#STONE FOREST MADAGASCAR

[realmoneystudio]

15 Unbelievable Places that Actually Exist

Unbelievable Places That Actually Exist, Amazing Places You’ll Never Believe Exist, Unbelievable Places that are Hard to Believe Really Exist, tourist places and beautiful places. Watch video of ”15 Unbelievable Places that Actually Exist” video by @topfives Watch video below… TAG: UNDERWATER WATERFALL MAURITIUS, GLOWWORM CAVE NEW ZEALAND, TIANZI MOUNTAINS CHINA, GRAND PRISMATIC SPRING…

[hookaroo]

Laden of the Torn (7 of 25)

AO3 link Catch up on tumblr: One Two Three Four Five Six Tagging @priscilla9993 @cocohook38 <3 Chapter 7 notes: Short update this time but I will try to post a more substantial chapter 8 within the next day or two. As mentioned in the beginning notes, this location is loosely based on a real-world place in Madagascar called Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. There will be certain artistic liberties taken; just keep in mind that it isn't supposed to be the exact location in our world, just something like it :)

***

The wagon rolled to a stop in the shadow of the jagged rock face they had been approaching for two days now, and what had been fairly obvious before was now a near-certainty. Blackbeard dropped to the packed earth and stretched lazily.

“All ashore, Hook. Your first-class voyage ends now. Afraid it’s going to require a bit of effort from here on out.” With a nasty grin, he inclined his head toward the intimidating rock formations. “Now shift yourself; give me one hand with these horses.”

Killian grudgingly moved toward the back of the wagon, preferring to disembark under his own power and not give Blackbeard an excuse for physical abuse. “What makes you think I’m in any fit state to be scaling mountains, mate?”

“Mountains?” Blackbeard repeated with an incredulous guffaw. “Good lord. Dramatic little whinger, aren’t you?”

Killian dangled his feet over the edge, carefully lowering the ball and chain to hang from his burning ankle, and waited for the world to stop spinning. Impatiently, Blackbeard added,

“It’s been nearly a whole day since you last attempted to splatter your entrails all over my wagon. You’re nowhere near death’s door.”

He grabbed Killian’s wrist and pulled him roughly to his feet, continuing, 

“That’s hardly Olympus looming before us, old man. And there will be no ‘scaling’ involved, I can promise you that.”

As he headed toward the front of the wagon, he called one final comment over his shoulder.

“Rumor has it those rock formations are rather perilous, though. So I recommend proceeding with caution.”

***

‘Perilous’ was a marked understatement. Killian reluctantly followed his captor into a narrow canyon between towering spires, and immediately, they were surrounded by nothing but razor-sharp stone as far as the eye could see. Barely any flat surface existed anywhere, including the rugged path before their feet, which was frequently littered with loose gravel or miniature peaks ready to slice their toes off if they weren’t careful. And appearances were no mere deception, either: not long into their trek, Killian unthinkingly used a waist-high projection for balance when his foot slid on unstable pebbles, and he came away with a smarting graze on his palm and wrist. 

He could not fathom what would motivate Blackbeard to drag them both into such a hazardous wasteland. Riches of some kind, no doubt, though the man was not known to be so industrious in his schemes. He would gladly make others do the work for him--perhaps he intended for Killian to pack-mule whatever treasure they were seeking out of this place--but putting himself in danger of injury had to be a rarity. It must be one valuable prize indeed.

Killian’s only interest in wealth these days had to do with its ability to pay magic-experts for their assistance. And there were plenty of safer ways to earn some coin for that purpose. But even though Blackbeard marched on ahead, allowing Killian to follow at his own pace, the scrape of the heavy weight attached to Killian’s ankle provided ample opportunity for monitoring. He would know fairly quickly if his captive were to stop or turn around, and his array of armaments would hardly even be necessary to halt an escape attempt. Until Killian could rid himself of the accessory, he had no hope of outrunning Blackbeard. And so he followed, carefully picking his way past the needlelike towers, deeper into the mysterious landscape.

[chaobunnyarts]

Froggy fall! (part 2/3)

9. Spooky forest / Barking tree frog (Dryophytes gratiosus) 10. Hanging ivy / Red-backed poison frog (Ranitomeya reticulata) 11. Candle / Golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) 12. Stones + gems / Coronated tree frog (Triprion spinosus) 13. Tea / Amazon milk frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix) 14. Night sky / Desert rain frog (Breviceps macrops) 15. Harvest / Madagascar tomato frog (Dyscophus antongilii) 16. Plant shelf / American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

[bekkathyst]

Sainte Marie Mineral Show Finds 2024 Complete List

To claim an item, please comment on the individual post. The complete rules can be found here. Please be sure to read the rules before claiming :)

Preview Items:

Amethyst Stalactite Specimen on Stand

Blueberry Fluorite on Quartz Specimen

Fluorite on Calcite Specimens

July 5th - 7th Sale:

Pink Opal Palm Stones

Bolivianite Palm Stones

Rhodochrosite Palm Stones

UV Reactive Calcite Specimens

Polished Malachite w Chrysocolla - Sold Out!

Polished Tourmalinated Natural Citrine

Rare Opalized Fluorite from Russia

Harlequin Jade from Italy

Scenic Quartz Round Gems

Rare Natural Citrine from Mexico

Amethyst Crystal Shards

Ocean Jasper Bowls - Sold Out!

Blue Calcite Starfish from Argentina

High-Grade Blue Calcite Palm Stones from Argentina

Phantom Amethyst Spheres

Tumbled Agate from Bulgaria - Sold Out!

Blue Barite Specimens from Spain

Epidote Clusters from Turkey

"Forest Quartz" from Turkey

Sparkly Grape Agate Clusters

Trolleite Hearts - Sold Out!

High-Grade Black Tourmaline Crystals

Cobaltoan Calcite from Morocco

Fossilized Snail Shells from Hungary

Sterling Silver Meteorite & Libyan Desert Glass Pendants

Sterling Silver Meterotie & Moldavite Pendants

Moldavite Cabochons - Sold Out!

Moldavite Adjustable Bracelets

Chrysocolla Freeforms from Peru

Charoite Slabs - Sold Out!

Natural Citrine Facets from Madagascar

Sphalerite Facets from Spain - Sold Out!

Harlequin Quartz Facets from Madagascar

Natural Smoky Ametrine Cabochons from Brazil

Unique Included Quartz Cabochons/Gems

Sparkly Agate Druzy Points

Large Trolleite Obelisks

Large Purple Labradorite Crescent Moons - Sold Out!

Pink/Red Chalcedony Geodes from Morocco

Large Prehnite Clusters from Morocco

New Find "Agathyst" Flames from Brazil

Amethyst & Calcite Specimens from Uruguay w Metal Stands

Thank you so much! I will periodically update the list with sold out items.

[its-wabby-stuff]

How Human is your Animal?

Based on animalistic representation in Media. Ranging from anthropomorphic to everyday pet.

