#isopod display case

[tggardens]

Some quick pics of the terrarium for isopods that our 4-year-old helped me build.

These will be his first pets, he loves to help me mist the other terrariums and feed the big pets (cat and dog) so now he can have something that is "his" to take care of.

And the Powder isopods are actually out and about quite a bit exploring their new home.

[huramuna]

helaena targaryen - headcanons

my collection of helaena headcanons, ft. a drawing of her eyes & an excerpt of her claiming dreamfyre, under the cut! remember, these are just my personal headcanons and nothing here is fact. i just really love helaena and expanding on her character on how i see her is very fun.

Modern Helaena is an entomologist who also has an etsy where she sells elaborate taxidermied insect scenes.

Modern Helaena is a huge fan of the monsterverse and loves Mothra. 

Helaena is autistic. She is mostly touch averse with others but enjoys holding her children, they are her safe place and safety blanket.

Helaena and Aegon are mostly divorced in their everyday lives. They don't dine together nor sleep in the same chambers but there is one time in their lives where they enjoy being together. They enjoy taking the children flying with them on Dreamfyre and Sunfyre respectively. They don’t interact with each other much when they are flying, but being adjacent to one another on their dragons is enough.

Her crown that her mother presented to her in the Dragonpit coronation is inlaid with opals. She likes to look at it but doesn’t like wearing it.

Besides live bugs, she loves pinning dead bugs, putting them in display cases all around her room. 

She has a glass tank ‘vevarium’ in her solar with Armadillidae, aka isopods, aka pillbugs, aka rolly pollies. She requested Aemond’s assistance with making it as he has studied some of the sciences from citadel around insect environments. 

She has sectoral heterochromia. It is not noticed upon first look, but up close, a flecked segment of brown is integrated with the periwinkle iris in her left eye. it is a personification of her dreaming, the crack into her psyche, as well as one of the only things in her appearance she inherited from her mother, Alicent.

Her favorite bug is a Giant Jeweled beetle, which has a blue and teal iridescent sheen to it. It reminds her of Dreamfyre. 

Dreamfyre’s saddle was modified to have the image of a dragonfly on the front.

Helaena claimed and was claimed by Dreamfyre at age eight, although not riding until age twelve, whilst in the Dragonpit, likely following Aegon to go see Sunfyre. 

Dreamfyre rumbled from her nest, grumbling low as a warning. The dragon peeked her head out of the cave as Helaena and Aegon passed by. Her breaths ruffled the hem of the princess’ skirt, which was ironically, a teal-tinted blue and slightly reflective material.  Helaena turned her head and stopped in her tracks, as Aegon muddled on through the caves to where Sunfyre nested– he hadn’t even noticed his sister wasn’t behind him any longer.  “Hello,” Helaena murmured towards the rumbling mass. It was a sound of caution to others, a sign to stay away from the broody dragon. But to the princess, it was a soft and lilting song.  The cerulean dragon puffed a cloud of smoke, as if to gently deter the tiny interloper. But Helaena was, surprisingly, unphased in front of the beast. Pale periwinkle eyes roved over Dreamfyre’s scales, the ambient light of the torches casting opalescent sheens from within them.  “Oh, you’re like a beetle,” the princess whispered, tilting her head in unison with the dragon, who was inspecting her as she spoke. “You hold all of the colors… it only takes light to see them. Red, green, gold…”  Dreamfyre gave a small cooing noise— a different inflection than her previous warnings. It was notably more light and rhythmic, as if she were communicating with a baby dragon. Helaena, in turn, tried to mimic the noises, offering her hand.  As skin met scale, they both relaxed under one another’s touch; an ancient bond snapping into place.  “You are my favorite color… I love blue.” 

[omies-odd-writing-spot]

Library mouse {Doom idea]

So this was SUPOSED to be an exercise for me to work on Valen's character finding someone in need of help but…

you have Valen finding a borrower, inspired by @horseyneigh2002 and @raventroll80 's borrowers in DOOM ideas.

will this be more then a one shot? likely not but it was cute and so fun to write a softer side of Valen. Cassidy is a little soft been, no matter what I yeet her as/in, please pat her gently and don't scare her.

Library mouse: [full story in link]

She did not trust the rain anymore. The small girl, a young woman, looked up at the window that used to be her favorite place. Somewhere the employees of the library did not know to look, and the very few that did know this place were a trusted few. Like the maintenance man that knew of her, and when he was doing the morning or nightly rounds would put a small treat for her there to enjoy in what used to be the warm morning and cozy warm evening light from the window.

The small window was almost boxed in with the tall book shelf, so the sun through the glass always warmed up the cubby no matter the season. Spring was the first warm spot away from a heating vent, the summer the excess heat bled out from the open top entrance over the bookcase. It was always a warm safe place to watch the fall rains, and toasty from the few sunny winter days. 

Cassidy pulled her legs up on the miniature couch the late maintenance man had made and gifted her family. If she pulled the blanket over her head and closed her eyes, she could almost pretend her family was in the other seats or at the table their size. That the sound of rain was real and not something unnatural.

It was not even the same warmth as before, but all the little blankets and lap covers still smelled like her family. Or she thought they did. 

Cassidy looked up, making the mistake of looking out the window and seeing the hellish storm, not keeping her eyes on the table. It twisted her stomach and she was not sure she could even sip her tea any more. The girl curled up in the soft padding of her spot, tucking the blanket around her, speaking to no one really. “Rain shouldn’t be orange…”

She felt sick, and sighed before getting up, rubbing her arms and started to fold and tie up the rest of the blankets and pillows in this area. The last of the things she had to gather up before sitting with her cantine of tea. Not able to pretend anymore that the world outside her library had ended. 

Her world inside the library seemed to have ended as well with the death of old Harold, the former maintenance man this last winter. Cassidy could not go to the locked entrance of the library anymore, not able to face what was left of her family’s once long term guardian and friend. 

The young woman thought of the stories from her grandfather and Harold, who might have well been another grandfather, in their youths. Those stories of how they became friends and traveled the bigger world outside of the city, kept Cassidy’s mind busy to get the things she wanted on top of the book shelf and slowly back to her home. There was a special data crystal at her home that she was keeping safe there and she wanted some of the extra pillows to give some extra padding. 

“I miss being a fairy,” Cassidy noted aloud a few hours later, standing in her home. The one that Harold had helped her make after the outside world ended. Sitting in one of the chairs he helped make in the practical field of clover inside the case. It was one of the semi clear areas that was inside the once extensive display case. 

Once it showed a fantasy world the library used to make up with votes. Some patches were growing clover that was almost as big as she was now, most had still healthy moss. Other areas were carefully corralled areas that had bark and rotten wood and her main source of protein, isopods. Cassidy had a little house she could use, with a hatch that led down to the underside of the display case where all the supplies that Harold had left her were safely placed for her. More things were outside of the case, mostly massive gallon sizes of water and juice bottles with the ‘faucets’ that the human made.

It should last a long, long time, Cassidy was barely through one of the water ones, even with watering the clover and moss. She was trying not to use the ones under the case as much as she could. 

Cassidy had gotten water moved up that morning, and was making a salad with fresh clover salad now, a little bit of oil and herbs left to her helped make it seem fancy. She had fresh tea and was sitting in the safety of the display case. Pretty much ready for the evening and night, and deciding if she wanted to sleep in the little house or down in the lower section of the display case. 

Being ‘inside’ was nice to keep the temperature even compared to the library on a whole when the temperature dropped and rose almost randomly. 

There were vibrations that came and when, as normal now. They were all far away and distant outside of the library. It was muffled more so thanks to the display case, almost like fireworks in the distance if she pretended again. Evening was turning to the now normal night, or what passed as night. 

