#if it wasnt overwhelmingly positive id have just died LMAO

[kitkatcadillac]

it hit ten thousand and you guys are crazy but ultimately i think very nice folks overall, i threw this together kind of quick and a few critiques id like to make of it:

- the pigs are not native to the bahamas im so mad at myself for being inattentive. they are a part of the islands tourist attraction features, but they are not endemic. how i worded it implies theyre endemic. they are Domestic Pigs people Brought In. its a whole can of worms and its own issue, but i dont think the answer for it is necessarily poisoning them like that. pigs are so smart, man, im too soft to want an animal to suffer being poisoned like that, least of all social animals like pigs. thats a whole research trip for another day though. re; intent was not congruent to impact, i done goofed.

- i only mentioned tropical beaches. the reason being it was super easy to call to mind a few examples of people absolutely fucking beaches, because beaches are notorious tourist traps and of course they see some of the easiest examples of people ruining things. they are important!!! but they arent the only thing that needs attention. next time ill evaluate maybe a little harder and throw some variety in there. gotta get some love for praries, forests, lakes, deserts, swamps, etc... i mean ffs i grew up in a brackish marsh!!! and dc is a swamp. ohio is just a small piece of the ohio river valley. many places to choose from. (USA centric in that regard but at least i Live There and Know with my Own Eyes and Hands)

- decries stone stacking but does not elaborate. could help to clarify theres places where this is acceptable and places where it very much does damage- it isnt like its a hard law you cant do [action] anywhere, ever, but its wise to research the place youre visiting if youre going about your way as a sightseer or tourist! most places will have rules and regulations you can access. be a proactive learner and community member wherever you go!

- did not use alt text or descriptors of my screen shots and im very sorry 😭 i didnt expect the post to get more than like 4 notes probably so i didnt think anyone would actually find that helpful really but i should make it a habit anyway to use descriptors! i never know if someone who follows me might appreciate it even tangentially

overall though its been really nice to see everyone be so supportive and kind for the most part. ive really loved seeing people share stories from their locales about their own parks and superblooms and the like, its been really enlightening and im glad yall care so much to notice. i hope you keep caring and doing your thing- and the couple of rangers ive seen in the notes i hope you all stay safe!!! thank you for what you do. grateful

i think also people who dont understand how "stacking some rocks sometimes" can be harmful have heard of the countless cases where "its just a little thing" has destroyed countless landmarks and parks

elafonisi's pink sand beaches only retain 10% of the pink hues they used to retain just a few decades ago,

(source)

and if you didnt know it could happen, a larger scale upheaval of a beach in jamaica actually did result in the disappearance of an entire beach.

(source)

pig beach in the bahamas attracts people for being, well, the bahamas, and native pigs in the area can be found swimming to get around sometimes. people go nuts for the photo opportunity and forget these are wild animals- and youd expect it being the pigs killing people, but actually, people being too friendly caused a ban on feeding the pigs because seven of the poor things died after people figured "how bad could it hurt them if i give them just one?"

(source)

and these are just cases of something specific happening or being taken or given. thats not including people ruining and closing down entire tourist attractions, beaches, and parks by completely overcrowding it, disregarding rules, or trashing and littering the places.

like if someone preserving the park tells you not to do something you think is "harmless," i swear they arent just doing it because they want to ruin your fun. maintaining these places is delicate work- its a privilege to see and visit these areas, not a right. please take care of the world around you whether youre very close or very far from home, okay?