A tier list for your convenience

S Tier- Humans don’t exist here

Qualifications: the world has no humans, animals tend to walk on hind legs and participate in human like societies, most likely anthropomorphic but not required

Zootopia, Kung Fu Panda, Sing, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Chicken Little, My Little Pony, Goofy Movie, Ducktales, Robin Hood, Angry Birds, Samurai Rabbit, Paws of Fury, Spiderhams Universe

A Tier- I see, a little co-op happening

Qualifications: the world has humans, humans acknowledge animals in some way, they can be hired/considered for jobs and/or are active in society. Might be considered mutants

Paddigton, Muppets, Stuart Little, The Bad Guys, Pinnocio, Shrek universe, Care Bears, the Bee Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3, and subsequently the entire MCU, Monsters Inc, Storks, Looney Tunes, TMNT, MHA, Yogi Bear, We Bare Bears, Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022), Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Hop, Wonderland, James and the Giant Peach, Hoodwinked, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, Ichabod and Toad, Sonic Movie

B Tier- Your getting suspiciously close

Qualifications: act more human like, perhaps develop a hidden society or walk on hind legs or plan elaborate heists, it’s just not quite right for an animal

Madagascar, Ice Age, Shark Tale, Surfs Up, Snoopy, Rescuers, SpongeBob, Ratatouille, Horton Hears a Who, Free Birds, Great Mouse Detective, Chicken Run, Flushed Away, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tom and Jerry, Secret of Nym, Tale of Desperaeux, American Tail, Once Upon a Forest, Garfield, Over the Hedge, Rango

C Tier- Communication is key in fostering animal relationships

Qualifications: Perhaps by magical transformation or special gift or something that has always been kept a secret until now, these animals are able to talk to you

Cinderella, Tarzan, Jungle Book, Epic, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Charlottes Web, Scooby Doo, Happy Feet, Snow White, Pete’s Dragon, Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Spies In Disguise, Emperors New Groove, Enchanted, Sophia the First, Peter Rabbit, Meet the Robinsons, Anastasia, Swan Princess, Dr. Dolittle, Leo, Up

D Tier- Oh look, it’s gaining complexity

Qualifications: although animals have been known to convey emotions nothing is more complex than creating Shakespearean like storylines. Humans take to the sidelines

Lion King, Finding Nemo, 101 Dalmatians, Bambi, Land Before Time, The Secret Life of Pets, Bugs Life, Oliver and Company, All Dogs go to Heaven, Lady and the Tramp, Fox and the Hound, Aristocats, Migration, Bolt, Dinosaur, The Good Dinosaur, Super Pets, Dumbo, Home in the Range, G-force, The Wild, Spirit, Rio, Curious George

F Tier- It’s all okay, animals are just animals here

Qualifications: Imagine your pet in a movie, that’s prolly what fits here. The everyday dog, or cat, or shark. Likely plays a part in the plot progression of the movie

Babe, Jurassic Park, Milo and Otis, Old Yeller, Life of Pi, Sword in the Stone, Beethoven, A Dogs Purpose, We Bought a Zoo, Pokémon, Dolphins Tale, Homeward Bound, The Black Stallion, Marley and Me, Jaws, King Kong, How to Train Your Dragon

Z Tier- So it doesn’t work like other places, but it works for you

Qualifications: a Universe with its own set of rules, perhaps jumping into a place outside of their own where rules seem just a little different. Who can say if it was real, or a dream?

Mary Poppins, Spiderverse, Fantasia, Mario Bros, Song of the South, Alice in Wonderland (cartoon), Calvin and Hobbes

Each placing is based on the highest human to animal ratio in universe even if that is one exception. This is for fun, don’t take it too seriously. You’re welcome to fill in anything you think is missing. If I mentioned one of your favorite movies you have to reblog, I don’t make the rules.

😉

[jfs-worldbuilding-and-art]

Spectember day 3: Pocket Kong

Spectember day 4: Destination: Madagascar

Had a trip yesterday that took all of my afternoon, only could do the late day 2, so used today to kill two birds with a single rock having the two days (3 and 4) together. So...Anyways.

Madagascar in our timeline got colonized by many mammals, including Lemurs, Fossas and Tenrecs. But what if two other lineages got their way into the island?

This is the case for Hyraxes some 6 Millions of Years Ago in this timeline, the manner by which they arrived is unknown but what they became is clear. Due to the relative ecological vacuum left in the island, the hyraxes started to adapt to fill the niches filled by forest animals similar to tapirs, boars, deer, among others. And as such many species exist, filling different ecological niches that don't overlap with previous occupants of the island such as Lemurs and Elephant Birds.

Depicted here is one member of the genus Malagatherium spp., a territorial forest dweller in the size of around one meter at the shoulder. Where males have large tusks to fight with each other for dominance over females and territory.

However, the Afrotherians were not the only new Colonizers of the Malagasy island.

Relatively more recent compared to the hyraxes, came the Genus Australopithecus, by means also unknown. But what matters is that they found little ecological space to fill in the island, needing to adapt a small body size, the smallest of any Hominin, even more than the so called Hobbits of Flores (Homo floresiensis) at an average height of just 60 cm compared to the latter which has 120 cm. They are primarily herbivorous but with high tendencies for carnivory and scavenging, using stone blades and tools to crack open carcasses and bones. Unfortunately they fall prey to fossas and birds of prey native to the island.

[fatehbaz]

Designed by architect Albert Laprade, the Palais de la Porte Dorée, whose construction began in 1928, stands at the entrance to the vast space designed to house the 1931 Colonial Exhibition in Paris. [...] [Its] style was a perfect example of a colonial modernity [...].

The display of riches extracted from the colonies, and the depiction of people bent over working, busy doing a thousand actions destined to enrich France, make up the Palais de la Porte Dorée’s 1,200-square-meter façade. It was realized at a time when many cracks were showing in the colonial empire, and when anticolonial groups in France and Europe were honing their arguments. Far from the peaceful image of worlds laboring to enrich France portrayed on this façade, [...] [t]he 1931 International Colonial Exhibition fabricated an illusion: that of a successful pacification and a working empire. [...] The government wanted to impress and dazzle the public [...].

A veritable tour de force, in a day, the public could visit Angkor Vat, Timbuktu, the palaces of Niger, or of the Queen of Madagascar. These monuments of vanquished civilizations -- now “French possessions” -- proved that access to fabulous riches had been secured. The 1931 Exhibition glorified the French colonial “civilizing mission,” but behind this euphemism were assimilation policies based on dispossession, the Code de l’indigénat (Indigenous Code), which legalized various forms of discrimination in the colonies, forced labor, and exploitation. [...] The colossal aspect of the Exhibition only fleetingly masked these fissures. [...] By its very inordinateness, the Colonial Exhibition [...] inadvertently revealed the illusion that underlay the colonial project. [...]

---

In Europe and France in the 1910s to 1920s, Black, Asian, and Arab people organized, wrote, and mobilized. Examples include the Pan-African Congress in Paris in 1919 [...]. The constituent congress of the League against Imperialism and Colonial Oppression was held in Brussels in 1927. [...] [I]t was attended by representatives of the African National Congress, [...] Albert Einstein, Henri Barbusse [...]. Let us not forget either [...] the uprisings in Vietnam in 1908; [...] the 1925 revolt in Syria; or again in Vietnam in 1930. [...] Revolts and demonstrations demanding rights broke out throughout the entire French colonial empire, including [...] the demonstrations in Abéché (Chad) in 1917; the demonstrations of the people of Gabon and the Middle Congo from 1917 to 1918 [...].

