Animals are Magical

Let's devote this thread to the other family of sentient creatures that inhabit this planet with us, that we take for granted far too often.
I've always been a horse lover, and it's so great now that they come in so many different sizes! :lol:
"Tiniest, Fuzziest Mini Horse Starts Dancing With Joy
The Dodo
Published on Apr 4, 2019
Martha is a tiny dwarf horse who is shorter than a golden retriever. She was born with a genetic defect that left her legs deformed. Watch as she gets better every day and starts to leap around with so much joy!

You can keep up with Martha and all of her adventures on Instagram, randrranchminis: https://thedo.do/randr. You can learn more about R and R Ranch by visiting their website: https://www.randrranchminis.com/."

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=M9OQRHb2YH4

Thanks for this lovely thread. I think it's so cute when animals become friends across species. Here's a documentary about it.

Animal Odd Couples [Full Documentary] | Wild Things

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=_BvB0182xag

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YT DESCRIPTION: Biologist Liz Bonnin explores why some of the most bizarre and surprising animals pair up with each other and with us. She scours the globe in search of the most extraordinary and cute animal relationships, investigating why such odd couples sometimes form. From dogs mothering baby tigers and polar bears befriending huskies, to buffaloes bonding with grown men and lions behaving like our brothers.

Liz will discover how oxytocin, the love hormone, plays a vital part in bringing the oddest animals together. The biological need to mother can shake up the natural order to such an extent that we see cats mothering ducklings and deer adopting dogs as their own young. There’s even the rhino and the sheep that love spending time with each other so much that they become ill if they are separated.

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A Wild Canadian Lynx And A Cameraman Develop An Amazing Relationship
CBC
Published on Feb 27, 2018
'It was the best day of my life.' Sam Ellis spent 76 days with Mad Max in the Yukon wilderness.
Subscribe: http://bit.ly/CBC-Subscribe
Watch More Shows: http://bit.ly/CBC-MoreShows
From the creators of the acclaimed series WILD CANADA, comes a new five-part series to celebrate Canada’s 150th. The Wild Canadian Year presents Canada’s extraordinary wildlife through the lens of the country’s four dramatic seasons. Watch new digital stories online every two weeks all year.
Visit The Wild Canadian Year for more stories: http://www.cbc.ca/wildcanadianyear/

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=0HujyOjjpZY

:heart: LOVE THIS IDEA! Thank you onawah

The foot of a gecko
From: Planet Earth Phenomenon

https://media.loupak.fun/soubory/obr.../1215/6198.jpg
"The interactions between the gecko's feet and the climbing surface are stronger than simple surface area effects. On its feet, the gecko has many microscopic hairs, or setae (singular seta), that increase the Van der Waals forces between its feet and the surface. These setae are fibrous structural proteins that protrude from the epidermis, which is made of β-keratin, the basic building block of human skin.
The feet of geckos have a number of specializations. Their surfaces can adhere to any type of material with the exception of Teflon (PTFE). This phenomenon can be explained with three elements:

Foot structure
Structure of the material to which the foot adheres
The ability to adhere to a surface and become a part of it."

Deer Lives With Family :lol:
Uzoo
Published on Jan 6, 2009

"Barbie the deer has made herself at home in this farmhouse in Scotland."

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=fYCGPCQQ-48

Dillie the Deer: Love on Tiny Hooves
National Geographic
Published on Mar 20, 2014

"In summer 2004, veterinarian Melanie Butera received an unexpected patient: a blind, dying fawn named Dillie. Butera and her husband nursed Dillie to health. Now, Dillie—who snacks on lollipops and has her own bedroom in their house in Canal Fulton, Ohio—is a daily source of comfort and love to her adoptive family."

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=xGeQE-BBDvI

Episodic videos about a protector of wild deer on this channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS1...ZinUnFIPZW-Tpg
Such as:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZOMVOlyqCCA

https://youtube.com/watch?v=oj0Iz9ZsDAc

Indian ringneck parakeets! If my cats wouldn’t hurt them, I’d have a pair today! What a fun way to start the day!

