My Bacteria #mybacteria

We should all be radicalized by Otter 841.

Living in Santa Cruz, CA, we see sea otters so often it's easy to forget that they are endangered. Otters are a keystone species, meaning they are critical to the health of the Monterey Bay. They protect it from being overrun by species like urchins and invasive crabs that endanger the kelp forest. Without otters, the kelp would disappear along with hundreds of other species. The seabed would erode, making our coast more vulnerable to storms. Otters maintain the balance of our Bay, and they are just one example of an endangered species whose conservation is critical to the species and people of an area.

Trump has proposed changing the interpretation of the Endangered Species Act so that it no longer protects habitat, creating a loophole that companies can use to disregard environmental protections, a move that would be catastrophic for endangered species across the country.

But we can fight.

Follow this link to make a public comment:

This site is open for public comment until the end of May 19th. Please comment and make your voice heard.

Also, call AND email your representatives in congress, and let them know you will not allow the Trump administration to roll back decades of environmental progress.

Don't let Otter 841 down.

Honestly bizarre that tomatoes get all the flack for “not being a vegetable” because they're technically a fruit when:

A) There are a ton of fruits that get categorised as vegetables. Like this also applies to pumpkins, squashes and cucumbers.

B) The fucking mushrooms are standing there at the back of the crowd in this witch trial, trying to look inconspicuous because they somehow got into the vegetable club with no fucking controversy despite the fact that they're not even plants.

Synthetic biology

common spiny flower mantis, as an apology for the hiatus🌷

the last couple of days I've been noticing way more buds than usual on the branches of trees and bushes. I think something big is about to happen

She’s not in her villain era she’s in her Lilith era. Sacred, sexual, sovereign and unapologetic.

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Lilith didn’t obey. Medusa didn’t weep. Aphrodite didn’t crave.

Why should you?

via witch.and.bones

Vox

This animal is on the edge of extinction. Trump just fired the people trying to save it.

Job cuts and frozen funding could inch one of the world’s rarest species even closer to extinction.

DOGE just froze funding to vital Federal and Indigenous conservation programs devoted to supporting the very delicate and tenuous existence of the black-footed ferret.

I fell in love with these animals as a kid traveling to our National Parks. Their rarity and ferocity made me sharply aware, even as a child, of just how much of a responsibility we have toward our environment. I can't bear the thought of them being a fucking casualty of Trump and Musk.

Look at them! They do war dances.

“Since 1959, our collection has been open to the public to educate visitors of all ages and provide permanent housing for almost 4,000 plant species, some of which are critically endangered.

We've always been dedicated to the conservation of plant species, including Welwitschias, cacti, succulents, orchids, cycads, water lilies, carnivorous plants, and so much more!

Earlier this week, we were informed that we have been placed on a shortlist for potential permanent closure and will know in May.

At the moment, we are still operating under our normal hours, allowing visitors, labs, and discussions to observe, touch, and smell all of our unique and fascinating plants-for free, as it has always been.

Currently, Marlene Simon, the director of the conservatory, is drafting a letter of support for those who wish to sign in support of the UC Davis Botanical Conservatory to continue to get University funding.

Additionally, supporters are more than welcome to write to our department which is the College of Biological Sciences.

@ucdavisbiology

Lastly, we would deeply appreciate it if all supporters could share this news to help gather more support.

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UC Davis’s botany conservatory needs your help! Please message @ucdavisbiology on instagram and/or email UC Davis’s Chancellor Gary May at chancellor@ucdavis.edu about why this would be a loss for the botany community, endangered plant species, and the general public!

Please share if you can!

forest management

nerdy about nature