---

As an institution, the museum partook in the invention of homogeneous, racialized categories (“Africans,” “Asians,” “Arabs,” “Europeans”) [...]. The Palais de la Porte Dorée’s multiple bas-reliefs [...] form a veritable “stone tapestry” and an imposing fresco of imperialist power. The work of sculptor Alfred Auguste Janniot (1889–1969), it constitutes a colonial encyclopedia. Entitled: “L'Apport des territoires d'outre-mer à la mère patrie et à la civilization” (“The Overseas Territories’ Contribution to the Motherland and to Civilization”), it is the only of its kind in France in terms of size.

In this bas-relief, a vast, diverse, and complex world is reduced to a flat surface on which these figures’ labor contributes to the greatness of France. [...] The colony as disciplinable “Nature” [...]. Humans and animals, plants and pirogues intermix and intertwine. Here, half a body emerges from the foliage; there a child perched on a woman’s hip hovers over a cactus. Further on, the name “Sudan” spills from a lion’s mouth. There is no social life, [...] the colony is “Nature.”

This disorder contrasts with its orderly finality: the anticipated export of products to France. But it is also a disorder that evokes the ordering of the world through colonization. [...]

---

The colony was a huge enterprise in taming fauna, flora, humans, rivers, forests, and mountains. Nothing was to escape the colonizers’ eye, or control. Everything had to be renamed, ordained, arranged, distinguished according to norms that reinforced an epistemology and imposed rigid binarities on worlds that had complex understandings of the living. Colonization was a project of control, possession, and transparency.

Thanks to this bas-relief, the French were given the impression of knowing everything about a world laying at its fingertips, that colonization offered them the entire diversity of the world, pacified, disciplined, subjected. [...] The Exhibition’s Jardin d’Acclimatation was an instrument of this organization; the public could imagine it was visiting the jungle, the savannah, tropical forests, and seas comfortably and safely. [...]

We also see the extent to which structures of racism destroy the possibility of living differently, [...] the imagination, that they stifle us, that they sever ties [...]. We want to retrace the cartographies of transnational and transcontinental resistance, to give voice [...]. We no longer want to be put under house arrest, confined.

---

All text above by: Françoise Vergès. “Decolonize the City.” e-flux Architecture (Appropriations series). May 2023. [All bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. At e-flux, Vergès explains, in an introduction, that this text “is a compilation of several extracts of the book De la violence coloniale dans l’espace public: Visite du triangle de la Porte Dorée (Of Colonial Violence in the Public Space: A visit to the Porte Dorée Triangle)“.]

[bobbinacrossafricatake2]

Secondary Forest

May 28, 2024

We woke up, packed up and had breakfast in the dining room. The lodge was very nice, but not the same level of elegance we’ve become used to in Africa. Maharo told us it’s one of the higher end places, so it seems that at least this part of Madagascar simply has a different standard of luxury.

Maharo picked us up and we met Mary and Mario at the entrance to the Adalamazantra forest, the secondary forest. The primary forest, where we were yesterday, is a term for a forest with solely endemic plants. The secondary forest has had plants introduced from afar, such as eucalyptus. The secondary forest is also much more accessible by civilized roads, hence has many more visitors. We saw quite a few folks on our walk, but not so many that it was distracting. There were three loops available: short, medium and long. We opted for medium. When we first entered, we marched along a wide path with stepping stones - a far cry from the slightly trodden, less trodden and newly minted paths we forged yesterday! It felt a little more like a nature walk than a rainforest hike. Not five minutes in, we saw our first lemurs - of the bamboo variety. A bunch of little guys side by side on a branch doing their lemur thing, whatever that is. We wound up spotting (well, Mary and Mario spotting) quite a few lemurs, in addition to the bamboo fella’s: golden safika, brown, nocturnal woolies (several asleep in a scrum on a branch), and the largest of all lemurs, the indri indri, which are endangered. The first indri’s we saw were just hanging out. It’s frustrating to see them way up high unmoving. Back lit by the sky, their little faces and red eyes don’t show up well. But when they start moving, swinging wildly from branch to (far away!) branch, they’re a total hoot to watch. Some are a little more active when they sit in place, looking around on high alert craning their necks around and their little ears perking up; or chomping on berries and leaves (their mamas didn’t teach then to eat with their mouths closed). As yesterday, Mary and Mario were great at positioning us for optimal viewing and photos. The best part, however was the audio version of the show. Families of lemurs of the same species call out to each other for a few minutes to say good morning. We first heard the serenade far in the distance, then a family to our left called out with windy, screechy, scary, somewhat high-pitched noises. On command, a nearby family responded, so we got the full, quite loud, effect. So wild. We felt like we were in a rainforest. Oh, we were in a rainforest!! We hoped to see some good birds, but only once stopped when there were quite a few flying around. Beautiful they were, particularly a bright blue one that was too speedy to capture on film. We saw a few flowers, but it turns out that fall simply is the wrong season for much color in the forest, except, of course for green everywhere! To see many of the lemurs, we dipped off the nature-walk-like path and indeed followed more moderately trodden paths up the hillside and down, and up and down again. All in all, it was a wonderful 2 1/2ish hour walk/hike!

Maharo had told us yesterday that he’d take us to Mary’s restaurant for lunch. We were skeptical (worried, even) but it was quite nice. Surprise of surprises, Mary’s name is actually Marie - got lost on us with the French accent. Marie’s restaurant was one of the first to be built in the area. Not only is she a guide but an entrepreneur! Madagascar may be a developing country, but it’s heartening to see a woman has been out on the forefront of tourism for many years!

The ride home was pretty crazy, but didn’t seem quite as insane as the drive out. Still loads of trucks, still the communication of the road passing, swerving, avoiding pot-craters, vehicles and people. And there was the one guy in front of us who Jillebob dubbed “Smoke Fiend” whose vehicle was spewing stinky black fumes, and contrary to the rules of the road, would not let us pass. But we also took the opportunity to appreciate the spectacular, lush, green landscapes of hills, villages, pastures and rice paddies. Really beautiful. Back close to Tana, traffic got bad, but gave us the opportunity to observe life in the outskirts of the city: hardware stores here, butchers with rancid-looking meat hanging there, wonderful fruits and veg here, baskets of grains there - all fascinating. Loads of peeps walking along the street, cars leaving the city at what must have been rush hour. All part of the experience of getting to know Madagascar.

The staff at Maison Gallieni welcomed us back like we were family. We had the same room that we had a few nights ago and did not have to complete any paperwork on check-in. When we asked if there were other guests, the staff, who do not speak much English and don’t understand Jill’s French, replied, “Yes, your friends!” We decided that it had to be one of the two Aussie couples we met a few nights ago. The big reveal at dinner … Maureen and Andy. We exchanged tales of the last two days and learned that, the very quiet Andy, had worked out a whole Australia itinerary for us.

[oneleggedflamingo]

Ok, biting scratching howling, my main writing project, wt: journey to cloudcastle kinda already has enough settings: little towns, a city, different forests, a graveyard forest and a pietbogmire or whatever it is in English.

