January 2026 - Mihaela Limberea

Celebrating International Zebra Day!

31st January 2026 Mihaela Limberea

0 Comment

Happy International Zebra Day! 🦓 Every year on January 31, people worldwide join in to raise awareness about zebra conservation and support efforts to protect their populations and habitats. This day highlights the challenges zebras face, including habitat loss, poaching, human conflict, and climate change. Because of these threats, species like the Grévy’s zebra are now listed as endangered by the IUCN. In the last decade, their population has declined by over 50%, underscoring the urgent need for conservation efforts.

Zebras play a key role in African ecosystems. By grazing, they help keep grasslands healthy and spread seeds through their droppings. This natural mowing promotes the growth of diverse plant species, which in turn supports soil health and increases the land’s ability to store carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation. The process can uplift local communities by enhancing eco-tourism and sustainable agriculture. When we protect zebras, we are not only safeguarding biodiversity but also fostering ecosystem restoration and resilience. This creates a hopeful recovery story that benefits both nature and people, aligning with the broader rewilding movement. When we protect zebras, we also help many other species that live in savannas and dry areas.

A close-up of a zabra in black and white

Here are a few fun facts about zebras:

Each zebra’s stripe pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint. Scientists believe these patterns help zebras recognize each other.
Their stripes also help them blend in, making it harder for predators to single out one zebra from the group.
The bold black-and-white stripes mostly keep away biting flies like horseflies and tsetse flies, which can spread disease. This is actually a bigger reason for their stripes than camouflage.
Zebras can run up to 65 km/h (40 mph) and use powerful kicks to defend themselves from predators.
There are three living zebra species: the plains zebra, the mountain zebra, and the Grévy’s zebra, the largest and also the most endangered.

By supporting protected areas, anti-poaching work, and sustainable practices, we can help zebras survive for future generations.

🦓 Zebra (Equus quagga)

📸 Canon R5 & Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM

📍Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, South Africa

How The Zebra Got Its Stripes

Love my work? Support my journey by buying me a coffee or sharing it on your preferred social network. And don’t forget to swing by my online shop to check out my latest prints and gifts. Thank you 🙏!

II [Doom is dark and deeper than any sea-dingle.]

27th January 2026 Mihaela Limberea

Poetry

0 Comment

W. H. Auden

This is post 89 of 92 in the series “Poetry Tuesday”

This is a series of poems published every Tuesday.

Doom is dark and deeper than any sea-dingle.
Upon what man it fall
In spring, day-wishing flowers appearing,
Avalanche sliding, white snow from rock-face,
That he should leave his house,
No cloud-soft hand can hold him, restraint by women;
But ever that man goes
Through place-keepers, through forest trees,
A stranger to strangers over undried sea,
Houses for fishes, suffocating water,
Or lonely on fell as chat,
By pot-holed becks
A bird stone-haunting, an unquiet bird.

There head falls forward, fatigued at evening,
And dreams of home,
Waving from window, spread of welcome,
Kissing of wife under single sheet;
But waking sees
Bird-flocks nameless to him, through doorway voices
Of new men making another love.

Save him from hostile capture,
From sudden tiger’s leap at corner;
Protect his house,
His anxious house where days are counted
From thunderbolt protect,
From gradual ruin spreading like a stain;
Converting number from vague to certain,
Bring joy, bring day of his returning,
Lucky with day approaching, with leaning dawn.

W. H. Auden (1907 –1973), English poet, playwright, critic, and librettist, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1948 for The Age of Anxiety.

To read more poems, click here.

Celebrate Squirrel Appreciation Day!

21st January 2026 Mihaela Limberea

Photography Wildlife

0 Comment

Squirrel

One misplaced acorn can grow an entire forest. Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day! 🌰🐿️

Today, January 21, we celebrate squirrels and recognize how important they are for healthy ecosystems all around us.