A rusty orange tinted light still filtered through the few uncovered windows. What little power there was from the building generator was more than enough for the led fairy lines around certain paths in the library and in the display case she made home. As long as no bigger lights were turned on, the power might last her lifetime. 

Cassidy fiddled with the handless, pale cream cup that had her tea, thinking about that. Of what she would do tomorrow. Feeling sleepy from the chamomile she just sat at her little table and started to not think. 

Tap-tap. 

Cassidy startled, looking up and half expecting to see one of the monsters.

She blinked at the very, very tall human in armor looking back at her with confusion. He seemed so much bigger than any human she had met, or seen from a distance, broad in the shoulders and had heavy scarring on the exposed face. He had white, short hair on top of a mostly shaved head. His eyes startled her too, an odd thing to focus on, but Cassidy had never seen a human with black eyes.

One black and the other was silver and white?

Cassidy blinked again, before the tiny woman hesitantly waved a greeting.

The massive human blinked and he shifted, Cassidy noticed his armor. It had to be armor like the knights in the books she had read and been read too. A helmet was grasped in the metal hand of the strange human, his other exposed hand had tapped.

“…are you the little one on the message out front?” The deep voice of the human was low, trying not to let his gravel edge scare. Yet Cassidy could hear him even through the glass of the case.

“Message?” Cassidy echoed before remembering seeing that Harold had written many things in blank books as well as messages on the whiteboards around the library. Some to remind her to do things, encouragement, and in the entry hall where Harold had settled to sleep for the last time, a message asking any other survivors to be kind to the small one still living in the library. “Oh…yeah… I guess I am. Are you going to take everything? I don't have much.”

[barksbog]

i forgot to ask (and sorry for so many questions I have a problem) but how snuggle able are your plushies. also do you have any smaller cheaper ones? im planning on buying one eventually either wy

i make my plushies to be cuddled with rather than just being display pieces. onbviously you still wanna take good care of them and not be too rough but i´ve been cuddling with some of them for years now!!

and i do make smaller ones every now and than like the mini slugs, little toads, isopods ect.

edit: i also have free fabric samples listed in my shop in case people have sensory issues!

[ginger-and-mint]

Random kink encounters in real life part 1: Several months ago I went to Amsterdam with some friends for one of their birthdays, and on a recommendation from an internet friend/DND player of mine we went to visit the Rijksmuseum (which is the national museum of the Netherlands). At the time we went, their special collections included a large collection of Delft glassware (very beautiful!). Among the pieces were these super goofy figurines, one of which was a very plump fellow in a tricorned hat.

Random kink irl continued: The portly gentleman was seated atop a sort of mound with a hole in it (used to pour things maybe?), sporting quite a sated--verging on sickly--expression and gingerly clutching a rather lewdly bulging belly with both hands, resting on each side like he was leery of putting too much pressure on it. My first thought, as I surreptitiously ogled this piece, was "that's hot"; the second was "that level of fiendery should not be on public display." The third thought tbc. Random kink irl cont: My third thought was that whoever had commissioned that piece must have had some sort of kink, because WHY ELSE WOULD YOU PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN YOUR HOUSE FOR ALL AND SUNDRY TO SEE? I very much did not linger because I was with my friend at the time and everything kinky is firmly in the closet, but I enjoyed it immensely. I later learned that this particular style of Delftware depicted a folk figure called "Bobbejak," of which there are many variations. I found it fun. Random kink irl cont: Unfortunately, most of the subsequent online images I've found look considerably less uncomfortable than the poor museum fellow. The other random kink-adjacent thing I learned today while exploring a research rabbit hole: giant isopods can go weeks to years without eating, but will gorge themselves until they literally can't move if they find sufficient food (like a carcass fall). Food for thought, perhaps. Thanks so much for your world and mind! Your writing is STELLAR.

---

Wow, that sounds like quite the time, anon! Nothing hits as hard as seeing something you find kinky in a place where you’re not expecting it, it really adds some extra pizzazz to the fire in the form of your soul exiting your body. ^^’

I gotta say that in my experience, people without stuffing kinks are capable of casually doing / saying / depicting things are absolutely obscene in my eyes, especially because overeating seems to fall under “relatable things to joke about” for most people. case in point: my mom used to have a little wall decoration in the kitchen featuring a monk-looking character who was holding his round tummy with words “he who stuffeth, puffeth” on it. so unfortunately I can totally believe that some old-timey person would put this piece of glassware in their house like “hee hee isn’t it cute and funny?”

in any case -- glad you enjoyed that particular moment of your trip and also thank you, I’m very glad you enjoy my writing! C:

[spidermilkshake]

Ancardia's Unusual Animals--The Gremlin, or Agropelter

Classification: Humanoid (primate)

Habitat: Throughout the Drakalor Chain, scattered in pockets through Tvearban, the Fallar Wastes, and highland bordering the Buldar Wastes.

            The Gremlin, known in Aynaul dialects as the Agropelter, is the smallest extant species of ape in Ancardia, and also among one of the most notoriously aggressive. Living in large troops, gremlins cluster around water-rich environments and are naturally arcanely potent—and if submersed in water they are known to bud and clone themselves in a relatively rapid process not known to exist in any other mammalian species thus far. It is thought that this is a survival adaptation to large swings in gremlin populations—caused by either scarcity of food for a high number of gremlins, periods of high predation by creatures like rukh, giant arachnids, big cats and other large carnivores, and more recently bounties after them set by humanoids in areas where gremlins are finding their way into machinery, storehouses, and other places where their tendency to pull apart objects and snatch shiny objects. Even in cases where over 90% of all gremlins have been killed or driven out, the remaining gremlins can double their remaining population in a matter of a week through the budding process, though this does produce a genetically limited population and is not the preferred means of reproduction for gremlins in normal circumstances.

            The average gremlin is no larger than the typical small arboreal monkey—weighing approximately 8 to 12 pounds and measuring only 40 to 50 centimeters tall in a bipedal posture. They are omnivorous though they lean towards the carnivorous side, especially during winter and early spring when their plant-based food sources are unavailable. They have stout, strong jaws and tough, very dexterous hands which are their primary tools in acquiring food, usually by tearing open decaying logs, prying up stones, and ripping and cracking open rinds and shells on fruits and nuts. The majority of their natural diet consists of grubs, worms, isopods, nuts, fruits, cocoons, small rodents and various burrowing insects. The troop usually numbers around 20 to 30 individuals in ideal conditions, and are polygamous with multiple females exclusively bonding to one of the males, which each can give birth to and raise a single young each year once they reach a breeding age of at least 3 years. Their lifespan is naturally somewhat shorter than other apes, being an average of only 25, though some have been known to reach the upper 30s in captive environments. Most cultures consider gremlins somewhat obnoxious, if not an outright pest, due to several of their survival behaviors. In addition to their foraging habit of tearing up wood and flipping over objects, gremlin troops have the macaque-like habit of mobbing potential threats that intrude in their home space, which has resulted in the erroneous reputation that gremlins will attack humanoids unprovoked. Their preferred form of mobbing is the source of their high elven name: They will pelt intruders with various objects like pebbles and earth clods while screeching from a distance, while a few of the larger males in the troop will also make blustering charges out to slap and bite at the undefended side of the creature they consider a threat, and the obvious solution to such a display is to quickly and calmly leave back the way one came. Unfortunately, such ignorance about this beast’s behavior often leads to incidents of local humanoids killing and harming large numbers of gremlin troops unnecessarily.

