Arctic Sunrise - Year 4.5 Billion
The camel that could have been a leopard.
One of planet Earth´s most unique land-living animals still roaming about in the wild also happens to be one of the cutest and most enchanting, and gentle colossuses that have ever existed. Yet, somehow, despite the towering size and unique characteristics of these majestic critters they are also one of the lesser talked about wildlife stars. And so it happens that by now they are like so many other species highly endangered without anyone really paying attention.
But perhaps that is the reward that life gave these majestic beings that float across the land they call home as if they are majestic land dwelling whales. A backseat in the human consciousness as we proceeded to decimate their global population with 40 or so % in less than 30 years.
music of the day while you are reading our article
Storm Drains by Fit for an Autopsy
The turning of a new year for Camelopardalis and Hominoidea.
And so as we turn the pages of another year, let us ring it in by talking about the camel marked like a leopard.
Cue the latin name, "Camelopardalis".
Which if you translate the gorgeous sounding latin name straight over to English comes out as the equally cute phrase "camel marked like a leopard".
Still wondering what kind of animal I am actually talking about?.
Well, wonder no more, because the friendly giant is none other than the Giraffe.
And perhaps we should start with that name? Because right now I am 100% convinced that your capable neurons are already rapid firing the obvious connection between the Giraffe and the Leopard. After all, they are both dotted in that very same, and beautiful way by nature's painter which makes the English name seem perfectly logical all of a sudden.
But those beautiful patches is not just there to reign supreme in the good look department. They serve an essential role too for the Giraffe´s health and longevity.
The Patches of the Giraffe.
Each patch on the fur of the Giraffe is actually surrounded by a sophisticated system of blood vessels which act as a biological thermal window that is primed to survey and control the Giraffe´s body heat. And so, recent thermal scans of giraffes have clearly shown us that the unique body heat is directly matching the pattern of each individual Giraffes spots.
Giving us what is essentially evolutions own version of a built-in smart and biological AC system capable of outdoing the smartest homes when it comes to keeping a perfect cool in the blazing heat for each individual.
The Giraffe is so well suited for its life amongst the giant trees and blazing sun that it does not even drink water every single day. On average they only choose to drink water every few days, getting most of what they need from the water inherent in the hundreds of pounds of greens they eat each week.
And just how do they get to those tasty and moist filled greens?
Well, the Giraffe, as you most likely already know, evolved from a more antelope looking animal that used to roam Africa a few million decades ago, and from there it grew its seven vertebrae long neck into something larger still that now dwarf almost all grown human adults, and as if that was not enough, at the end of it all, the Giraffe is not just throwing around a sun-proofed black tongue with its own antiseptic, but a tongue that reaches 50 centimeters further into the yummy acacia trees whose leafs it favors.
And so it is that the Giraffe wander our world more resembling a fantasy like enchanted animal than any other living thing.
And let us just hope that we all decide to stop killing it for its tail and 11-kilogram heavy heart, and its bone marrow and brain, which some wrongfully believe are capable of curing HIV.
Other threats that weigh heavy on the rapidly diminishing global population of Giraffe is the many violent conflicts raging between various human groups throughout its entire habitual range.
So as we learn more about the 2m body slam drop newborn Giraffe calves have to endure at the moment of birth, let us not just hope, but also work for peace on this planet, and increased scientific education and sustainable life on Planet Earth so that we still have a healthy Giraffe population in 30 years time.
Giraffe facts:
Name: Giraffa Camelopardalis
Size: 14 to 19 feet high ( 5 feet neck, and roughly 6 feet long legs )
Weight: Up to 2 800lbs
Sprint pace: The Giraffe can sprint at up to 35mph when needed, but prefer to travel at a lower pace for extended periods.
World Giraffe day: 21 June, every year. And you can help out too.
It was the year
4.5 Billion
[ "and
with the rising
sun
we turned,
the pages
of a brand new day" ]
‘tardigradous conversations slow became… our own Paean’
A 2019 poem from my Norse poetry book "the dreamweavers tree". These few lines hold a moment long forgotten and not yet lived.. As it was seen from a time beyond Ragnarok, from when we traveled back to the beginning of it all, standing on the shores of Yggdrasil.
Out of my
shallow grave
You raise me from the soil,
time and time
again
with your
words and fingers,
the things that play
this song of life so grand and sensual
it whispers tug and pull
on the senses of
the
imaginary, conjured forth
from strokes of life itself
the sultry naught
that warms my soul
with words and love slowly rolling
like ebb and tide
from your tongue
the river soon
break against your soul and skin
the lapping tongue that is so skilled
aroused and sensuous,
You call me up
To dance beneath
the ever tree
to the right of you
For all
of time and hels eternity
And once I live,
one more time
endless born
you raise your head, from down
your
knees
And while my hand was
not
thought,
to ever be
yours,
to hold,
beyond the grave forlorn lost
Here I am
playing, hiding
living, loving amongst these shadows
Of each night, we found a lease
to play, like the moon
and roaming
wolf that follows close
to each other
like
two birds, born
of feathers,
silent
full of lust and life
we are now
playing tag
eternal
as one that changes from two to one and ever growing
we rush
through mist
on top
what is, perhaps
a broken fortress
From within, a hymn, of bursting hearts,
which might,
come from down, the beavers
river,
curled up dreams like baleful stars
with raging foam of moving oceans
a song to greet our
last, few steps
like stones and soil, we flow together
From mountains top
That fall, and climb
so high,
back to the crust
of the thousand seas and burning arrows
Until once more,
the light
Of day, will come to cease
our lustful games, the sun that passed
the night
that lay
beneath our
sprawling tree
Come good morning
to say goodbye,
you raise me soon
enough,
to dance
another night,
and together
We stayed, remained, we fall so slow,
we run with stars
we swim,
climb and bleed,
venture forth
for all eternity
Beneath this seldom tree
we call it ours
music of the day
The gathering of black moths by Swallow the sun
https://open.spotify.com/track/3MrkTVVXnKX7Ubigr0sYha
It was the year
4.5 Billion
[ “and
with the rising
sun
we turned,
the pages
of a brand new day” ]
"The Lost World of Planet Earth"
Life is your Art
Related articles from the world wide web
life from around our mutual tiny sphere
Beyond2c on Medium
Nordic art by Mike
Available Nordic fine art photography by me.
My personal fav print, 'a norse summer song' at Printler, check it out and buy it today :).
Fine art print by Mike Koontz, Printler.com
Daily sunlight and T cell capacity
Nature.com on the T cell study
Tesla, Solar roof.
Official website, Tesla, solar roof
A stronger biceps gives you a stronger brain
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, body and mind
Hiroshima by the New Yorker
Remember Hiroshima by New Yorker
The Environmental Performance Index
EPI 2016
New England Journal of Medicine
Genetic Risk, Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle, and Coronary Disease
Starbucks sugar crisis - hot flavoured drinks
Action on sugar.org
Death by sedentary choices
Every hour of sitting still
The remembrance day for lost species
Nov 30, lost species day
WHO, Air Pollution News Release
WHO, Global Air Pollution News Release
Lifelong strength training mitigates the age-related decline in efferent drive
Lifelong strength training mitigates age-related decline
Drive me, Self driving cars by Volvo
Drive me by Volvo
Phase two - Guardian climate change
Keep it in the ground
Writer and photography
Mike Koontz
To the daisy that is my sun and inspiration
Buy my living room fine art
Scandinavian Fitness