Squirrels are some of nature’s best gardeners. When they bury nuts and seeds for winter and forget about some of them, they help spread seeds across the land. This helps forests regenerate, increases plant diversity, and supports trees like oaks, which are important to woodland habitats.

Squirrels do more than just plant seeds. They are an important part of the food web. Imagine a red-tailed hawk perched on a tall tree, scanning the woodland floor. Its keen eyes lock onto a gray squirrel scurrying through the fallen leaves. In that moment, the hawk swoops silently through the crisp air, a vivid example of the interconnected relationships within the ecosystem.

Squirrels themselves eat insects and sometimes bird eggs, while serving as food for hawks, foxes, owls, and other animals. Their habits help maintain balance in nature and improve soil by promoting decomposition and nutrient cycling.

These quick and clever animals remind us that all life is connected. I remember one morning watching a particularly resourceful squirrel dart across my backyard, pausing only to hide an acorn in my flower bed. Weeks later, I was amazed to see a little sprout emerge from that very spot. When a squirrel forgets where it buried a nut, that small act can lead to a whole grove of trees. It shows how even small actions help keep nature diverse.

Interesting Facts About Squirrels

Red squirrels change their body fur twice every year, but their tail hair only changes once.
They can jump over 2 meters (6.5 feet), ten times their body length (without the tail). The long tail, measuring another 20 centimeters (8in), helps squirrels to balance and steer when jumping.
Squirrels live in a nest known as a drey. Dreys are located high up in trees, made from twigs, and lined with moss, leaves, and other soft materials.
They engage in deceptive caching. The squirrel digs a hole and fiercely plugs it up without using the nut to fend off any food thieves.
Squirrels like to gnaw on reindeer horns. The horns provide a good supplement of calcium, phosphorus, glucosamine, and chondroitin, with trace amounts of magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron.
Squirrels’ front teeth don’t stop growing. Like those of other rodents, squirrels’ front teeth continue to develop throughout their lives. Gnawing on animal horns (see above) helps squirrels grind down their teeth.
They zigzag to avoid predators. Squirrels flee in a zigzag fashion when they are threatened.
Squirrels possess exceptional spatial memory, enabling them to relocate buried food even after months and under significant snow cover. Their hippocampus enlarges seasonally during peak caching periods to support this capability.
Squirrel species vary dramatically in size, from the tiny African pygmy squirrel (approximately 12 cm long) to the Indian giant squirrel (up to 90 cm in length).
Certain ground squirrels, such as the California ground squirrel, can neutralize rattlesnake venom, allowing them to confront and survive encounters that would be fatal to many other animals.

How to Celebrate Squirrel Awareness Month

Feed the little critters nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Squirrels love walnuts and hazelnuts (all kinds of nuts, really), so you can start with that. You can go to a park or set up a simple feeding station in your backyard. Fill feeders with a mix of nuts, seeds, and fresh fruits. You could also transform your garden into a squirrel-friendly sanctuary by setting up squirrel houses, planting nut-bearing trees, and creating safe spaces for them to hide.
Plant some trees to support squirrel habitats. They provide food and shelter for the squirrels and other small animals and birds. You can also create a safe space for squirrels to hide by leaving some areas of your garden undisturbed and providing water sources.
Share the Joy: capture the squirrels in action and share their shenanigans on social media, using #squirrelappreciationday to connect with others who appreciate these fascinating creatures.
Consider logging your squirrel observations on a citizen-science platform such as iN aturalist or Project Squirrel (US). It’s an impactful way to contribute to important ecological research and to become a part of the ongoing conservation effort, extending your engagement beyond just one day.

Bonus: A NASA engineer designed a squirrel-proof birdfeeder. Or so he thought.

Night

13th January 2026 Mihaela Limberea

Poetry

0 Comment

Anne Brontë

This is post 88 of 92 in the series “Poetry Tuesday”

This is a series of poems published every Tuesday.