And my second writing project wt: agriculture monastries QOFER (Quality Oxygen From Organic Reactions) happens in an island, maybe half the size of Madagascar, and it has different forests, grasslands and dry-enough-to-walk-on wetlands. And maybe a village under a glass dome.

Ok so, there are things I want to add, maybe only to the QOFER one because these things don't really serve a purpose in the cloudcastle adventure.

Konsentrinen (kilpi)keidassuo: concentric raised bog. Idk if that is the real name for it, I can't seem to find any photos with google, but I was on a lecture where my teacher showed us aerial photos, and they look messed up. Like a huge summoning circle for the scariest world destroying monster. It seems to be a rare wetland type (google doesn't gove me photos) so I need to ask my professor book recommendations. It will be on the QOFER island and it will make the MC cry and throw up. Poor guy, he is just some university student that can't seem to bring his library books back on time.

toori: tor (rock formation). They look unsetteling (at least the ones in Finland, but I live on flat land surrounded by sky high pines so maybe they are just strange looking to me. Might make my OC insane looking for the remains of wrecked stone monastries, but only finding these for a couple of days when his food supplies are running low. Might induce hallusinations. Might make him cry a little. Might make him say some philosofical lines about the buildings of mankind. Might make him desparate for human contact. U know, the good stuff and the reader learns about geology.

Pirunpelto: devil's field. Open land area that is covered with different sized rocks and boulders. Looks creepy. What were you going to eat there buddy? Your last breadroll? Ants? Snakes? Rodents of normal size? Or would the word gopher give you flashbacks? How are you going to make a fire to stay warm at night? Huh, you didn't think about that when you left the forested area behind thinking that you might find a way to leave the Island throught the DEVIL'S FIELD, what are you thinking????

And I just learned that the word hiisi (scary mythological giant-ish creature) also at some point meant sacred forest or a graveyard. So I can use that info to make my graveyard forest more interesting.

Hiidenkivi: large rock boulder that was dropped there during the end of ice age. Might look scary. You could climb up on them if you are scared. Scared about what? About the scary looking low-nutrient wetland that wants to chew you up and get some nutrients. The hunger is making you delusional, don't worry I got you. Just eat some moss and drink the water from the large round pit that is on that huge rock. That is not scary at all. I heard that water in GIANT'S KETTLE, has healing properties. Sure drink as much as you want, I'm sure tha the devil, I mean the Giant doesn't care.

The horrors is an open plain but the ground wants to kill you and you have undealt trauma.

[harpagornis]

Multituberculate Earth: Birds

(As with all animal pages so far, this only goes so far into the Oligocene… for now)

At first, the avifauna of this timeline evolved much as ours. Only the toothless crown birds survived the KT event (though outliers like Qinornis may indicate other lineages survived briefly; one study did note the similarities between pelagornithids and ichthyornithids, but it hasn’t made the plunge), several lineages quickly producing megafauna to replace non-avian dinosaurs and other great reptiles. Gastornithiforms and ratites occupied large herbivore niches on land, pelagornithids and lithornithids attained large wingspans as competing pterosaurs ceased to exist and giant penguins and plotopterids were the first vertebrates to occupy large predatory niches at sea (barring sharks of course). To say nothing of the massive variety of smaller birds like stem-tropicbirds, the passerine-like zygodactylids and carnivorous parrots.

But the absence of an Azolla Event put avian evolution in a very different track from the Eocene onwards. For starters, without a mid-Eocene cooling to alter forest biomes, lithornithids and presbyornithids didn’t decline, thus preventing an opening for several lineages like cranes, storks and pelecaniforms. Many groups that depended on the cooling temperatures, like seagulls and relatives, also did not get the opening they wished for. Some modern groups you might assume quintessential, like ducks and shorebirds, were either greatly crippled or did not get to rise.

Likewise, the evolution of flying mammals put some pressures on birds that our bats didn’t have, but for the most part both groups managed to co-exist. Niche partitioning is easy when you can fly anywhere to get resources, after all, and birds are no strangers to it given how they co-existed with pterosaurs and other Mesozoic flyers for over one hundred million years.

By far the greatest challenge faced by birds thus far was the Grand Coupure, leading to a dramatic collapse of forest habitats. For European and Balkanatolian flightless birds it was particularly hard as their isolation in Europe came to a drastic end, but several flightless lineages remained in the Oligocene.

Because there are lots of Cenozoic bird groups, some more understood than others, this is something of a work in progress. However, I will list the bird groups that I have most assuredly set in stone.

Palaeognaths

The so called “old jaws” might be something of a misnomer, as some Cretaceous birds already had a neognath palate and their own palate is much more advanced than in some other early birds, but regardless they do invoke that prehistoric mystique. In our timeline the sole survivors are the flightless ratites + tiny tinamous, animals that truly seem to come from the era of the dinosaurs.

In this timeline, ratites similarly diversified, with rheas and other poorly understood taxa in South America and Antarctica, members of the cassowary/emu line in Australia, elephant birds in Madagascar (and possibly mainland Afro-Arabia) and a variety of stem-ostriches in North America, Europe and Asia. But it is another group, the flying lithornithids, that remain the most diverse and arguably spectacular group.

In our timeline, lithornithids started the Cenozoic in style, dispersing across the northern continents as forest dwelling probers like modern woodcocks. They were far more efficient flyers than our timeline’s surviving flying paleognaths, the tinamous, there being evidence of migratory behaviour and stork-like soaring, and some species attained quite large sizes. In our timeline the mid-Eocene cooling seems to have doomed them, but in the prolonged hothouse conditions of this timeline they managed to acclimate and diversify further.

Some lineages were lost in the Grand Coupure, but those that survived were ready for the spread of open habitats. Many forms occupy niches taken in our world by cranes and storks, prowling the steppes or stalking the swamps for small animals and nutrious plant matter. Others have diversified as shorebird analogues, probing along the coastlines. Some conversely became smaller and hoopoe-like; lithornithids were already more efficient perchers than other palaeognaths, so a few managed to capitalize on arboreal niches.

Though efficient flyers, lithornithids lack tails, relying mostly on their own wings for steering (for reference, see videos on tailless kites or hawks). Like in their ratite cousins it is the male that protects the eggs and offpsring, though in some derived species the young are superprecocial and can fly soon after birth, a condition seen in many Mesozoic birds. Many species have glossy eggs and feathers like cassowaries.

Other than lithornithids, there seems to be some other flying palaeognaths about. The stem-ostrich Eogrus for example is traditionally considered capable of at least some flying abilities, while flying stem-kiwis must be around somewhere given Proapteryx. And, of course, there’s the ancestors of tinamous, which have not yet debuted in the fossil reccord for some reason (in both timelines).

Pelagornithids

The so called “pseudo-toothed” birds due to tooth-like serrations in their bills, these seabirds are a mystery. Sometimes they are grouped among albatrosses and other higher waterbirds, other times they’re considered closely related to waterfowl, with most recent studies putting them in a polytomy between both groups. As mentioned above there is a study that does note similarities between their jaws and those of aquatic toothed seabirds, and given that their serrations seem to share a true molecular origin with teeth I wouldn’t be surprised if they were surviving toothed seabirds all along.