[an-ordinary-roach]

Knoxonks (Knocks-aangk(like ankh)): one who will take your shadow or one who will take place of your shadow in infernal (Teach to the left and barbor to the right pictured above)

Wraith classification w/ hellcat body morphology

Knoxonks is wholly drawn to mimicking and taking form or possessing their targets, they'll go so far as to mimic one's shadow and slowly eat at the host's soul to the point they replace themselves with it or the host entirely. Not to say they are shadow beings, they may act like it in some cases, but they're more akin to parasitic isopods replacing a fish's tongue.

Symptoms of possessions are usually seen with ichor leaking out orifices, dimming of the shadow no matter how bright the light is. Apathetic episodes are followed by heightened aggression or actions that don't fit a situation. Eating things that normally would harm said host. Depending on the Knoxonk's element it's may make the host body temp low or high(to name among the many symptoms correlating to their elements). Adverse to radiant / healing spells from gods of lawful good light and/or healing natures.

While they can thrive well enough without a host, they tend to seek for one to make their hunts easier, preferring to hide in plain sight. Knoxonk's also tends to keep to their host during their inactive stages or if killed someone to returned to. (usually, the lich or necromancer that made them.) Though if there's no person to return to, a selected location is usually ready to take the place of a person.

They're deceivingly strong and sturdy for something so gangly and thin. And most tends to take the form of most hell felines or feline-like beings in general (displacer beasts(teach), rakshasa(dossi), dragonic creatures like narguacugas(une), etc) though it's very common for them to display attributes to those they've previously possessed or mimicked. This is mostly seen in knoxlings who already had a ready set form from the get-go, (Ex: Bor having insect-like features along with their already set baphomet body.)

They don't seem to possess a shadow themselves, including knoxlings who permanently have a solid form. Though the eyes that line their back seem to be the only thing that casts one. It's said these are the victims' shadows they took for themselves, though some notes they're actually what binds the creature to each other. Others claim it shows the health of a knoxonk or knoxsh'aard, stating that ones with fewer eyes are more skeletal than the ones that fully line their back. These eyes are important to these demons' health overall, they play a big part in making future knoxonks or knoxlings whenever possible. Seeing how they don't regenerate after donating one to a new making of a knoxonk/knoxling they tend to be very frugal of who they give it to.

Knoxlings seemed to be hindered by the lack of eyes, never being able to see or keep track of their targets by locking their floating eyes on their target.  Connecting to other knoxonk only during sleep and most times they may not remember what's being said. Though thankfully, the closer the fellow knoxonk are the more able the knoxling can remember what's being said in the dream.

[godwillow]

❛ Green-father, ❜ the Captain began quietly as she sat upon a boulder facing Ivern, currently inspecting a curious brush whose multi-colored blossoms glow faintly underneath the canopy of a dazzling array of trees — as if her voice would shatter some sort of ancient and wondrous spell — which of course is not the case, but she finds herself in awe of the resplendent display of nature’s beauty before her. ❛ My name is Irelia Xan. What brings you to these lands? ❜ / I love ur ivern already hello!!

     “Oh, hello!” Ivern says, removing his head from the inside of a tree cavity. He brings a caterpillar out with him, which now crawls up the side of his cheek. “Don’t mind me, just giving a friend a helping hand.” 

     The caterpillar’s singing in Ivern’s ears, though its song can only be heard by the mites and isopods, and not the woman sitting atop the boulder. It’s a shame, though. Caterpillars have excellent pitch control. 

     “You see, Irelia Xan, I heard from a termite that one of the caterpillars was having trouble molting,” Ivern explains, as he scoops a finger underneath the pink-and-white caterpillar. With wide steps, Ivern saunters over to Irelia and holds the bug up for her to see. “So I came to give him a helping hand. Look how lovely he is, now! He’s a little nervous that the colors might be too bold, but I think they look beautiful.” 

[fbwzoo]

Top 5 things you would fix about pet stores…

Oh christ, I’m only supposed to pick five things? XD Okay, I’ll try….. These are in order of my preference for fixing from most important to least important.

1) No more animals available. Stop the breeding mills. Stop selling animals that have horrible genetics, that are overcrowded & sick, that are already pregnant, etc. to people who have very little clue what they’re getting into. Ideally pet stores would work with local shelters to show off adoptable pets they have available. Animals would be displayed either in appropriate set ups in-store or come for designated meet-n-greet days for different shelters. Perhaps pictures from local reputable breeders or breeders that are able to ship (like so many reptile breeders will). The pet store shows off the potential animals & gives access to a greater audience, but interested homes will still have to go through the shelter or breeder in order to adopt/purchase an animal. Pet stores should also have a vetting process for both shelters & breeders to weed out those engaging in shady practices. Wild caught animals should have an even more extensive vetting process to check for background of capture, appropriate capture methods, sustainable capturing, and appropriate handling. No sale of threatened or endangered species (I could see cases being made for experienced breeders hoping to establish captive breeding, or zoos wanting to establish breeding programs, but this should be a limited practice & not widely available).

2) No. Dangerous/Unhealthy. Supplies. Like okay, I know everything has the potential to be dangerous, etc. etc., but christ, can we not have seed/nut treats sold for hedgehogs? Can we not have wire wheels sold? And no more of… literally anything sold for hermit crabs, tbh. Time to ban rawhide. And no more non-meat treats sold for ferrets, or shampoos/bathing supplies with essential oils sold for cats & ferrets. A heavy reworking of foods available for non-dog/cat animals, since so many are just garbage. Some conceding could be made for seed foods for parrots that are still stuck on them & need time to change over, but replace most of that shit with pellets. And can we trash colored heat lights already? Want to buy things like prong collars & electric collars? Better have letters from trainers & vets in order to get one.

3) Appropriately sized enclosures only. No tanks or bowls under 5g. Preferably nothing under 10g, to be quite honest. But I could concede 5g for some insects, maybe, possibly small isopod colonies, or a couple fancy beetles. Those crappy little wire bird cages? Smash ‘em. Maybe keep one line of more medium-ish sturdy cages that have some kind of use for travel or sleep cages. If necessary, provide ordering options for large bird cages (if there’s not room for storage/display in-store). Smash all of those crappy Habitrail nonsense for small animals as well. Sell C&C cubes and other appropriate materials for making enclosures/playpens for guinea pigs & rabbits - maybe sell the materials in a package deal for one enclosure, with instructions on putting together. Extra fee for putting enclosure together if desired. Contracts with viv companies to sell vivs in-store or a discount for shipping or something like that. 

4) Emphasis on enrichment. Larger sections for enrichment for different animal species. Enrichment labeled for the different animals it’s applicable for. Handouts or signs detailing enrichment dangers or hazards to avoid for different animal species (like things that aren’t safe for chewing for hamsters/rodents, unsafe foods, appropriate fabrics, etc.). Larger variety of wood for decor, perches, etc. 

5) Reduced produce section. I have no clue how viable this is, but I think it’d be neat if pet stores had contracts with grocery stores in their area to take produce that’s at or just past their use-by date & the pet stores paid a reduced price for it, then place out each day for people to purchase for pets. Not everything could necessarily be used this way, given some foods that aren’t safe for nearly any pet (onions & such). But it seems like most stuff could be used as such and would possibly reduce how much is thrown out from stores? Honestly I’d just like to see more healthy food options available at pet stores in general, like fresh food options for lots of exotics, & raw meaty bones for dogs/cats/ferrets, and birdy bread & grain mixes & such for parrots/rats/etc.

