ANIMALS

Stray Dog’s Unplanned Appearance in Nativity Scene Manager Brings a Heartwarming Spirit

Sometimes, being more mindful of our surroundings can lead to surprising and fulfilling outcomes, as demonstrated by this story.

During the festive season of Christmas and New Year, a Nativity scene was set up in a cozy tent in the main square of Palenque, Mexico. The serene display of typical holiday figurines appeared normal until the locals discovered an unexpected addition – a stray dog had made the manger her home. However, she was not alone in her cozy shelter.

Local journalist Eric Guzmán was among those who spotted the dog nestled inside the tent. What surprised him was that, like Mother Mary, the pup didn’t just rest; she had given birth to a litter of charming puppies on the warm straw-covered ground. It appeared that the stray dog had been struggling to find a safe haven for her newborns, but she had finally found it in the Nativity scene manager.

“I was awestruck, and at the same time joyful seeing that she had her puppies in a safe place where they won’t get wet or cold,” Guzmán said. “It’s been cold lately in Palenque, but it’s usually hot throughout the year.”

After the story of the dog and her puppies spread, numerous residents of Palenque came to visit and offer food and water to the furry family. The community was thrilled to hear about the possible symbolism of the dogs and the local authorities took notice. The officials made the decision to let the mother dog and her litter remain in the Nativity scene tent.

Animal advocates from Dejando Huellitas S.O.S. Palenque stepped up to provide care and shelter for the dogs, with plans to find them loving forever homes after the holiday season.

Although Guzmán did not interpret the puppies’ birth from a religious perspective, he believed that the story could help increase public awareness about animal welfare. “Hopefully, we as citizens will become more aware when it comes to dogs, to adopt strays [rather than buy dogs],” Guzmán shared. “We should love dogs, no matter where they come from.”

Image sources: DEJANDO HUELLITAS S.O.S. PALENQUE

ANIMALS

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

ANIMALS

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.