I love the silent hour of night,
For blissful dreams may then arise,
Revealing to my charmèd sight
What may not bless my waking eyes.

And then a voice may meet my ear,
  That death has silenced long ago;
And hope and rapture may appear
  Instead of solitude and woe.

Cold in the grave for years has lain
  The form it was my bliss to see;
And only dreams can bring again
  The darling of my heart to me.

Anne Brontë (1820 – 1849) was an English novelist and poet, sister of Charlotte and Emily Brontë and author of Agnes Grey (1847) and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848).

To read more poems, click here.

Favorite Photos: December 2025

5th January 2026 Mihaela Limberea

Photography Wildlife

0 Comment

Black Swan Kangaroo Island Nassim Nicholas Taleb Swan

This is post 36 of 38 in the series “Favorite Photos”

This series contains my favorite photos processed in a particular month.

The image captures the striking close-up of a black swan (Cygnus atratus) against a stark, dark background.
The picture isolates a black swan against a solid black backdrop, bringing attention to its unique features. The swan's plumage is entirely black, with the texture of the feathers subtly visible. Its head and neck are gracefully curved, adding to its elegance. The beak is a vibrant red, with a small white tip, providing a sharp contrast to the black feathers. The swan's eye, also red, adds to the intensity of its gaze and stands out against the dark feathers. The lighting is focused, illuminating the swan's head and neck while leaving the background in deep shadow, emphasizing the contrast between light and darkness. The atmosphere of the picture is mysterious and dramatic, with a sense of solemnity conveyed by the swan's posture and the color palette.

A quick edit of a black swan photo taken on Kangaroo Island (South Australia) where we spent a few weeks this December, part of our recent Australia trip. More to come, once I’ve been through all photos 😅.

In the meantime, I leave you with some interesting facts about them.

Interesting Facts About Black Swans

Black swans (Cygnus atratus) are native to Australia and represent a fascinating species within the Anatidae family. Below are several interesting facts about them
Unlike most swans, which are white, black swans possess predominantly black feathers with white flight feathers visible only during flight. Their bright red bills feature a pale tip, and they have the longest neck relative to body size among swan species, aiding in foraging in deep water.
They are indigenous to Australia, particularly abundant in the southeast and southwest regions, including wetlands and lakes. Following European colonization, they were introduced to New Zealand, Europe, and North America as ornamental birds in parks and estates, where feral populations have established in some areas.
Black swans form lifelong monogamous pairs, often remaining together year-round. Both parents share incubation duties and chick-rearing, with cygnets riding on their parents’ backs for protection— a behavior that enhances survival in open water environments.
They produce a variety of trumpet-like calls, including bugling sounds for territorial defense or mating. These vocalizations are more musical than those of mute swans and play a key role in social interactions within flocks.
Primarily herbivorous, black swans feed on aquatic vegetation, algae, and submerged plants by upending in shallow waters (similar to dabbling ducks). They can tolerate brackish and saline environments, allowing them to inhabit a broader range of wetlands than many freshwater-dependent waterfowl.

Symbolism in Metaphor and Philosophy

The term “black swan” entered popular usage through Nassim Nicholas Taleb‘s book “The Black Swan” (2007), metaphorically describing rare, unpredictable events with profound impacts. Historically, Europeans assumed all swans were white until black swans were discovered in Australia in 1697 by Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh, challenging prevailing assumptions.

📸 The photo was taken with Canon R5 Mark II & Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM.

Mihaela Limberea

Month: January 2026

Celebrating International Zebra Day!

Related Posts

II [Doom is dark and deeper than any sea-dingle.]

Celebrate Squirrel Appreciation Day!

Interesting Facts About Squirrels

How to Celebrate Squirrel Awareness Month

Related Posts

Night

Favorite Photos: December 2025

Interesting Facts About Black Swans

Symbolism in Metaphor and Philosophy

Related Posts

Archives

Categories

RSS Feed