Anyways, besides the “teeth” (which were acquired late in life, implying prolonged parental care) the most notable feature of pelagornithids is their size. These are easily the largest flying birds of all time, some reaching wingspans of over 7 meters. Because they lack the quadrupedal launching of flying mammals and pterosaurs, they compensated by become extremely lightweight like living kites, thus while they look fearsome they most hunt small, soft prey like squids. Its even possible they can’t flap their wings anymore, relying solely on thermal soaring like modern frigatebirds (and not dynamic soaring like albatrosses), to which they can be considered close analogues if much larger.

While the evolution of giant insulonycteriids might seem like a disaster for these enormous birds, in truth both groups get along just fine (most of the time). The giant flying mammals are most robust and can hunt proportionally larger prey and even dive, so if the pelagornithids are the frigatebirds the insulonycteriids are the albatrosses and gannets.

Pelagornithids in both timelines have been extrariordinarily resilient, surviving from the PETM and Grand Coupure in spite of their effects to the marine biosphere. They died out in our timeline just as humans evolved, for unclear reasons; we’ll see if they have better luck here.

Gastornithiformes

Like ratites gastornithiforms lost the ability to fly and attained large sizes, occupying the niches left by ceratopsians and other herbivorous dinosaurs. They are clearly galloanseres, though its currently debated if they are closer to waterfowl or to galliforms.

Like ratites, they attained a cosmopolitan distribution, with gastornithids in the northern continents, dromornithids in Australia and Brontornis in South America, though gastornithids disappeared from Asia and North America in the PETM. Unlike ratites they have massive, powerful beaks, apt to crush through seeds and harsh plant matter like branches. In Europe they in fact were the most common megafauna, with few large mammals, much like in our timeline. With the Grand Coupure the collapse of rainforests and the arrival of Asian predatory mammals they disappeared from the former island continent, but they continued to thrive in Australia and in South America.

Presbyornithids

Presbyornithids are a clade of long legged waterfowl that first evolved in the Cretaceous and attained a diversity peak during the Paleocene, before declining in the Eocene of our timeline, reduced to only the terrestrial, goose-like Wilaru by the Miocene. This is often attributed to competition with anatid waterfowl, but studies show that they were incapable of filter-feeding, so they must have occupied fairly different ecological niches at the water’s edge.

In this timeline, they kept thriving thanks to the continuous hotshouse conditions, and more overtly diversified in piscivorous and crustacean eater niches akin to those of shoebills, spoonbills and even pelicans and ibises. Consequently, many of these waterbirds did not evolve in this timeline.

A partiular clade related to Wilaru kept exploring terrestrial biomes. These developed a novel way to process food: chewing it. Yes, some birds can chew (even used in the past to explain phylogenetic relationships between cuckoos and mousebirds before genetics said nah), using the cranial kinesis common to all crown birds to slide the upper jaw against the lower jaw in a pestle and mortar like way.

These birds, the Chakranatids, found thus a way to not only process plant matter more efficient while minimising fermentation, so they for the most part retained the ability to fly. Still, some have become large flightless herbivores, a distant echo of the Mesozoic hadrosaurs.

Palaelodids

The niche of ducks was instead taken by a decidedly non-waterfowl clade: the palaeolodids, relatives to flamingos and grebes. Neither divers or specialised filter-feeders (barring some species), these birds are rather generalistic, adapted to swim and catch small animals and plants with their broad beaks. They first debuted in the Oligocene in both timelines, though they might have a potentially older origin given grebes and flamingos split further back in the Cenozoic and Eocene fossil birds like Juncitarsus seem to represent the last common ancestor between these three groups.

Coliiformes

(A suggestion by Tozarkt777 on reddit)

In our timeline’s Paleocene, before passerines had evolved and spread to the northern hemisphere, the songbird niche was held by the Coliformes, an order that now only includes the mousebirds in our timeline, but back then comprised of many more species and many more niches, from generalistic grain-feeders to raptorial forms. They were most diverse in the Paleocene and Eocene before losing ground from there onwards.

Their decline likely is attributed to the PETM, and with the warm conditions of Multituberculate Earth having been maintained, so did mousebird rule. These are now the dominant small birds in the northern and African canopies, passerines now mostly restricted to small insectivores and nectivores.

Cariamiformes

Represented by the vicious little seriemas in our timeline’s present, this group is best known for producing the infamous terror birds. However, a variety of other extinct groups also existed in the early Cenozoic, including another clade of infamous flightless killers, the bathornithids. Though known from usually more fragmentary remains, they too were incapable of flying and had deep, powerful beaks, well suited to tear flesh.

Proving that mammals still oughta fear theropods, the terror birds spread far and wide in the Eocene. Eleutherornis and relatives terrorised Europe while Lavocatavis and kin terrorised Africa; it is in fact unclear if terror birds evolved in the Old World and later raft/swam (or flew, if the last common ancestor still could fly) to South America like many mammals did or if inversely it went the other way around. We do know at least that Eleutherornis is a late comer to Europe as it arrived only in the mid-Eocene, so the group likely didn’t evolve there, though many other cariamiform groups were present, from the crow-like Salmila to the herbivorous, also flightless Strigogyps.

Meanwhile, South America was host to a larger diversity of terror birds, and across the sea North America was ruled by a large diversity of bathornithids. Both groups co-existed with predatory mammals in both timelines, and attained large sized species over two meters tall. The African and European species seem to have gone extinct in the Grand Coupure – the later doubtlessly affected by the extinction of indigenous prey and the arrival of new competitors – but the Americas saw an adaptive radiation in response to the spread of open grasslands. Predatory mammal groups may rise and fall, but these dinosaurs seem to be a constant, though for how long remains to be seen.

Besides large predatory forms, there are a variety of other poorly understood forms, like the aforementioned European species. Some, like Elaphrocnemus, appear to have been efficient flyers, less adapted to run like their terrestrial cousins but capable of soaring for long distances. while others like Qianshanornis seem to have been functionally similar to hawks and eagles. Most of these groups died out in the Grand Coupure, unable to cope with the loss of forest habitats.

[live-the-fangirl-life]

i would love if you'd shared everything that might be in aelin's list in a world away, all the dream places she wants to go or already went 🤧🥺

First of all - I am so sorry it’s taken me so long to answer this ask 😭

Second - this list is in no way complete. I could probably double it if I gave it some more time (and maybe I’ll edit this post and add some later) but I wanted to answer this ask.

Third - some things listed are cities, some are attractions, some are landmarks or monuments…it’s really a mix of everything. And some major landmarks that cover more than one country are only listed once.

