#spectacled leaf monkey

[xi4oyan]

Ah... I missed the war

Above the thick veil of golden clouds, in gardens where flowers were born already singing and fish soared in schools of impossible colors, you existed — or rather, you survived — between naps too long and sighs even longer.

Your temple, lost in the forgotten fringes of the Celestial Court, was a chaotic sea of scattered cushions, abandoned scrolls, and half-eaten bowls of eternally fresh fruit.

Your robe? A spectacle of glorious negligence: ancient blue fabric embroidered with tiny stars, the silver threads frayed at the edges. The sleeves, far too wide, dragged across the marble floors as if trying to clean them for you. There were even rumors that tiny fairies had built a nest in your cloak folds, but you never had the courage (or energy) to check.

You had once been an important deity, yes. Guardian of the tides, or perhaps of that faint gleam before dawn? Something like that.

But time had the nasty habit of smudging memories... and even faster, of making others forget.

So when the Jade Emperor — in the middle of a loud meeting filled with shouting and alarming reports about "that infernal monkey" — pointed his gleaming scepter at you and commanded:

"Go. Calm that monkey."

You nearly fell off your cushion from sheer surprise.

"Me?" you blinked. "Are you sure?"

Maybe he wasn't.

Maybe he had simply pointed to the first person (or deity) awake enough to react.

But orders were orders.

And so you descended from the Celestial Heights, floating on a misty platform, yawning so hard you scared golden crows from a distant temple.

༶•┈┈┈┈༶•┈┈┈┈༶•┈┈┈┈

The mortal world was warm and dusty, filled with the scent of burnt grass and tired flowers clinging to the lazy breeze. The sky looked like a vast golden lake, and beneath it, atop a wind-swept hill, a lone group stood against the horizon.

Tripitaka, dressed in light robes and wearing an expression that shifted between patience and existential exhaustion, gazed into the distance.

Zhu Bajie fanned himself dramatically with a banana leaf large enough to be used as a ship's sail.

Sha Wujing remained as still as part of the rocks.

Yulong, in his horse form, snorted as if rethinking every decision that had brought him here.

And there, a little apart from the group, burning like a private sun, was him.

Sun Wukong.

He looked carved from ember and storm: golden armor cracked and dented by countless battles, the red headband flowing like the tail of a stubborn comet. His golden eyes sliced the air — too alive, too dangerous, too free for Heaven’s tastes.

You adjusted your crown — an absurdly oversized thing that sank on your head as if meant for a giant king — and walked toward him, your sandals crackling over the dry ground.

"So you're the famous... furry inconvenience," you said, hands tucked behind your back, tilting your head like inspecting a suspicious fruit at the market.

Wukong raised a furry eyebrow, a crooked smile carving across his face.

"Sent another babysitter for me, huh?"

You chuckled. "Not exactly. I prefer to think of myself as... a stubbornness inspector."

And so it began.

Instead of spears and thunder, your duel with Wukong was made of sharp words, ridiculous faces, and side-long taunts. You lounged on a sunbaked rock while he balanced lazily on tree branches above, both tossing barbs like they were sweets.

You quoted ancient celestial regulations.

He answered by mimicking your voice in falsetto.

You pointed at divine conduct treaties.

He threw ripe mangoes at you, with the perfect aim of someone who once knocked down generals with pebbles.

And somewhere in the middle of it all, something strange happened.

The group... started getting used to your presence.

Tripitaka offered small, patient smiles.

Sha Wujing, ever courteous, brought you fruits or found you shady spots to nap in.

Zhu Bajie stole your snacks but laughed as he did so, which was almost a form of affection.

Yulong huffed and grumbled but no longer flinched whenever you approached.

And Wukong?

He laughed at you, mocked you, but sometimes — sometimes — his gaze would find yours with something dangerously close to tenderness.

༶•┈┈┈┈༶•┈┈┈┈༶•┈┈┈┈

Meanwhile, high in the heavens, the Jade Emperor observed, increasingly alarmed.

"Erlang Shen!", he barked, summoning his ever-reliable warrior, "go fetch them! That deity is getting distracted!"

Thus, Erlang Shen descended like a polished thunderstorm: gleaming armor, crimson cloak slicing the air, Third Eye already burning with barely-restrained exasperation.

When he found you, you were sprawled on the grass, arguing lazily with Wukong about which celestial fruit tasted better. (Wukong argued for the Peaches of Immortality. You, just to provoke him, defended nectarines he had never managed to steal.)

Erlang almost choked at the sight.

"You were supposed to control the monkey!"

"I am!", you replied, stretching like a cat basking in the sun. "Look: nobody exploded. That's a win."

In the end, Erlang returned alone.

His report was dry and clipped:

"She chose to stay. To... 'observe closely.'"

༶•┈┈┈┈༶•┈┈┈┈༶•┈┈┈┈

But the truth was far simpler, and far more beautiful.

You stayed because, for the first time in eons, someone laughed at your terrible jokes.

You stayed because there was dust in the air, wind in your hair, and stories being written — not by gods, but by imperfect, wonderful people.