A lot of this is stuff I’d like to implement into a pet store of my own, if it ever happens. I wish it was something that could be done with all pet stores. It’d really improve pet care in general in this country. And having animals much less available and with less of a dollar value put on them would make it harder for people to abuse/neglect commonly available small animals that don’t have a very high money value like goldfish, betta fish, hermit crabs, hamsters, mice & rats, budgies, anoles, leopard geckos, bearded dragons, ball pythons…. All of these critters just get a really rough deal in most pet care situations and it just really, really sucks.

(Edit: Thank you for asking!!! ♥)

[cephalo-trio]

Deepsea Escape Part 4

A Splatoon 2 Story written by Splat-Tendency

Starring: Lexi Camellia (POV)

((Lexi was on her way to deliver the last mail at first, and then she wakes up in the underground subway station. She has no clue where she is or how is she going to get back to the surface. She has no choice, but to venture through this abandoned station alone.))

I stared restlessly at the Mem Cakes that I've collected so far. I was back at the main station to buy something out of the vending machine. The tests are rather tedious at first, but they were enjoyable to pass. Either if it's pushing the 8-ball to the goal or a Ranked mode, I had no trouble. I managed to find one of the four thangs in Line B. The telephone seemed pleased that I brought it over to the Deepsea Metro.

As I continued snacking on a bag of BBQ chips with a cold bottle of water, one of the passengers in the train stepped out for some fresh air. He was tall and well-groomed. Pretty much like a businessman.

"Excuse me, young squire. I can't help, but notice the little trinkets you were carrying." The suave isopod sat down next to me. ("I hope, I'm not too off putting to the young lady.")

"Huh..? Oh! Yeah, these Mem Cakes are like collectables.." I was startled a bit when the isopod caught a glimpse of a Mem Cake that I collected. "These memories of mine are from my visit to Inkopolis.. Some memories are from 3 years ago..."

The isopod strokes his whiskers and nodded. "I see.. I used to be an applicant like you.. Riding through the deep underground and hoping to taste sweet freedom. Unfortunately, I discontinued the thrill of collecting memories.."

"Sorry to hear that, Mr. uh....." I paused mid-sentence to the tall isopod.

"Call me Iso Padre, young squire. That's what everyone calls me, nowadays. A pleasure to meet you." Iso Padre shakes hands with me. "If you find anymore Mem Cakes, you know where to find me where I keep my stuffed toys." He got up from the bench and went back inside.

I stared down at the Mem Cake in my hand. "Guess, I better get back to completing those tests.." I finished eating my chips and went back to the train.

I returned to meet Cuttlefish until I heard his conversation with Pearl and Marina. Just what are they talking about while I was returning that thang.

"I hope Agent 8 is doing okay.. After a few tests, she didn't say much.." Cuttlefish looked concerned for me.

"Maybe, the tests are a bit hard on her.." Marina responds through Agent 3's walkie talkie. "If she does come back, try to cheer her up. She's having a hard time.." Marina was analyzing the new lines that I will be heading too.

I remained silent and avoided eye contact with the captain. They shouldn't be worried about me all the time whenever I pass half of the tests. Cuttlefish's attention was fixated on me as I walked passed him.

"How was your short break, Agent 8?" Cuttlefish got up from his seat. "You did a great job collecting one of those doohickies. Just three left and we'll be outta here in no time!" Cuttlefish was concerned at first, but he is putting on a smile.

"Yeah.. Thanks a lot, Captain.. Even though I'm a tad hasty.." I turned around and faked a smile. "Is Marina still keeping tabs on the system..?" My back was facing against the sliding door. I just needed to get through Line D and move on from there.

"She still is! She said if you need help passing the test, she'll use her tech skills to hack the system an-" As soon as Cuttlefish finished, I interrupted him.

T-That's not necessary, Cap'n.. I don't need her help to hack in order to pass.. It's pretty much cheating your way out.. Besides, I'll find another way to pass.." Even if Marina hacked the system, I won't be able to prove to have what it takes to live in Inkling society.

Cutterfish stares at me for a few seconds until he nods in agreement. "Understandable, Eight. Just be careful out there." Cuttlefish let me off the hook for now.

I responded with a salute and walked to the next train cable where C.Q is standing. He's waiting for me to travel to the next test in the D-Line. "Can you take me to err..." I checked the map on my CQ-80 and noticed the station in between Line D and J. "Girl Power Station..?"

C.Q Cumber nods in response. "Understood. For this test, you must defend the orb until time runs out. Be weary because they are other enemies trying to destroy the orb. Are you up for the the challenge?" He asked before making the call.

"I have no time to waste.. I must pass the rest of the tests in order to escape.. I'll be fine out there, kay? How bad can it be?" I gained a bit of confidence before CQ gives the operator the signal to the next station.

Meanwhile in the surface world, Marina looks rather worried. "W-What..?! She's alright with this..?!" The tall octoling kept tabs on the map.

"Afraid so, Marina.. She's going to the stop at the next station. Which is between Line D and J.." Cuttlefish was peeking through the sliding door window while speaking to Marina through the phone. "Agent 8 is her way to Girl Power Station.. If she's in trouble, you know what to do."

Suddenly, Pearl swiped the phone from Marina's hand. "Don't sweat it, Cap'. You have seen Eight kicking ass out there! She'll be fine on this one!" Then, Marina took the phone back and scowls at Pearl until she sighed.

"Yeah.. I'll still keep in touch with you, Mr. Cuttlefish.. I'm just worried about her, y'know.. I'll call you, later.." She hung up the phone and went back to her laptop.

2 minutes later..

"Whoa.. That's a lot of weapons to choose from.." I stared through the glass and saw the entire weapon category in front of her.

"You may choose any weapon that is suitable for you. Once you're finished, step on the launch pad." C.Q will be keeping an eye on the battlefield.

There are 9 weapons to choose from. Something that Sheldon keeps in his display shelf everyday. "I can do well with dualies, but I'm might be comfortable to use a melee weapon..." I looked at the two melee weapons: the Splat Roller and the Octobrush. I stared deeply at the Octobrush, feeling a bit uneasy after what I horribly did in the past. "This is the weapon that Fynn uses most of the time... I hope, I didn't hit him too hard to get a concusion..."

I grabbed the Octobrush in my hands and made it towards the launch pad. "Now, I have to defend the orb and I'll pass this test. But, what am I defending the orb from...?" That was when a couple of sanitized Octolings appeared. They seem to be waiting for me to land. "Shit.."

Suddenly, Marina immediately contacts me through the phone. "Eight, it looks like you're in for the fight for your life.. I will be contacting you while Cuttlefish is away." Marina started analyzing the test on her personal laptop.

"Ms. Marina, right..? You said that there are no vital signs..? If so, then how are they moving..?" Along the way, I've encountered a number of those guys including the Octotroops in the chamber. They must've been trapped down here before I fell in.

"I have no idea.. Maybe, they're under control by someone.. I'm trying the best I can to get to the bottom of this. Right now, you need to pass this test." Marina has a bad feeling about this, but she still has faith in my abilities.

I arrived into the battlefield where the orb is located. Around me, there are also a number of special weapons and 2 armor cases. It didn't take too long to choose a special weapon. If they doo get too close to the orb, I can try to push them away from me with Splashdown.

As one of the sanitized octoling landed on the other side of the field, I quickly went for the two armor cases. I have to be fully equipped before they arrive. "I-I'm sorry for what I have to do...." I charged into battle, regretting my decision. They're not themselves anymore.

A few strokes from the brush caused the poor octoling to burst into a puddle of my own ink. My body felt cold when she screeched in a glitchy, yet eerie tone. I just want to get this over with and finish the job.