Justin Beaver
Loves Building Dams In His House

The Dodo
Published on Aug 1, 2018
Rescue Beaver Loves Building Dams In His House
"This professional wildlife rehabber lets a baby beaver build dams in the house and swim in the tub 5 times a day."

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=DggHeuhpFvg

video was removed... sorry

So I have seven goats and one sheep? How does that happen? Not quite sure, but it did. And with Gaia as my witness, my goats speak, not unlike the parrot brothers that I loaded earlier.

I have one little girl, a Nigerian dwarf dwarf ( only weighs 45 pounds and stands 19" high at the withers) who speaks the words " Mommy, Daddy, I love you, whatcha doin? Hmmm and hungry. She also refers to the other goats as "them". There is a lot more vocabulary but I won't bore you - way Middle Earth, but this thread is exactly that, innit?

Thing is? They're psychic. They KNOW when I am attempting to record them and suddenly start playing the role of livestock. I am thinking about doing a hidden camera. You honestly would not believe it.

But this thread has me thinking (seriously) - Omnivores! I am one. And I have a super dilemma about it (ref Michael Pollan). We have never slaughtered our animals and would never ever think of consuming them. We are attached. The only time we had to slaughter was when an Opossum decimated our chicken flock. Took 50% of the birds and left them alive. We had no choice but to put them out of their misery. There was no recovery from that. We haven't eaten chicken since. In fact, any meat, is usually just an ingredient these days. Would rather not have it at all, but with my Hashimotos situation, I need some pure protein to survive. Beans are the enemy to my condition, and eggs, well, they can't be every meal... I only eat about 1000 calories per day intentionally, but there must be some variety. Most of my protein is fish related, with occasional Bison. But surely, they in their foreign environment must have the ability to communicate as do the animals on this thread?

I despise the fact that we, as sentient, thoughtful, creative and loving beings are compelled to consume other beings for optimal health. Whatever designed us, put a flaw in the system.

I wonder if all other omnivores/carnivores would stop killing each other (lions and gazelles for example) if the top of the food chain (we) stopped eating flesh? Would the food chain fear disappear? Would the "lion lie down with the lamb" And Yes, it WAS lion, definitely not wolf.

I am sure my comments are not where this thread was intended to go. So sorry about that. Just feel compelled to share my angst. Thanks for listening :)

I was going to share the following video on the All Things Vegan thread, but given that animals are magical, I felt maybe it would serve more purpose on this thread. Anyone still subjecting these magical creatures to this level of existance through their lifestyle choices has an obligation, I repeat, an obligation to watch this film. Yes, it is graphic. Yes, it is brutal. No, it is not acceptable. Be the change. Go vegan.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LQRAfJyEsko

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Posted by Akasha

I was going to share the following video on the All Things Vegan thread, but given that animals are magical, I felt maybe it would serve more purpose on this thread. Anyone still subjecting these magical creatures to this level of existance through their lifestyle choices has an obligation, I repeat, an obligation to watch this film. Yes, it is graphic. Yes, it is brutal. No, it is not acceptable. Be the change. Go vegan.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LQRAfJyEsko

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I love everything about your post. I love your Avatar! But I cannot watch the video. I need to eat pure protein to survive ( the only animal based protein I have eaten in the last two weeks is pickled Herring). And its not that great! Its a great source of Omega 3, but its kind of nasty. Have to choke it down with Horseradish. And that definitely opens the third eye (or nostril). LOL.

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Posted by AriG

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Posted by Akasha

I was going to share the following video on the All Things Vegan thread, but given that animals are magical, I felt maybe it would serve more purpose on this thread. Anyone still subjecting these magical creatures to this level of existance through their lifestyle choices has an obligation, I repeat, an obligation to watch this film. Yes, it is graphic. Yes, it is brutal. No, it is not acceptable. Be the change. Go vegan.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LQRAfJyEsko

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I love everything about your post. I love your Avatar! But I cannot watch the video. I need to eat pure protein to survive ( the only animal based protein I have eaten in the last two weeks is pickled Herring). And its not that great! Its a great source of Omega 3, but its kind of nasty. Have to choke it down with Horseradish. And that definitely opens the third eye (or nostril). LOL.