You stayed because, in Monkey's wild grin, there was a silent invitation: "Stay. Let's be free together."

Oh, and of course —

You also stayed because, during the great Havoc in Heaven, when armies clashed and towers fell, you had been... peacefully napping.

Curled up on a cloud like a celestial cat, snoring gently while chaos unfolded all around.

Wukong never let you live that down.

At night, under quiet stars, he'd nudge you and murmur:

"Sleepyhead... you missed the best part."

And you, with a slow, genuine smile, would think:

Maybe I missed the war... but I found something better.

༶•┈┈┈┈༶•┈┈┈┈༶•┈┈┈┈

That night, the world was made of silver and whispers.

The stars stretched lazily over the velvet sky, some twinkling with the mischief of drunk fireflies, others blinking slowly as if about to doze off themselves.

The campfire crackled low, painting everything in tired orange — Tripitaka slept upright like a collapsed tent, Bajie snored like a small army, and Wujing was keeping a silent, gentle watch nearby.

You lay sprawled on your back over a patch of soft moss, your cloak tangled around you like an oversized nest, hair glittering faintly with stardust. The cool air smelled of wet leaves and river stones. Somewhere, an owl hooted, probably offended by your very existence.

Then you heard it —

the unmistakable light footfalls of someone who never learned how to properly walk without looking like a mischief about to happen.

Wukong plopped down beside you, elbows propped up on his knees, tail flicking lazily.

"You’re gonna catch a cold, lying like that," he muttered, tossing a stray twig at your face.

You barely flinched.

"You sound like an old uncle," you yawned.

"Old? *Old?*" He clutched his chest dramatically. "I'm a blooming youth, thank you very much."

You smiled, lazily cracking one eye open to look at him. His armor was thrown half off, golden plates scattered around like sun-drenched leaves, and his hair was an untamed halo around his head.

He looked — for once — not like a force of nature.

He looked... young. Mortal. Free.

"You missed the best part," he said, softer now, gaze tilting skyward. "Back then... when I fought Heaven. The whole sky was fire. Clouds broke apart like torn silk. Screaming, running... It was ugly. It was *beautiful.*"

You hummed sleepily.

"Sounds exhausting."

He chuckled, low and hoarse, a sound you felt more than heard.

"Yeah. Was. And you —" he poked your forehead lightly, like tapping a drum, "— were probably drooling on some cloud while I risked my pretty tail."

"Was dreaming important dreams," you murmured. "Very critical... strategic... dreams."

"Of what?"

He tilted closer, curious.

You opened your other eye, catching his face — that mischievous, stubborn, impossible face — illuminated by starlight, and said, utterly serious:

"Of sleeping more."

For a second, Wukong just stared.

Then he burst out laughing — real, helpless laughter, the kind that cracked open the night and scattered all the ancient worries from your chests like autumn leaves in a storm.

He fell back onto the moss beside you, still snickering, his tail flicking against your ankle.

For a while, neither of you spoke.

You just lay there, two small, chaotic specks against an infinite, careless sky.

After a long while, Wukong's voice came, almost a whisper:

"...If you ever get tired of Heaven... or tired of pretending you're not lonely..."

He shifted, folding his arms behind his head.

"...You can stay with us."

You turned your head, finding him already looking at you.

Not mocking. Not challenging. Just... offering.

The stars spun lazily above.

The river sang somewhere out of sight.

And you — deity of forgotten tides, sleeper of crucial dreams, wearer of wrinkled robes and crooked crowns — smiled a small, real smile.

"Maybe," you said, voice barely brushing the night, "I already have."

Tag: @pastelle-bears

[mutant-distraction]

The dusky leaf monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus),

also known as the spectacled langur or the spectacled leaf monkey, is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It is found in Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand, and can occasionally be found in Singapore. During the day, these small, folivorous primates divide in sub-groups and forage for vegetation and fruit throughout the tropical forests. According to the IUCN, the dusky leaf monkey's population is declining due to habitat loss, poaching, and anthropogenic land use, which prompted the IUCN to classify the species as endangered in 2015. -Wikipedia

[darkonyxdraws]

Here's my lego monkie kid oc that i made! i based her off a dusky leaf monkey (or spectacled langur)

This drawing is very sketchy so i apologize

[planesspoken]

Anytime you here “only,” probably a workshopped like.

*One* of the only people who doesn’t go crazy after they cut their blank off, or lose blank.

Or this or that.

And then people are sold on you need this hardware or software only it’s been so pressure tested some models can snap one like a leaf off a branch. Have you heard about..

Ahh a breath.

Ah seltzer water.

Are you worried about getting assassinated.

I am an asses ass.

Mass shoe thing.

Bounty hunter movie idea the guy is missing his pinky toe or some shit and

Anytime there a mass shooting, there’s panic top down, most times, one can’t get through to one’s self, there could be a break. Stephen King Novel, someone’s job is to prevent it from happening again somewhere in some shape or form.

Thanks to the computer fewer people getting psyched out too much communication, exchange of ideas.

You’ve got a radio report, here are some grounding elements.

Elements are particular everything else…

Go on

Can’t put a tariff on those.