I looked up at the number of octolings. They're all staring, dead at me as I'm defending the orb. I felt a cold sweat, running down my cheek. I wish I could look away, but it feels like they're staring into my soul. I slowly backed away to look out for more intruders, but someone's blocking my path. As I turned around, there are two octolings right behind me.

"You seem nervous..." The octoling on the left speaks as I yelped in suprise. There was two octolings behind me and I was careless about my surroundings.

"H-How did you get here so fast..!?" I cried. She must've got here so quickly, while I took out one of the attackers. Something about her looks vaguely familiar. The sanitized octoling was sporting a white ribbon around her ponytail.

"...If I were you, I'd check the orb..." She pointed to the direction to the orb in the middle. I could hear a loud pinging.

I looked over at the orb and my eyes widdened in panic. "S-Someone's attacking the orb..!!" I quickly ran past her and caught up to the orb. There was another octoling. Just like the white ribboned octoling, she has two black ribbons on her twintacles. She continuously hammered down on the orb with her roller.

"Hey! Knock it off!!" I lunged at the attacker and started to flail around with the Octobrush. Suddenly, the octoling looked at with a grin on her face. That was when I hesitated again. I have no idea why, but it feels like I've known them in the past.

"Tooooo late~" She responds as she immediately destroyed the orb. She giggled as she watched the orb explode in a huge puddle of unstable ink.

Then C.Q spoke through the intercom to me and said: "The orb is destroyed. You have failed the test, No. 10008." For those who have failed the test, C.Q will detonate the air bag that is strapped to my ink tank. This happened to me, 3 times already.

The air bag started to inflate. The beeping started to get louder in my ear as was panicking. "N-No!! C.Q, wai-!!" I was cut off as the air bag exploded and splatted me in a puddle of their sanitized ink. All was left was my clothes and weapon on the ground. I could hear the twin tailed octoling was applauding for the quick fireworks show.

"Agent 8!! Are you alright?!" As soon as I respawned, Marina cried in my ear. I groaned and dust myself off.

"I'm fine.... Turns out that two sanitized octolings are keeping me from protecting that orb... ow...." I felt a sharp pain on my back after the inksplosion. "That damn cucumber...." I hissed as I felt my backside. It left a huge mark on my back.

"Maybe the weapon you're choosing isn't going to help.. You might need some weapon to protect yourself with.. Like the Splat Brella!" Marina suggested. "You've heard of it, right? If you hold your shield longer, the sheild will launch itself but it leaves you vulnerable.."

I found the Splat Brella can in front of me. If Marina's right on this one, I might have a chance to clear test. "I did use this weapon before, but I'm no good at it..." The can opened and I see the Splat Brella in my hands.

"It won't hurt to try, 8. Maybe someday, you'll become a pro with this weapon once me and Pearl get you outta here! I hope you survive the inevitable.. I... No... Me, Pearl, and Cuttlefish are counting on you! Good luck." Marina ends the transmission for now.

I proudly nodded. At least this test is kind enough to give me only five tries for this kind of test. "The twins.. I'm starting to recognize them.. I can't let them get into my head.." I went back into the battlefield and tried again.

The sanitized twins both stared at me from afar. "....It looks like she chose another weapon.. No matter... She'll soon fail..." The first twin with the white ribbon is the calm and collected of the bunch. Her go-to weapon is the Octo Roller.

"I don't have all damn day, y'know...." I hissed in response. The twin octolings are about to make their move and I have to focus on the objective. I still have a minute to protect that orb.

"Try as you might, but you can't win....." The white-ribboned girl lunged at me with her own roller. The other twin is trying to cornered me. "I got her blind spot, sis~!" The other twin cackled.

I sighed in annoyance. If they're trying to get me to fail, then it won't work twice. Without doing anything, I morped into an octopus and snuck out of harm's way. As a result, they both crashed into each other.

I morped back to see the twins on the ground. They were both stunned from the collison. I wonder if they still feel pain from that impact since they have no vital signs.

Before they could get up back up, I splatted the twins with a wide spread of ink. My eyes widened when I first fired that thing. "So, this is the power of the Brella that Marina was talking about.. Not bad.." The orb is still unharmed for now, I still have enough time to prepare myself for the other guards to attack the orb.

It was their queue to charge into the battlefield, now that the twins have been dealt with. It appears that I'm not the only one who uses special weapons. Nonetheless, they're doomed either way as I splatted them one by one. I just want this test to be done with, so I can lay down in the train.

30 minutes later of protecting the orb, Marina contacted me through the phone again. "I think, that's all of them.. You can rest now, Agent 8.." Marina felt relieved. "So, how's the Splat Brella treating you?"

I stared at the new weapon as the timer ran out. "It feels different.. It's not something to get use to, yet.. But, I did like it." Since the orb is safe and sound, I can finally go back.

"Great! Cap'n will be back, momentarily. Get some rest while you still can, mkay?" Marina ended the transmission.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my back like before. The explosion from earlier made it worse on my back and was unable to keep my balance. I reached hand to feel my back and something wet touched my fingers. At first, I thought it was the cyan ink from the airbag, but it wasn't. As I stopped feeling my backside, I stared at my fingers. Instead of the ink from the explosion from earlier, it was my own blood.

"M-My back is bleeding..." I trembled at the sight of my own blood. The impact must have wounded my back and I didn't notice it during my 2nd attempt. I felt really light-headed as my back won't stop bleeding.

"A-Agent 8..!! What's wrong?! Please, answer me..!!" I could hear Marina contactating me through the earpiece.

"I-I... can't move... So.. tired.." I'm starting to lose my balance. All Marina could hear was a loud thud as I collapsed on the ground near the orb.

"AGENT 8!!!!" Marina screamed as I laid there, still bleeding from my back.

I don't want it to end like this. If I hadn't fell down that hole in Mt. Nantai, I would be still safe and away from the underground subway. But still, my father would be still missing for decades. Before I slowly closed my eyes, the sanitized twins stared at me as I lost consciousness. "H-Help...me.." I called out for help as my vision fades to black.

The twins were hesitant at first until they decide to carry me to cod knows where. If only my friends were here to get me out of this mess.

To Be Continued...

[probablyevilrpgideas]

Couple rough ideas for Bug D&D mimics-

The idea is that through colouration and positioning, they can mimic the appearance of treasure chests, but when triggered unfold into large, obviously *bug-like* creatures, but not specifically replicating real arthropods, much as the bug classes have obvious bug traits, but aren't "just a real bug assigned a class."

The top illo displays two possible forelimbs, either large pincers, or a raptorial claw like mantids have, along with having something structurally like a scorpion tail, an elongated abdomen. In the mimic's case, this elongated abdomen is wide and thin, and creates the appearance of the back and top of a treasure chest. The mimic's secondary and tertiary legs are developed such that they create the appearance of the sides of a chest.

The bottom illo uses an ornate head with large mandibles to create the appearance of a lock, while it's legs appear to be the slats or boards that form the body of the chest. It's entire thorax appears to be lid of the chest while it's abdomen folds behind, and it's stinger is held just below it's jaws, appearing to be iron banding.

Not-Mimic Mimicry

You could also have a lot of interesting "lesser mimics" that mimic small pieces of equipment rather than chests-

Giant stick bugs that look like spears and weapon racks, with larvae that look like arrows, subterranean leeches that have hard, scaly skin and the ability to stick to stone to look like pitons, spiders that look like grappling hooks and might even be common pets that can be trained to served as living grappling hooks that make their own rope, and giant isopods that mimic bedrolls and are probably more pests than threats.

What do you think the "bug game" (bug fables, hollow knight, and etc) version of a mimic (like in dnd) would be?

Among real insects, that's exactly what an orchid mantis is. Pretends to awesome treasure (delicious nectar from the most beautiful flower ever), and then BAM! It gets ya.