A World Away

So, without further ado, please enjoy

Aelin’s Incomplete and Ever-Adapting World Travel List ✈️

Antarctica

Argentina

Iguazú Falls // Patagonia // Rainbow Mountains // Buenos Aires

Australia

Melbourne // Sydney // Gold Coast // Great Barrier Reef // Adelaide

Austria

Vienna // Salzburg // Hallstatt

the Bahamas

Belgium

Bruges // Brussels

Belize

the Great Blue Hole

Bhutan

the Himalayas

Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Stari Most Bridge // Mostar

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro // Christ the Redeemer // Amazon Rainforest // Lençóis Maranhenses National Park // Sao Paolo

Bulgaria

Cambodia

Angkor Wat

Canada

Niagra Falls // Vancouver // Banff // Toronto

Chile

Easter Island // Torres del Paine National Park // Marble Caves

China

Great Wall of China // Beijing // Shanghai // the Summer Palace // Potala Palace // Tianmen Mountain // Reed Flute Caves // Zhanye Danxia

Costa Rica

San Jose

Croatia

Dalmatian Coast // Diocletian's Palace // Krka waterfall park // Plitvice Lakes // Zagreb

Cuba

Havana

Czech Republic

Prague

Denmark

Copenhagan

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Quito // Galapagos Islands

Egypt

Cairo // The Great Pyramids & Sphinx // Nile River // Valley of the Kings // Luxor // Aswan

England

London // Thames River // Stonehenge

Estonia

Tallinn

Fiji

Finland

Helsinki

France

Mont-Saint-Michel // Louvre // Eiffel Tower // Alsace Lorraine // Paris // Notre Dame // Sacre Coeur // Versailles // Nice

French Polynesia

Bora Bora // Tahiti

Germany

Munich // Berlin // Black Forest // Oktoberfest // Neuschwanstein Castle

Greece

Santorini // Athens // Parthenon // Roman Agora // Acropolis // Mykonos // Oia // Fira // Corfu // Meteora

Greenland

Hong Kong

Tsim Sha Tsui

Hungary

Budapest // Capitol Hill // Bath Houses

Iceland

Reykjavik // Northern Lights // Egilsstaðir //Ring Road // Blue Lagoon // Vatnajökull National Park // Kirkjufell // Húsavík // Akureyri // Thingvellir National Park

Italy

Roman Colosseum // Amalfi Coast // Florence Duomo // Venice at Carnival // Piazzale Michelangelo // Cinque Terre // Pisa // Venice // Pompeii // Milan

India

Taj Mahal // Varanasi & Ganges River // Golden Temple // Agra // Mumbai // New Delhi

Indonesia

Bali // Komodo Island // Blue Flames at Ijen Volcano // Jarkarta

Iran

Hall of Diamonds

Ireland & Northern Ireland

Cliffs of Moher // Giants Causeway // Galway // Blarney Stone // Trinity College // O'Neills // Belfast // Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge // Cobh

Isreal

Dead Sea // Jerusalem

Jamaica

Japan

Tokyo // Mount Fuji // Wisteria Gardens // Osaka // Kyoto

Jordan

Petra // Amman

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Maasai Mara National Park // Lake Victoria

Kyrgyzstan

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Avenue of the Baobabs

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur // Batu Caves

the Maldives

Male

Malta

Valletta

Mexico

Cabo // Teotihuacán // Chichen Itza // Cabo // Yucatan Peninsula // Mexico City

Mongolia

Gobi Desert

Morocco

Casablanca // Hassan II Mosque // Marrakesh // Chefchaouen // Sahara Desert

Myanmar

Bagan's Temples

Namibia

Nepal

Mount Everest // Kathmandu

the Netherlands

Amsterdam // Van Gogh Museum // Tulip Festival

New Zealand

Auckland // Queenstown // Kawarau Suspension Bridge // Milford Sound // Tongariro National Park // Hobbitton // Dark Sky Sanctuary // Waitomo Caves

Nigeria

Lagos

Norway

Oslo

Panama

Panama City

Peru

Machu Picchu & Huayna Picchu // Lima // Aguas Calientes // Andes Mountains // Huacachina

Philippines

Palawan // Manila

Poland

Krakow

Portugal

Lisbon

Romania

Russia

Moscow // St Petersburg

Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park

Saint Lucia

Samoa

Saudi Arabia

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi

Scotland

Edinburgh // Loch Ness // Inverness // Glasgow // Scottish Highlands

Singapore

Marian Bay Sands

Slovenia

Lake Bled

South Africa

Capetown // Johanessburg // Isle of Elephants

South Korea

Seoul // Jeju Island

Spain

Barcelona // Madrid // Sagrada Familia // Mosque of Cordoba

Sweden

Stockholm // Sweddish Lapland

Switzerland

the Alps // Bern // St Moritz

Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro // Serengeti

Thailand

Bangkok // the Grand Palace // Phuket

republic of Türkiye 

Cappadocia // Istanbul // Hagia Sophia // Pamukkale

Turkmenistan

Darvaza gas crater

Turks & Caicos

United Arab Emirates

Dubai // Burj Khalifa

United States

Grand Canyon // San Fransisco // Honolulu // Kauai // New Orleans // New York City // Seattle // Portland // Los Angeles // Antelope Canyon // MOMA // Las Vegas

Vanuatu

the Vatican

St. Peter's Basilica // The Vatican Museum // Sistine Chapel

Vietnam

Ha Long Bay // Hoi An // Hanoi

Zambia

Victoria Falls

[chris-mga2022mi6021]

[RR-037] Location of the story | Research

Looking for a location for the story, initially I decided to have to story take place in the continent of Africa, while looking into more research I have thought it's a unique to have this story take place in Madagascar, so I went with it

"The island nation of Madagascar has developed its own distinct ecosystems and extraordinary wildlife since it split from the African continent an estimated 160 million years ago. Approximately 95 percent of Madagascar's reptiles, 89 percent of its plant life, and 92 percent of its mammals exist nowhere else on Earth."

Location site reference:

"The Madagascar lowland forests or Madagascar humid forests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion found on the eastern coast of the island of Madagascar, home to a plant and animal mix that is 80 to 90% endemic, with the forests of the eastern plain being a particularly important location of this endemism."

Looking at the diagram above, I am having the story take place around the northern-east part of the island, where there is more forest found.

I also looked if there are crystals found in the island:

"The geologically significant location is also home to large crystal quartz stones like Lavender and Tibetan Quartz, Amethyst, Agate and Onyx - Rose Quartz is part of this same group."

[tanadrin]

#this is one of the wildest landscapes to me#but i will not be seeing it live. just look at that steamy fog#i am not compatible with that kind of humidity 

these landscapes are great bc you see these chinese paintings showing what you think are very stylized landforms, but then you see photographs of the actual mountains in south china and it’s like, no, that’s actually just what they look like

iirc these kinds of insanely dramatic peaks are characteristic of karst topography, since soft limestone is easily eroded and can create some pretty wild shapes in the process. some of the really insane ones include the stone forest (also in southern china) and tsingy de bemaraha in madagascar.

needless to say you often also get incredible caves in karst regions, even ones which don’t have nearly as dramatic surface features as these

William Alberto Huaman Vilcatoma

Guilin Mountains China

[divyagemblr]

Unveiling the Allure of Amazonite Slab: Nature's Elegance Crafted in Stone

Nature's canvas is vast and varied, often gifting us with treasures that captivate the eye and stir the soul. Among these wonders lies Amazonite, a gemstone revered for its enchanting hues and storied allure. In its raw, unrefined form or as meticulously crafted slabs, Amazonite stands as a testament to the Earth's artistic prowess.

