Paws Wet Nose

09/08/2025

09/06/2025

The Picasso Bug is a small insect that truly lives up to its name, resembling a moving artwork with its bold patterns and striking colors. Native to tropical regions of Africa, this shield-backed bug relies on its vivid designs as a warning signal to potential predators, letting them know it is toxic and not worth the risk.

✨ Fun Fact: Scientifically known as Sphaerocoris annulus, this insect earned the nickname "Picasso Bug" because its colorful, abstract look reminds people of a painted masterpiece. Some scientists believe its patterns may also help with camouflage among bright flowers and leaves, giving it both beauty and survival advantages.

09/06/2025

🥰 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 🥰 🥰

09/04/2025

08/14/2025

🦒 Meet Kipekee — the only spotless giraffe alive today.

In rural Tennessee, Brights Zoo welcomed a giraffe unlike any seen in half a century.

Born on July 31, 2023, the calf is a reticulated giraffe without a single spot—her coat a rich, chocolate brown instead of the usual patterned camouflage.

Zookeepers say she’s likely the only spotless giraffe alive today, with the last recorded case occurring in Japan in the 1970s. Her rare appearance has captivated people worldwide, with photos of her smooth coat sparking fascination across social media.

While her birth is a genetic marvel, it also highlights the precarious state of her species. Reticulated giraffes, native to the Horn of Africa, have suffered a 50% population decline in the past 35 years, leaving just 16,000 in the wild. The zoo invited the public to help choose her name, and more than 40,000 people from around the globe voted. The winning choice—Kipekee—means “unique” in Swahili, a fitting title for one of the rarest giraffes in the world.

source
Brights Zoo

08/05/2025

"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday, I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. But by sitting still, and the more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill. Thus if one just keeps on walking, everything will be all right."

~Søren Kierkegaard

Image: art by Brooklyn Swenson

07/17/2025

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁? 🐬

07/11/2025