Of course, Bug Fables and Hollow Knight operate off much looser, less real insect-y rules, so I can't speak as much for them. Hollow Knight already has the Grub Mimic, though....

[chiseler]

Black as Ink

When the drafters of the Hays Code began compiling their list of “dont's” for filmmakers, I’m sure Mervyn LeRoy’s Five-Star Final was one of the films they were keeping in mind (together with Kongo and Convention City).  It’s a film whose sheer, ugly nastiness is timeless. Yet at the same time it remains as true and relevant a portrait of the newspaper world today  (or at least as recently as my own newspaper days) as it did in 1931.

Based on the play by Louis Weitzenkorn, the film stars Edward G. Robinson (same year as Little Caesar) as Randall, managing editor of The Evening Gazette. He’s  that rare breed of newspaper editor who still has ethics, who still believes in the power and promise of serious journalism. Under pressure from the owners and advertisers to increase circulation, his sense of fairness and justice buckles and he aims for the gutter, allowing his paper to become the sleaziest of tabloids. In spite of his initial reluctance, he takes on his new role as chief muckraker with gusto.  

As with so many of LeRoy’s films from the early ‘30s, Five-Star Final uncomfortably mixes darkness with screwball comedy. While the paper’s delivery men are savagely beating newsstand owners, back in the newsroom the racist, sexist and otherwise offensive (nowadays) wisecracks are flying fast and furious among the cast of stock characters. (“I’m gonna change my name.” “Why don’cha? New York’s got too many Christians as it is.”)

Now, 20 years earlier, we learn, a stenographer named Nancy Voorhees  (Frances Starr) shot her boss after he knocked her up and refused to marry her. It was a wildly scandalous case that dominated the papers. In the end, Voorhees was acquitted. Following the trial she tried to put the whole ugly mess behind her, marrying a banker and giving birth to a daughter, Jenny (Marian Marsh). Things were going just fine until the Gazette decides a good way to boost circulation among stenographers would be to replay all the sordid details of the Voorhees case on the front page. Make a series out of it, even.  

Randall calls in a particularly sleazy reporter, Vernon Isopod (greatest character name of all time, especially when embodied by Boris Karloff), and sends him to Nancy’s home dressed as a priest to see what he can dig up.  Not only does he learn that Jenny is to be married the next day to a wealthy socialite, he cons Nancy and her husband into giving him a picture of their daughter.  

Jenny knows nothing about her mother’s past (or that her father was not really her father), and neither do her fiancee’s parents. Yes, well. When the story hits the streets (again), everything goes to hell. seeing no other escape following the loss of a secret they fought so long to preserve, Nancy and her husband kill themselves in a particularly heartbreaking sequence—only to be discovered by two reporters from the Gazette. (Now there’s something that’ll put a damper on a wedding!) In the films final and gut-wrenching scene, Jenny confronts Randall, Isopod, and the publisher, demanding they explain why they did what they did, and after she’s finished Randall gives the publisher the what-for about the newspaper business, and resigns.  

The final joke is on the audience, however. As the closing credits roll, we see that although one upstanding, idealistic man with some common decency left in him may have stood up, it had absolutely no effect. The tabloids roll on slimy as ever, still outselling the serious papers thanks to a half-literate population hungry for cheap thrills and a little lowbrow titillation.  

(Five-Star Final was nominated for an Academy Award for Best PIcture in 1932, where it was up against the likes of The Champ, Arrowsmith, and Shanghai Express—though they all lost out to Grand Hotel.)  

It’s hard to imagine that the man who would go on to make The Wizard of Oz only a handful of years later would make a film this dark and unrelentingly cynical—a film that not only ends with a tragic double suicide and news photographers snapping gleeful pictures of the corpses, but with the ultimate message that ideals are useless in a culture dominated by snakes and jackals—but there you go. It’s even harder to imagine that such a film would be nominated for an Academy Award in the midst of the Depression, but there you go again.      

Of course it’s entirely possible LeRoy and the original playwright didn’t consider what they were doing either dark or cynical, but simply a dramatic and realistic newspaper story. These things do happen, after all. From the beginning people have killed themselves after the media (in whatever form) has put their secrets on public display and dragged their name through the mud. It happened then and it happens now.  And the sad truth is sleazy journalism will always do better than serious journalism because it’s simply more entertaining. We’d rather hear about some drunken celebrity making a sex tape with a Doberman than yet another drought crisis in Africa. Nothing has changed, and 80 years later Five-Star Final remains perfectly relevant.  

The difference between the situation presented here  and contemporary journalism (again speaking only of my own experience) is that nowadays when publishers and advertisers pressure an editor to make changes (which sadly is merely a given fact of the business) it’s rarely to encourage the editor to liven things up a bit. Quite the opposite. The push is generally to quiet things down, make the paper as bland and inoffensive as possible so as to not scare off readers, and to somehow fit as many direct plugs for the advertisers into the news stories as you can. Believe it or not, even the NY POST is forced to tone things down every now and again. Which is why these days most people get their news from comedy shows. by Jim Knipfel

[tser]

Hi, Recently I was given an empty 10 gal tank/terrarium and curious to know if any small creature could comfortably live in one since just about every small reptile I've read up on suggests a 20 gal at minimum.

There aren’t many animals that do well in so small an enclosure, but there are some! In almost all cases, bigger is better. 

However, it does well as a grow-out enclosure for animals that will need a bigger enclosure when they grow up, but you should have the adult enclosure ready well ahead of time.

There are other considerations as well. Many smaller fish, reptiles, and amphibians are more delicate. They require specialized food sources and may be far more sensitive to improper parameters, so I would recommend them for more advanced keepers.

Some ideas:

Grow out for crested gecko; adults need 18 x 18 x 24 high. Young geckos do well in a smaller enclosure so you can monitor if they’re eating enough. I have a guide to grow-out sizes here.

Grow out for ambush predator frogs, like tomato frogs or pacman frogs. The smaller size will help them find their food when they are small froglets, since they are ambush predators that often wait for the food to come to them, but once they get bigger they should be upgraded to a larger enclosure. Most such species need a 20 gallon long minimum.

Small geckos like small day geckos (not the larger species) or mourning geckos (with population control). Not handleable but do very well in planted, bioactive vivariums. They will do better in a 10 if you turn it so it’s vertical. You can buy 10 gallon vertical conversion kits to make them into vertical vivs. 

Several small dart frog species (large species need more space; again, turned vertically with a conversion kit, in a planted bioactive viv). 

A single Betta splendens. This fish will use all the space you give it and display many wonderful behaviors in a larger aquarium! They do best alone, but a ten gallon could also house a single snail like a nerite or mystery snail in addition to the betta.

Nano and dwarf community fish. As mentioned, since they are smaller fish they tend to be more delicate, so I wouldn’t recommend them to people who haven’t kept fish before. Smaller aquariums are actually harder to maintain and keep stable than larger ones.  Some very small centerpiece fish are possible. If this is up your alley and you have aquarium experience I’m willing to answer more questions.

African dwarf frogs. They do best in species specific tanks with no other tank mates. 

Freshwater shrimp. Do best in a planted tank.

Freshwater snails; several nerites, or up to two apple or mystery snails.

So many invertebrates! Many species of tarantulas, other spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, isopods, beetles, roaches, and more would do wonderfully in a ten gallon enclosure!

Or, keep the ten gallon as a hospital or quarantine enclosure.

I hope this is a good starting point!

[photomaniacs]

Finalist Shots of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 http://ift.tt/2xjowV2

The prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is now in its 53rd year, and this year’s edition certain won’t disappoint. Today the competition offered a glimpse into this year’s finalists, which will be displayed in an exhibition that will tour museums and galleries around the world.

