heatherphysioc.bsky.social
Chief Discoverability Officer at VML • Drum Search Leader of the Year • Keynote Speaker • Outdoor & Conservation Journalist + Photographer • Prints available, 50% of Sales to Conservation Causes • Dog's Best Friend • https://kctrvlr.com
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Chango is an MIT Dept. of Linguistics & Philosophy graduate student and contributor to the university’s Indigenous Language Initiative.
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Missouri River looks + sounds like this too! Just photographed a bald eagle over the river this afternoon. Ice floes are still going strong.
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Considered resilient as a species, the population of #Greylag #geese has been increasing in recent years due to their adaptability to various habitats and changing environmental conditions. I photographed this Greylag #goose in the rain at a public park in #Malmö, #Sweden.
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#Greylag geese tend to breed in lowland marshes, fens, and islands in lakes in central Europe and parts of Asia, and in the winter most migrate southward to estuaries, marshes and agricultural lands in southern Europe and northern Africa.
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These #geese are primarily herbivorous, feeding on grass, aquatic vegetation, and agricultural crops. They are known for their social behavior, often seen in large flocks outside the breeding season. During breeding, they exhibit territorial behaviors, especially males guarding nests.
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It's a story that has been preserved for more than 500 years. In this tale, local fishermen catch an enormous, unusual fish near Sečovlje Bay. The fish, which is said to be "13 steps long and 7 steps wide," has a dolphin-like tail, large eyes, and a mouth full of teeth.
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The #AdriaticSea, and the Istrian Peninsula's dramatic #coastline of rugged #cliffs and pristine #beaches have inspired countless stories over centuries. One such #maritime #legend is "Miracolo di Mari," or "The Miracle of the Sea."
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The #IstrianPeninsula offers crystal-clear waters, lush greenery, centuries-old olive groves, hidden coves and pebbled shores. Quaint fishing villages and #medieval towns like Piran, Rovinj, and Poreč showcase a rich blend of Venetian, Slavic, and Roman influences.
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Just a few weeks ago, the #INAH announced the temporary closure of the site to improve its infrastructure, expand protection and research, and explore the possibility of building a community museum.
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In 2022, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) declared #Cobá a Zone of Archaeological Monuments, greatly increasing its protection by prohibiting construction and excavation within 246 hectares (~600 acres) of the #ruins site.
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The #Mayan ball courts featured imagery of death and sacrifice, including this stone #skull embedded in the ground.
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#Cobá was a hub for trade and commerce in the region. Its structures included #pyramids (Nohoch Mul stands at about 42 meters tall, making it one of the tallest in the #Yucatán), an acropolis, village structures, temples and shrines, and stelae with carvings and glyphs recording historical events.
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I photographed this pair of ocellated #turkeys on the forest floor in the Mexican state of #QuintanaRoo, near the ancient #Cobá archaeological #ruins.
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These birds were used for food, sacrificial purposes, and religious rituals. Unfortunately, today #ocellatedturkeys are considered near-threatened, with the population in decline due to habitat loss, unmanaged subsistence hunting, and slash-and-burn agriculture.
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Primarily ground-dwellers, they forage for seeds, fruits, and insects on forest floors. However, they are also capable of short flights, and they roost in trees at night within their family groups. The ancient #Mayans held them in high esteem their iridescent feathers and powerful leg spurs.
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That's usually the solve for things that aren't working in my keynote talks. If I'm fumbling over it again and again, it's probably not right for the piece. Good call!
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#Hindu rice farmers at #Jatiluwih perform ceremonies and make offerings throughout the growing cycle to Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice and fertility.
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The #farming process is largely manual, cutting with sickles and threshing the grain by hand. Jatiluwuh is one of the few sites that can achieve up to three rice harvests per year.
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A #UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jatiluwih is part of a cooperative #ancient Subak irrigation system dating back to the 9th century. The Subak #water management method has been crucial to maintaining ecological balance and agricultural productivity for more than a thousand years continuously.
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Didn't actually know it had a name!
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Managed by #temple staff, the forest provides protected habitat for about 1,200 macaques while offering visitors the chance to witness the delicate balance of #culture and #ecology in action. The Balinese embrace their sacred role, demonstrating how conservation and #tradition can thrive together.
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The #macaques are believed to protect the sacred grounds from harm, emphasizing the Balinese commitment to coexistence with the natural world. The sanctuary’s #conservation efforts reflect the philosophy of “Tri Hita Karana,” which seeks harmony between humans, #nature, and the divine.
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Among the forest’s most revered inhabitants are the long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), regarded by many as guardians of the temples. Their presence is deeply rooted in Hindu stories, particularly in relation to #Hanuman, the #monkey god.
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My feet are cold, so I guess I was in a chilly headspace when I was sifting through photographs I took this year. This frozen waterfall is one I sought out locally on a hot (cold?) tip early this year.
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Such cultural reverence demonstrates the potential for #conservation through local #stewardship.
Learn about the long-tailed macaque here:
www.iucnredlist.org/species/1255...
animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mac...
www.science.org/content/arti...
monkeyforestubud.com
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Although few, some conservation efforts exist. In #Bali, where I photographed this rambunctious baby squeezing its way to independence between two adults, macaques are sacred in some communities, receiving protection in temple sanctuaries like the #Monkey Forest in Ubud, home to 1,260 macaques.
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Habitat destruction, the biomedical trade, and illegal poaching drive this trend, and inadequate protections allow exploitation to persist. In the U.S. concerns have risen over wild-caught macaques being mislabeled as captive-bred for import, prompting calls to list it in the #EndangeredSpecies Act.
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Anthropologist Malene Hansen of Princeton University reports global macaque numbers dropped from 5 million in the 1980s to 3 million today. The #IUCN predicts a further 50% decline within three generations without intervention, risking permanent loss.