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Hi AriG. I don't want to go off topic on this thread so I would ask you to join me in conversation on the dietary subject you raised over on the All Things Vegan thread. Unfortunately I have to crash now though. Hopefully see you soon there. :)

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Posted by AriG

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Posted by Akasha

I was going to share the following video on the All Things Vegan thread, but given that animals are magical, I felt maybe it would serve more purpose on this thread. Anyone still subjecting these magical creatures to this level of existance through their lifestyle choices has an obligation, I repeat, an obligation to watch this film. Yes, it is graphic. Yes, it is brutal. No, it is not acceptable. Be the change. Go vegan.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LQRAfJyEsko

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I love everything about your post. I love your Avatar! But I cannot watch the video. I need to eat pure protein to survive ( the only animal based protein I have eaten in the last two weeks is pickled Herring). And its not that great! Its a great source of Omega 3, but its kind of nasty. Have to choke it down with Horseradish. And that definitely opens the third eye (or nostril). LOL.

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My heart goes out to you AriG - I hope you find a way through to a better way regarding your health/diet dilemma.

I agree with you about the animals' efforts to communicate. We have a pet pig that calls "Momma" and only uses that sound when communicating to my wife. It is so cute.

I also believe that in some cases the animals can sense when a person is friendly or not. We live in a rural area and we see animals always coming around our place. Owls, Hawks and Ducks always come by and I often feel like they want their presence to be known almost like saying "Hello". Possums, Racoons and Deer and my kids are always so excited when they see an animal come by. My family has always been the "rescue" type and wherever we live feels like a sanctuary for animals.

We also have an amazing cat - whenever a person is sad our cat immediately senses it and she will come over and has actually a few times softly stroked the person's cheek to give comfort - so sweet.

Dear God. I am 14 minutes in and I haven't sobbed this much in I don't know how long. Pigs are extremely intelligent. My heart is broken. How can we be so cruel?

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Posted by Valerie Villars

Dear God. I am 14 minutes in and I haven't sobbed this much in I don't know how long. Pigs are extremely intelligent. My heart is broken. How can we be so cruel?

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My Dearest Valerie,

I so get where you are. Now let me lighten the load. Do you know what caused my DH and I to stop eating pork? Please dont laugh folks. This is a true story-albeit a socially controlled one. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okja

We cried like little babies! This is why I can’t watch ‘Dominion’ ( although I may have seen it already and blocked out)

Here is Pigcasso. She paints and her work has been used for many things - even Swatch released a special watch using her design.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=pKjrBhK2ulU

I saw this about a week ago. It was very moving as it includes things I enjoy - travel, bikes and cats

Guy Biking Across the World Picks Up a Stray Kitty by The Dodo

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Uj0HAOKmRak

:cat:

The Cat that climbed the Matterhorn

Here's a true story about the highest cat that ever climbed a mountain. Rather than copy it from a web page, I'll tell it from memory as best I recall.

Quite a while back, in 1950, some Italian mountaineers were staying in the famous Hörnli mountain hut, below the Matterhorn in Switzerland, on the Swiss side. (The Matterhorn (4478m / 14,692 ft) is right on the border between Switzerland and Italy.) It's a large hut, and in the summer there's a live-in custodian who maintains the place, provides meals, and so on.

When the Italian mountaineers set off to climb the mountain the next morning, the custodian's cat followed them. It was just 10 months old, little more than a kitten. They tried to shoo it away, but it was insistent. The climbers couldn't do anything to stop it.

Several hours later, the cat reached the summit — exhausted. (Understandably!) The Italian climbers picked it up, put it in a backpack, and then descended down the other side to Italy, which had always been their plan.

Hearing what happened, the custodian demanded his cat back. But it was now in Italy, and had been totally adopted. The climbers refused to return it. It stayed there for the rest of its life, and having departed this world years later, its body is now stuffed and in a glass case where Italian mountaineers gleefully continue to tell the story to this day.

https://cdn.britannica.com/s:700x450...4-5A472A67.jpg

:sun:

Evil parrot :ROFL:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=YE8PTMSFMUg