Fiona

We've been fed a myth. Wildflowers - bad - dig out/spray/strim, replace with non native garden centre flowers. But why? Wildflowers are beautiful. Our wildlife feed & breed on them. Answer - wildflowers are free, everything else costs money...

Their home,we share. In the quiet stretch of Holyhead’s green, Where needles carpet the forest floor, The russet ghosts move through the scene, Safe behind a closing door. Do they feel the weight of every name, On petitions signed to hold the line? Or see the hearts that guard the frame Of ancient trees and towering pine? They leap across the swaying bough, Unaware of the battle we have led; Yet in their peace, we keep our vow To save the woods of Holyhead. . By Hilary Paterson-Jones 📸Hilary Paterson -Jones

Mesmerising beauty of the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish 🪼

This situation stayed heavy on our hearts for days. A mother crow had been caught in an illegal leg trap, and her leg was badly injured. Letting her go like that would have meant certain death. We could tell she had been caring for babies recently, but we had no idea where they were. For several days, animal control officers searched everywhere for her chicks, but they couldn’t find them. At the same time, we were looking after a baby crow that had been orphaned in a completely different area. Holding onto a small hope, we decided to bring the two together. As soon as the injured mother saw the baby, she walked straight to him. She gently held him with her beak, pulled him close, and then placed herself in front of him, protecting him from the people watching. She was a mother who had lost her babies, and he was a baby who had lost his mother. The very next day, against all expectations, her babies were finally found. She raised the orphan along with her own chicks at the rescue while her leg healed. When the time came, they were all released together—one large, happy family. This will always be one of our most cherished rescue stories.

It's not everyday you see these vibrant beauties clustered together like this.

A new investigation shows horses being flown from Canada for slaughter in Japan continue to suffer injuries, illness and even death The live export of animals is outdated, completely unnecessary and cruel We know the animals suffer horrifically and we have refrigeration, it must stop! #EndLiveExport @CIWF_Global globalnews.ca/news/11726027/…

Two circus elephants reunited in retirement after 22 years apart...

@CraneFrazier Do you see any powerlines here?

@pondsntrees Forgot already about all the powerlines down in the last storm ? Unless power lines go underground concessions have to be made

Everywhere you go in Ireland today, rows of trees have either been chopped down, chopped in half or chopped down to stumpy things with the fork like remains of branches. It's such a depressing sight.

@pondsntrees I see it all over Monaghan Cavan and Longford,it’s not just small hedges but huge mature trees.Its like they hate trees around here.

Reduced oxygen production and CO2 conversion occur due to less photosynthesis. A mature tree absorbs ~48 lbs of CO2 yearly while releasing oxygen—enough for up to 4 people's daily needs. Widespread roadside/hedgerow cuts in Ireland lower this sequestration, releasing stored carbon and raising global CO2 levels. Flood risk rises as trees/hedgerows intercept rain, slow runoff, and boost soil infiltration. Their removal accelerates surface flow in Ireland's wet climate, increasing flood frequency and severity (linked by Woodland Trust and local studies). Water pollution worsens: hedgerows filter sediments, nutrients, and pollutants from runoff, protecting rivers/lakes from eutrophication and contamination. Loss allows more contaminants to enter waterways.

A mother Elephant rescues her calf from a flooded river in Kruger National Park, South Africa.  It took place in January 2026 during a period of historical flooding in the park. 
Heavy rains turned dry riverbeds into dangerous, fast-moving waterways. 

 The mother used her bulk and trunk to guide the calf to safety as it struggled against the current. 

 Such displays of maternal instinct are crucial for survival in the wild, particularly during extreme weather events. 🎦 Credit: Ian Shoebotham, Safari Guide.

An amazing poem. • Paul Durcan •

An underwater shot revealing the raw speed of Whale, powerful 🐋

Found a secret garden beneath the waves

@SI_HESTER @pondsntrees That is not a pollard. A pollard does not rip away huge areas of bark to let in virus. These trees will not recover from such incompetent butchery. Good pollarding can extend the life of trees; this will not.

@john_tippe70046 Yes, exactly right.

@pondsntrees The Irish continue to destroy what little native trees and widlife we have.It's only getting worse and very depressing.

They were not ash trees & not pollarded. There are no power lines, no arctic lorries, just a few cars & the odd tractor. Some trees are over 100 years old. But now they're considered dangerous & must be cut down and not allowed to grow back.

@Paddyspurs1 No, there are hardly any ash trees in Mayo.

@pondsntrees Of they are ash trees, it's probably due to the 'ash dieback' disease. Dead branches become brittle and fall in moderate winds.

@WYSIW @1RabbitInMyFlBd @donnarainey4 Roadside trees some that have stood there for 100 years plus have suddenly been declared dangerous and must be chopped down.

@pondsntrees @1RabbitInMyFlBd @donnarainey4 Never been to Ireland - if this is true I never will - what heathens decided this rule and why

This is a pig who spent years confined in a gestation crate. She was left behind when factory farms flooded in Iowa and then rescued by some volunteers. The volunteers took her home and dug her a mud pit. She ignored it. They assumed years of confinement had extinguished her natural instincts. Then they noticed her wandering into the woods on their property. They followed her — and found her rooting in a pile of dirt, digging her own mud pit. The pork industry claims pigs adapt to confinement. They don't. Inside every gestation crate is an animal who still yearns to root, wallow, and just be a pig. This is the tragedy of factory farming. We tried to reduce feeling animals to machines. We failed.