This year’s competition saw almost 50,000 entries from 92 different countries, with photographers all competing for the top prize of over $6,500. Here are the finalists along with their details and captions:

Animal Portraits

Sergey Gorshkov / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Carrying its trophy from a raid on a snow goose nest, an Arctic fox heads for a suitable burial spot. This is June and bonanza time for the foxes of Wrangel Island in the Russian Far East. Lemmings are the basic diet for Arctic foxes, but Wrangel suffers long, harsh winters and is icebound for much of the year, making it a permanent source of stored food for these opportunist animals. The food convoys arrive at the end of May. Over just a few days, vast flocks of snow geese descend on the tundra of this remote UNESCO World Heritage Site, traveling from wintering grounds some 4,800 kilometers (3,000 miles) away in British Columbia and California. Not only is this the biggest breeding colony of snow geese in the world, and the only remaining one in Asia, but it is also growing: from 160,000 geese in 2011 to about 300,000 by 2016. The Arctic foxes catch any weak or sick birds, but what they feast on are the goose eggs, laid in early June in open nests on the tundra. Though the pairs of snow geese actively defend their nests, a fox may still manage to steal up to 40 eggs a day, harassing the geese until there’s a chance to nip in and grab an egg. Most of the eggs are then cached, buried in shallow holes in the tundra, where the soil stays as cold as a refrigerator. These eggs will remain edible long after the brief Arctic summer is over and the geese have migrated south again. And when the new generation of young foxes begins to explore, they too will benefit from the hidden treasures.

Nikon D300S + 600mm f4 lens; 1/1250 sec at f5; ISO 800; Gitzo tripod + Wimberley head.

Animal Portraits

David Lloyd / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

At dusk, in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, David waited for the herd of elephants on their evening trek to a waterhole. As they got closer to his vehicle, he could see that the mellow light from the fast-setting sun was emphasizing every wrinkle and hair. For a photographer who enjoys working with texture, this was a gift. When they were just a few meters away, he could see the different qualities of different parts of their bodies – the deep ridges of their trunks, the mud-caked ears and the patina of dried dirt on their tusks.

The elephants ambled by in near silence, peaceful and relaxed. The female leading the dozen-strong herd – probably the matriarch – looked straight at him, her eye a glowing amber dot in the heavy folds of skin. Her gaze was, he says, full of respect and intelligence – the essence of sentience.

Nikon D800E + 400mm f2.8 lens; 1/500 sec at f13 (–0.3 e/v); ISO 1000.

Behavior – Invertebrates

Andrey Narchuk / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Andrey was on an expedition to the Sea of Okhotsk in the Russian Far East, and his intention on this day was to photograph salmon. But as soon as he jumped into the water, he found himself surrounded by thousands of mating sea angels. Quickly swapping to his macro equipment, he began photographing the pairs, 3 centimeters (11⁄4 inches) long and swirling around in the current. Sea angels are mollusks related to slugs and snails, without shells and with wing-like lobes used as swimming paddles. They hunt sea butterflies – swimming sea snails – using specialized feeding parts to prise them from their shells. Each individual is both male and female, and here they are getting ready to insert their copulatory organs into each other to transfer sperm in synchrony. One is slightly smaller than the other, as was the case with most of the couples Andrey observed, and they remained joined for 20 minutes. Both would go on to lay 30–40 tiny eggs after fertilization. It was late summer and peak phytoplankton time, so there would be abundant food for the resulting larvae.

To photograph them mating, Andrey had to battle against strong currents and avoid a wall of gill netting, and when he was swept into the net and his equipment became snared, he was forced to make an emergency ascent – but not before he had got his shot. The following day, there wasn’t a single angel to be seen.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 100mm f2.8 lens; 1/125 sec at f13; ISO 200; Nexus housing; two Inon strobes.

Under Water

Qing Lin / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The bulbous tips of the aptly named magnificent anemone’s tentacles contain cells that sting most fish. But the clown anemonefish goes unharmed thanks to mucus secreted over its skin, which tricks the anemone into thinking it is brushing against itself. Both species benefit. The anemonefish gains protection from its predators, which daren’t risk being stung, and it also feeds on parasites and debris among the tentacles; at the same time, it improves water circulation (fanning its fins as it swims), scares away the anemone’s predators and may even lure in prey for it.

While diving in the Lembeh Strait in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Qing noticed something strange about this particular cohabiting group. Each anemonefish had an extra pair of eyes inside its mouth – those of a parasitic isopod (a crustacean related to woodlice). An isopod enters a fish as a larva, via its gills, moves to the fish’s mouth and attaches with its legs to the base of the tongue. As the parasite sucks its host’s blood, the tongue withers, leaving the isopod attached in its place, where it may remain for several years. With great patience and a little luck – the fish darted around unpredictably – Qing captured these three rather curious individuals momentarily lined up, eyes front, mouths open and parasites peeping out.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III + 100mm f2.8 lens; 1/200 sec at f25; ISO 320; Sea & Sea housing; two Inon strobes.

Wildlife Photojournalist Award – Single Image

Justin Hofman / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Seahorses hitch rides on the currents by grabbing floating objects such as seaweed with their delicate prehensile tails. Justin watched with delight as this tiny estuary seahorse ‘almost hopped’ from one bit of bouncing natural debris to the next, bobbing around near the surface on a reef near Sumbawa Island, Indonesia. But as the tide started to come in, the mood changed. The water contained more and more decidedly unnatural objects – mainly bits of plastic – and a film of sewage sludge covered the surface, all sluicing towards the shore.

The seahorse let go of a piece of seagrass and seized a long, wispy piece of clear plastic. As a brisk wind at the surface picked up, making conditions bumpier, the seahorse took advantage of something that offered a more stable raft: a waterlogged plastic cottonbud. Not having a macro lens for the shot ended up being fortuitous, both because of the strengthening current and because it meant that Justin decided to frame the whole scene, sewage bits and all. As Justin, the seahorse and the cottonbud spun through the ocean together, waves splashed into Justin’s snorkel. The next day, he fell ill. Indonesia has the world’s highest levels of marine biodiversity but is second only to China as a contributor to marine plastic debris – debris forecast to outweigh fish in the ocean by 2050. On the other hand, Indonesia has pledged to reduce by 70 per cent the amount of waste it discharges into the ocean.

Sony Alpha 7R II + 16–35mm f4 lens; 1/60 sec at f16; ISO 320; Nauticam housing + Zen 230mm Nauticam N120 Superdome; two Sea & Sea strobes with electronic sync.

Animal Portraits

Klaus Nigge / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

After several days of constant rain, the bald eagle was soaked to the skin. Named after its conspicuous but fully-feathered white head (bald derives from an old word for white), it is an opportunist, eating various prey – captured, scavenged or stolen – with a preference for fish. At Dutch Harbor on Amaknak Island in Alaska, USA, bald eagles gather to take advantage of the fishing industry’s leftovers. Used to people, the birds are bold. ‘I lay on my belly on the beach surrounded by eagles,’ says Klaus. ‘I got to know individuals, and they got to trust me.’

The species was declining dramatically until the 1960s, but reduced persecution, habitat protection, and a ban on the pesticide DDT have led to its recovery. Some threats persist, including lead poisoning – US prohibition on lead ammunition (which ends up in animals the birds eat) has recently been overturned. ‘As the eagle edged nearer, picking up scraps, I lowered my head,’ says Klaus, ‘looking through the camera to avoid direct eye contact.’ It came so close that it towered over him. His low perspective and simple composition, allowing full concentration on the eagle’s expression, created an intimate portrait, enhanced by the overcast light of the rainy day.