Unveiling Amazonite

A Geological Tale:

Amazonite, a form of microcline feldspar, takes its name from the Amazon River, though it's not found in the Amazon region. This captivating gem is typically discovered in granite rocks, predominantly in Brazil, Russia, Madagascar, and the United States. Its distinctive blue-green hue, varying from soft pastels to deeper shades reminiscent of lush forests, draws admirers seeking both its aesthetic and metaphysical properties.

Visual Symphony:

The mesmerizing color palette of Amazonite is a harmonious blend of blues and greens, often exhibiting striking streaks or mottled patterns. Each slab boasts a unique arrangement of colors and natural motifs, making it a prized choice for artisans and designers seeking to infuse spaces with natural beauty.

The Appeal of Amazonite Slabs

Aesthetic Marvel:

Amazonite slabs, cut and polished to showcase their innate beauty, elevate interior designs with their innate elegance. Whether adorning countertops, backsplashes, or accent walls, these slabs exude an aura of tranquility and sophistication. The play of light on their polished surface brings out their natural luster, creating a visual spectacle within any space.

Versatile Elegance:

One of the most enticing aspects of Amazonite Slab is their versatility. These slabs serve as exquisite centerpieces in various architectural and design applications. Their resilience and durability make them suitable for both residential and commercial settings, imparting a touch of luxury and serenity to kitchens, bathrooms, or even corporate lobbies.

Holistic Harmony:

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, Amazonite slabs are celebrated for their purported metaphysical properties. Believed to promote harmony, balance, and a sense of well-being, these slabs are sought after by individuals embracing holistic lifestyles. Whether as part of meditation spaces or simply as decorative elements, Amazonite's alleged ability to calm and soothe the mind adds to its allure.

Embracing Amazonite in Design

A Splash of Serenity:

In interior design, Amazonite slabs serve as striking focal points. Incorporating these slabs into a space infuses it with a sense of tranquility and natural beauty. Whether employed in minimalist or opulent designs, their captivating presence elevates the ambiance, creating a serene oasis within the home or workplace.

Harmonizing Contrasts:

Pairing Amazonite slabs with various materials and colors enhances their visual impact. Complementing their soothing tones with warm woods, metallic accents, or crisp whites accentuates their allure. The juxtaposition of textures and colors creates a visual symphony that resonates throughout the space.

Timeless Elegance:

The enduring appeal of Amazonite lies in its timeless elegance. As trends come and go, the inherent beauty of these slabs remains a constant. Their ability to seamlessly blend into diverse design schemes ensures they continue to be a coveted choice for interior designers and homeowners alike.

Caring for Amazonite Slabs

Preserving Beauty:

Maintaining the allure of Amazonite slabs requires minimal effort. Regular cleaning with mild soap and water helps retain their luster. Avoiding abrasive cleaners and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight preserves their natural brilliance for years to come.

Final ThoughtsAmazonite slabs from Divya Gem Stonex encapsulate the splendor of nature in a stunning display of color and elegance. From their geological origins to their transformative role in interior design, these captivating stones exude a timeless charm that transcends trends. Whether admired for their visual allure or embraced for their alleged holistic properties, Amazonite slabs stand as nature's masterpiece, inviting us to revel in their beauty and embrace their tranquil aura.

[lost-lycaon]

Land of Primates - Smithsonian Channel

Nature Film Review

The Smithsonian Channel is an inexplicably underrated source of nature documentaries, brilliantly balancing the educational with the cinematic. The BBC will always be the final word, but Smithsonian is a fantastic place to stream films to fulfill your need for nature. 

The series on African primates is particularly fascinating, focusing on relatively unsung species. Found across the continent in nearly every habitat save the most extreme desert, primates exhibit a winning design. The Geladas of the Ethiopian highlands grazing on high altitude grasses to the Poison monkeys of Zanzibar show off the ability of primates to succeed in virtually any habitat. The series spends an episode on the Ring tailed lemurs of Anja mountain in Madagascar, befitting a charismatic species that shows a talent for adaptation. 

‘Lemurs of Madagascar’ covers the various other lemur and primate species, as the isolation of that great island has allowed a truly remarkable evolutionary branch to flourish. Of its species, 80% are endemic, found nowhere else on Earth. The massive island is bisected by a spine of mountains that run vertically down the island, acting as a rain shield holding wet weather in the east with forest conditions. The mountain itself is a haven for ring tailed lemurs, as seen in the first episode. The west of the island holds some of the most hostile arid conditions on the planet. Life has taken up this challenge, with even the impossibly dry ‘spiny forest’ still frequented by Verreau’s Sifaka. Leaping from one Alluaudia tree to another, biologists still cannot explain how they avoid impaling themselves on the lethal thorns that cover the trees.

Even Ring-tailed Lemurs find resources to exploit in an otherworldly habitat of titanic grey edifices resembling alien skyscrapers, the only remains of an ancient ocean reef. The razor sharp stone is negotiated by the lemur troops, navigated by experienced scouts down to the base where sheltered groves collect water from the rocks above, rare places to hunt for food. The aye-aye is examined, with its bizarre adaptations bringing it success in hunting the wood for insects. Its strange appearance has been a curse, as humans mistake it for a demon, and kill it on sight. Fat-tailed lemurs occupying the rain forests of the east are the only primate and tropical mammal that hibernates; a process called aestivation, sleeping for seven months to conserve resources during lean times. Lastly, the episode looks in on the Indri of the forest, haunting the trees with its plaintive call. The endless wonder of Madagascar is captured with incredible images that easily achieve a visual poetry while the narrator covers the fun facts. 

‘Wanderers of the Forest’ focuses on the Amathole mountains of south eastern South Africa, an Afromontane habitat that has been nearly destroyed by timber and farming interests. Covering less than 0.5% of South Africa’s surface area, it is the last bastion of the towering 200 foot high Yellowwood trees. This is the ‘national tree’, which is still cut down regularly despite its protected status and very slow reproduction. 

These forests are the home and prison of Samango monkeys and South Africa’s only parrot species, the Cape Parrot. Though there are small pockets of the forest left, the devastation requires each species to forage in urban areas for food. Samango monkeys, adorned with greyed fur that makes them resemble old men, cross telephone wires into town to raid gardens and ruin their teeth on acorns for protein. The residents shoot them on sight in the town of Hogsback, an unfortunate reminder of humans’ refusal to understand their place in the natural world. The parrots raid the pecan fields, relishing the fatty pecans which provide nourishment, but cause high fat levels in the liver. Farmers have set aside a field just for the parrots while shooting them in their own fields. Both species would live far better on a diet of yellowwood fruit, filled with antioxidants and vitamins. ‘Wanderers of the Forest’ makes a strong case for conservation of species by conserving the habitat, while highlighting the bizarre behaviors of our own species. 

