shown in the story below of the adorable dog and seal.
Image source: Melanie Talbot
While on vacation with his owner Melanie Talbot, a dachshund named Stanley befriended an unlikely companion at the Sea Life Trust Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Cornwall, England. Upon entering the underwater viewing areas, Stanley was immediately captivated by Aayla, a large seal in the tank, who reciprocated his attention by becoming more active and gazing back at him through the glass.
Image source: Melanie Talbot
For about 20 minutes, the pair engaged with one another and even took some great photos together. They seemed genuinely intrigued by each other, to the point where some speculated that the seal might have mistaken Stanley for another seal, as he was wearing a jacket that covered his ears. Aayla even greeted him by waving her flippers and tilting her head, much like a dog’s behavior.
Talbot was thrilled to witness the instant connection between the two animals. She recalled a remark someone made about her dog resembling a seal when he sleeps with his legs tucked in, which could be a reason why the land pup and sea pup felt a sense of familiarity with each other.
Image source: Melanie Talbot
“Aayla is often found by the underwater viewing, she absolutely loves interacting with people and dogs,” explained Georgina Shannon of the Sea Life Trust Cornish Seal Sanctuary. “We are often sent photos from our guests who have captured Aayla interacting with their dogs, so this isn’t the first time she has made friends with a dog, although she seemed to really love Stanley!”
“I think she was absolutely fascinated by him!” elaborated Georgina Shannon. “You can see from the photos she was really interested in him and spent a long time looking at him through the glass.”
Image source: Melanie Talbot
The sanctuary housed the 2-year-old seal permanently, and she had a lively and energetic personality.
“Aayla was rescued from Bacton, Norfolk in January 2017 and taken to a local rehabilitation center. She was malnourished and had a small injury on her right flipper,” shared Shannon. “The flipper was discovered to be severely infected and several of the bones had to be removed, meaning she had to receive continuous care. The Sanctuary welcomed Aayla to the family in July 2018 to provide her with a permanent home.”
Image source: Melanie Talbot
“Aayla is very active and enjoys playing with other seals,” continued Shannon. “Her favorite activity is to sneak up to the team and to pester the other seals when sunbathing. Aayla is very intelligent and quick to pick up new things during her training sessions. Even with her part amputated flipper she still manages to keep up with the others and get into plenty of mischief!”
Image source: Melanie Talbot
For over six decades, the Sea Life Trust Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, Cornwall, has been providing a safe haven and care for a large number of seals and other marine animals that are sick, injured, or distressed. While some animals that can recover enough are released back into the wild, many rescued animals, including Aayla, remain in the sanctuary for the rest of their lives.
Image source: Melanie Talbot
“Something that people may not know about our seal pups is that once they are released, they travel far and wide,” explained Shannon. “We have had reports from Ireland that one of our released pups has been spotted there! We can receive this information as each pup we release has a flipper tag with a number on so if they are spotted, we will know which seal it is by their tag number.”
Image source: Melanie Talbot
The photos featuring Stanley and Aayla have become an internet sensation. You can find more of their daily lives on Talbot’s Instagram and the official Instagram account of the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.
ANIMALS
Amazing Video of Unseen Ocean Creatures in the Ningaloo Canyons
![Amazing Video of Unseen Ocean Creatures in the Ningaloo Canyons](http://beginandbegin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Amazing-Video-of-Unseen-Ocean-Creatures-in-the-Ningaloo-Canyons.jpg)
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
ANIMALS
These Pics Are Art and the Artists Are Insects
![These Pics Are Art and the Artists Are Insects](http://beginandbegin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/These-Pics-Are-Art-and-the-Artists-Are-Insects.jpg)
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
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](http://beginandbegin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Eagle-and-Fox-in-an-Epic-Midair-Battle-Over-a-Rabbit-Were-Captured-by-a-Photographer.jpg)
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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