Nikon D200 + 200–400mm f4 lens + 1.4x extender; 1/80 sec at f10; ISO 500.

Behavior – Birds

Tyohar Kastiel / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Tyohar watched the pair of resplendent quetzals from dawn to dusk for more than a week as they delivered fruits and the occasional insect or lizard to their two chicks. Resplendent quetzals usually nest in thicker forest, but this pair had picked a tree in a partly logged area in the Costa Rican cloud forest of San Gerardo de Dota. The additional light made it easier for Tyohar to catch the iridescent color of the male’s dazzling emerald and crimson body plumage and tail streamers, despite his fast, erratic flight pattern. But the light also made it easier for the birds to see Tyohar. So he would arrive before dawn, sit in the same place and wear the same jacket, with the result that the pair accepted his presence and continued to stuff food into their chicks’ beaks every hour or so.

On the eighth day, the parents fed the chicks at dawn as usual but then didn’t return for several hours. By 10 am, the chicks were calling ravenously, and Tyohar began to worry. Then something wonderful happened. The male arrived with a wild avocado in his beak. He landed on a nearby branch, scanned around, and then flew to the nest. But instead of feeding the chicks, he flew back to his branch, the avocado still in his beak. Within seconds, one chick hopped out to the nearest perch and was rewarded. Moments later the female appeared and did exactly the same thing, and the second chick jumped out. The family then flew off together into the rainforest, leaving Tyohar bereft – and thrilled.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III + 300mm f2.8 lens; 13200 sec at f4; ISO 800.

Behavior – Mammals

Laurent Ballesta / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

“We were still a few meters from the surface when I heard the strange noises,” says Laurent. Suspecting Weddell seals – known for their repertoire of at least 34 different underwater call types – he approached slowly. It was early spring in east Antarctica, and a mother was introducing her pup to the icy water.

The world’s most southerly breeding mammal, a Weddell seal gives birth on the ice and takes her pup swimming after a week or two. The pair, unbothered by Laurent’s presence, slid effortlessly between the sheets of the frozen labyrinth. Adults are accomplished divers, reaching depths of more than 600 meters (1,970 feet) and submerging for up to 82 minutes. “They looked so at ease, where I felt so inappropriate,” says Laurent. Relying on light through the ice above, he captured the curious gaze of the pup, the arc of its body mirroring that of its watchful mother.

Nikon D4S + 17–35mm f2.8 lens; 1/640 sec at f11; ISO 200; Seacam housing.

Black and White

Mats Andersson / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The red squirrel closed its eyes for just a moment, paws together, fur fluffed, then resumed its search for food. Winter is a tough time for northern animals. Some hibernate to escape its rigors, but not red squirrels. Mats walks every day in the forest near his home in southern Sweden, often stopping to watch the squirrels foraging in the spruce trees. Though their mainly vegetarian diet is varied, their winter survival is linked to a good crop of spruce cones, and they favor woodland with conifers. They also store food to help see them through lean times. On this cold, February morning, the squirrel’s demeanor encapsulated the spirit of winter, captured by Mats using the soft-light grain of black and white.

Nikon D3 + 300mm f2.8 lens; 1/320 sec at f2.8; ISO 800.

Plants and Fungi

Jack Dykin / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

A band of ancient giants commands the expansive arid landscape of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert National Monument in the US. These emblematic saguaro cacti – up to 200 years old – may tower at more than 12 meters (40 feet) but are very slow growing, some sprouting upwardly curved branches as they mature. The roots – aside from one deep tap – weave a maze just below the surface, radiating as far as the plant is tall, to absorb precious rainfall. Most water is stored in sponge-like tissue, defended by hard external spines and a waxy-coated skin to reduce water loss. The surface pleats expand like accordions as the cactus swells, its burgeoning weight supported by woody ribs running along the folds. But the saturated limbs are vulnerable to hard frost – their flesh may freeze and crack, while the mighty arms twist down under their loads. A lifetime of searching out victims near his desert home led Jack to know several that promised interesting compositions. ‘This one allowed me to get right inside its limbs,’ he says. As the gentle dawn light bathed the saguaro’s contorted form, Jack’s wide angle revealed its furrowed arms, perfectly framing its neighbors before the distant Sand Tank Mountains.

Nikon D810 + 14–24mm f2.8 lens at 14mm; 1/3 sec at f20; ISO 64; Really Right Stuff tripod.

Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 11-14

Ashleigh Scully / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

After fishing for clams at low tide, this mother brown bear was leading her young spring cubs back across the beach to the nearby meadow. But one young cub just wanted to stay and play. It was the moment Ashleigh had been waiting for. She had come to Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park intent on photographing the family life of brown bears. This rich estuary environment provides a buffet for bears: grasses in the meadows, salmon in the river and clams on the shore. A large number of families spend their summers here, and with plentiful food, they are tolerant of each other (though wary of males) and of people. ‘I fell in love with brown bears,’ says Ashleigh, ‘and their personalities… This young cub seemed to think that it was big enough to wrestle mum to the sand. As always, she played along, firm, but patient.’ The result is a cameo of brown bear family life.

Canon EOS 5D + 500mm f4 Mark II lens; 1/1250 sec at f8 (+1 e/v); ISO 1250; Gitzo tripod.

Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 11-14

Laura Albiac Vilas / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Laura had seen many of Spain’s wild animals, but never the elusive Iberian lynx, an endangered cat found only in two small populations in southern Spain. Unlike the larger European lynx, the Iberian lynx feeds almost entirely on rabbits. So a disease that wipes out the rabbit population can be catastrophic. They also need a particular blend of open scrub and natural cavities for natal dens. Laura’s family traveled to the Sierra de Andújar Natural Park in search of the lynx – and struck lucky on their second day – a pair were relaxing not far from the road. There were many photographers there but an atmosphere of ‘respect’. Laura watched for an hour and a half, the only sound being the whirr of cameras if a cat glanced in their direction. ‘The animals’ attitude surprised me. They weren’t scared of people – they simply ignored us,’ says Laura. ‘I felt so emotional to be so close to them.’

Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon 500mm f4 lens; 1/250 sec at f4; ISO 1600.

Wildlife Photojournalist Award – Single Image

Steve Winter / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

A back leg of this six-month-old Sumatran tiger cub was so badly mangled by a snare that it had to be amputated. He was lucky to survive at all, having been trapped for four days before being discovered in a rainforest in Aceh Province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The likelihood is that the snare was set by oil‐palm plantation workers to catch bushmeat (though tigers are also deliberately snared). The workers are migrants who have been given small plots to grow their own oil palms but who have to work on the big plantations for about five years until their own crops generate a return. To feed their families, they have to hunt, and this cub’s bones would have fetched a good price on the black market. The population of Sumatran tigers, a subspecies, is as low as 400–500 (the world population of all wild tigers is no more than 3,200) – the result of poaching to fuel the illegal trade in tiger parts for the Chinese-medicine market. Anti-poaching forest patrols are helping to stem the killing, partly by locating and removing snares (now illegal), which is how this cub came to be rescued. The cub, however, will spend the rest of his life in a cage in a Javan zoo. Today, there are probably more Sumatran tigers in zoos than there are left in the wild.

Canon 5D Mark II + 24–105mm lens at 58mm; 1/45 sec at f5.6; ISO 400.

The overall winner, category winners, and other finalists will be announced on October 17th this year.

The exhibition will be on display from October 20th, 2017, until spring 2018 at the Natural History Museum in London, UK. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.

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September 13, 2017 at 12:01AM