‘Baboons of Bambelela’ is an engaging chapter focusing on the Chacma baboons of the Waterberg, making their living amid the granite inselbergs of this paradise. Baboons tend to have complex troop structures, led by a strong alpha male (for Chacmas), allied adult males, and the various females and offspring, living in 2-3 dozen large groups for predation defense. The higher the risk of predation, as in the Okavango, the larger the troop. This chapter examines a troop created by a rogue male who enticed low ranking females away from their troop where reproductive prospects were poor. The recruitment can consist of not just being an available alpha male, but also grooming, which plays an outsized role in bonding, forming alliances, and political intrigue. The alpha then takes and holds prime feeding territory and maintains tight discipline to keep the troop intact. Males hold rank with muscle, fighting off rivals, protecting family members, and keeping everyone well fed - when he fails in this, he is deposed and forgotten. Females hold rank by bloodline, and keep that rank even if their mate is lost. Their offspring holds rank in a similar fashion, this is carried over as they age, and is reflected in being groomed by subordinates. The grooming is crucial for currying favor, enabling individuals to rise in estimation and importance. It even allows interlopers to join a troop. The notion of animals conducting politics by various means has always been fascinating to me, a literal ‘scratch your back’ quid pro quo that could yield a dividend. 

‘Baboon Lagoon’ follows a single Chacma baboon troop living in the reserve of De Hoop. As a misty morning breaks, we see the hulking alpha male lead his troop from their rock haven to the feeding grounds where they pick berries from a Dune Myrtle tree, stuffing their cheek pouches with the bounty. There is little new material in this one, but it is a favorite for showcasing the natural beauty of De Hoop, a small but crucial nature reserve along the South African Garden Route. Home to some of the world’s rarest mammals, De Hoop was created in 1957 south of the Overberg mountains specifically to protect Bontebok antelope. These beautiful creatures with striking white facial coloration were nearly exterminated, down to just seventeen individuals by farmers who shot them as pests. They were joined by Cape Mountain Zebra, also critically endangered, to breed freely and eventually restock reserves. Above all what is conserved here is the Cape Floral Kingdom, home to the Fynbos biome. Forming a packed heath, proteas, ericas, restios and geophytes are packed into a relatively tiny area that has biological diversity greater than any rainforest. Baboons are able to graze here due to their dietary flexibility, adapting to any food source. Fynbos manage to grow on very poor soils, and are thus low in nutrients. The baboons must work harder to make a living than those in more productive areas, but are successful nonetheless. 

'Africa’s baboons' is a larger scope review of the five species of baboons found across that massive continent, including the Chacmas, the Olive baboons of western and central Africa, the Geladas, Hamadryas, and Yellow baboons of eastern Africa. Baboons are well built to exploit the remarkable diversity of ecosystems, and unsurprisingly are found nearly everywhere. Chacmas are able to live off the sparse nutrients of the Fynbos kingdom, though will raid human habitation when necessary to survive. Olive baboons are widespread across west-central Africa, capable of eating nearly anything, and are led by an alpha female in large troops. This female carries knowledge of water and food sources that leads back many generations, passed on to offspring to carry on the traditions. 

Emotions run deep in these societies, and higher ranking members hold the discipline. In one scene, an alpha attacks a mother who turns her back on a helpless newborn, a valuable lesson in a dangerous world. This unrest causes cortisol levels to surge in the bloodstream, which can disrupt reproductive hormones - and these subside quickly in the calm of grooming sessions, restoring the balance, reinforcing emotional bonds, and aiding troop cohesion. Baboons have been noted by researchers to recognize relationships of dominance within the troop independent of their own position - capable of exercising politics and abstract thought. 

The camera follows one rogue male who drifts into the territory of a baboon troop - he is alone, cast out of his old troop once sexually mature. Ever seeking a way into an existing troop, or coaxing away females, he is constantly on the lookout for an opportunity. Social animals face a bleak existence in solitude. One does not need to anthropomorphize to see loneliness in his eyes, unable to bond with others. Ticks build up on his face and back, he feeds fretfully as there is no one to look out for predators, sleep is rare, and stress wears on him without the close interactions baboons desire. Hope appears with another rogue male who carefully approaches, and through body language an alliance is made. Troops are formed this way in the natural world, and the social animal is given another chance. 

World of Primates is a stellar series that stands with the best, both as entertainment and education. I find this invigorating as a way of understanding how so many disparate pieces of our planet fit together into a loose whole. Learning how these systems work is the same as learning why they matter - and in a world on the verge of large scale collapse, they all matter. 

[quarry-asia]

SHADES OF TRANQUILLITY: EMBRACING THE BLUES AND THE GREENS IN NATURAL STONES

In a fast-paced world filled with chaos and stress, finding moments of tranquillity in our surroundings is a necessity. What better way to surround yourself with than natural stones that offer us a serene escape through soothing shades of blues and greens. These calming hues have the power to transform our spaces into havens of peace.

Blue and green natural stones bring an element of refinement. With their intricate veining these stones evoke a sense of grandeur and calm at the same time. Picture a bathroom adorned with blue marble, where every visit becomes a luxurious retreat.

Sodalite

Sodalite introduces an air of mystery and depth to our surroundings. It’s one of the rarest stones created by mother nature and curated by The Quarry all the way from Brazil, only for you. It unveils its rarest form of natural stone, captivating with its deep blue hues and intricate patterns. Each piece is a testament to nature's artistry, making it a prized natural stone. Explore the extraordinary allure of sodalite, a treasure brought to life through The Quarry.

Amazonica

From deep earthy browns to shimmering greens and flecks of gold, Amazonica’s colours evoke the mystical allure of the Amazon rainforest. Elevate your living space with Amazonica’s rare, rich green tones, found exclusively in South American quarries. This onyx and quartzite combination adds luxury to any space.

Amazonite

Amazonite, a true gem, mesmerises with its soothing shades of aqua and green. Its tranquil colours evoke the calming essence of flowing rivers and lush landscapes. Discover the serene beauty of Amazonite, a stone that truly captures the essence of nature.

Azul Macaubas

Azul Macaubas quartzite, with its swirling patterns of deep blues, creates a sense of movement that mimics the calming flow of water. It effortlessly adds a touch of luxury to any room, making it an ideal choice for countertops or bathrooms.

Azul Montagna

Azul Montagna is a breathtaking stone that exudes a feeling of quiet and hush. Its deep, captivating blues intertwine with delicate patterns, creating a mesmerising experience. This natural masterpiece brings serenity to any space, leaving a lasting impression.

Emerald Green

Emerald Green, a rare quartzite found in South American quarries infuses our spaces with the rejuvenating energy of nature. The lush green hues and captivating patterns remind us of vibrant forests and bring a sense of vitality indoors. Incorporating these stones into our living rooms or kitchens creates an oasis of tranquillity where we can recharge and reconnect.

Labradorite Lemurian

Labradorite Lemurian, a gentle yet magnificent stone handpicked from Madagascar is unmatched. Its blend of black-green to deep black with iridescent blue patches make it eye-catching. The stone creates a mesmerising effect when backlit. It has the power to transform every space it’s a part of.

Blue and green shades generally offer a respite from the chaos, reminding us to slow down. So, bring home Azul Macaubas quartzite, Sodalite marble, Emerald Green quartzite, and other rare natural stones from the farthest quarries and let their transformative power take you over.

The Quarry brings you the finest natural stones from all around the world. We travel across 35 countries – Brazil, Italy, Madagascar, France, Spain, Ireland, and more to find the rarest slabs of marble, granite, and rare onyx. Experience curated brilliance close to home.