They say the imaginarium is where the White Lotus came from, a looney bin, repository of ideas across space time, 12 monkeyed, Angelina Jolie, you’re in peril across time space.

I remember when peril was just a soap or a confectionary.

How’s the car accident model going.

Car accident could be a good thing.

It’s literal. Have some respect.

I can’t see shit but I’m not that worried about.

A random act of violence.

Violins, there’s an orchestra in the park. Every blank at blank.

That shit happens. You know it.

I know.

Bounty on your head.

I’m all out of paper towels.

Bateman, Batman. Hats off to Christian Bale.

Not everything is autobiographical we’re reminded I am neither and these a fun spectacles although we like the movies and the work that goes into them. It’s also something to talk about. A third rail if you will. Sports are included as is music, business and so forth. We are also reminded of trebuchets and alien overlords.

I remember when ale was just a beer.

A strong tea.

A mighty tonic.

A mind for like things.

A mind for tea.

4 in mind.

A mind for like things.

A brain fart.

[tarangarts23]

The Majestic Hanuman: A Divine Canvas in Tanjore Painting

Introduction:

In the world of Tanjore paintings, the vibrant strokes and intricate details come alive to celebrate the divine. Among the revered subjects, Hanuman, the epitome of devotion, strength, and loyalty, stands tall. Join us on a journey into the mesmerizing realm of Hanuman Tanjore paintings, exploring the spiritual significance, artistic intricacies, and the timeless allure of these divine masterpieces.

Hanuman: The Divine Warrior and Devotee:

Hanuman, a central figure in Hindu mythology, is revered for his unwavering devotion to Lord Rama and his unparalleled strength. Depicted as a monkey god, Hanuman embodies courage, humility, and selfless service. Tanjore paintings dedicated to Hanuman capture the essence of his divine persona, bringing forth the spiritual energy associated with this revered deity.

The Craftsmanship of Hanuman Tanjore Paintings:

Hanuman Tanjore paintings are characterized by their meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail. Each stroke is a testament to the artist's dedication to preserving the traditional techniques of Tanjore art. The use of vibrant colors, gold leaf embellishments, and intricate ornamentation enhances the regal aura surrounding Hanuman, creating a visual spectacle that transcends the canvas.

Symbolism and Spiritual Layers:

Every element in a Hanuman Tanjore painting carries profound symbolism. The mace, the flying mountain, and the devoted expression on Hanuman's face convey a rich narrative of strength, loyalty, and unwavering devotion. The detailed rendering of his tail engulfed in flames is a reminder of his heroic leap to save Lord Rama's wife, Sita, from the demon king Ravana.

Pose and Posture:

Hanuman Tanjore paintings showcase the deity in various poses, each capturing a different facet of his divine persona. Whether depicted in a meditative stance, holding the Sanjeevani mountain, or flying with the Dronagiri mountain, each pose tells a unique story and adds layers of meaning to the artwork.

Hanuman Tanjore Paintings in Devotional Spaces:

Traditionally associated with temples and puja rooms, Hanuman Tanjore paintings have found a special place in devotional spaces. Devotees and art enthusiasts alike are drawn to the spiritual energy emanating from these divine artworks, creating an atmosphere of reverence and connection with the divine.

The Spiritual Connection:

Hanuman Tanjore paintings go beyond mere artistic expressions; they serve as portals to spirituality. The presence of these artworks in homes is believed to bring protection, courage, and a sense of devotion to the devotees. The vibraancy and divine energy captured in each painting make it a powerful medium for connecting with Hanuman's spiritual essence.

Collecting Hanuman Tanjore Paintings:

For art collectors and devotees alike, Hanuman Tanjore paintings offer a unique opportunity to bring divine energy into their collections. The timeless beauty, spiritual significance, and artistic mastery make these paintings cherished possessions that stand as a testament to the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of India.

Conclusion:

Hanuman Tanjore paintings are not just artistic creations; they are expressions of devotion and tributes to the divine strength of Hanuman. As you explore the enchanting world of these divine masterpieces, you'll discover a profound connection to the spiritual essence of Hanuman, encapsulated in the intricate details, vibrant colors, and timeless allure of each painting.

[famousinuniverse]

Dusky leaf monkey

Primate

The dusky leaf monkey, also known as the spectacled langur, or the spectacled leaf monkey is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It is found in Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand, and can occasionally be found in Singapore. 

Conservation status: Near Threatened (Population decreasing) Encyclopedia of Life

Scientific name: Trachypithecus obscurus

Mass: 7.1 kg (Adult) Encyclopedia of Life

Trophic level: Herbivorous Encyclopedia of Life

Gestation period: 147 days Encyclopedia of Life

Family: Cercopithecidae

Order: Primates

Dusky leaf monkey - Wikipedia

Dusky Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus) in Ban Don Sai, Changwat Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand

[psikonauti]

Dusky leaf monkey, spectacled langur, or spectacled leaf monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus)

[birdblues]

Dusky Leaf Monkey

[snailtongue]

[ID: A spectacled langur pictured in soft lighting staring at the viewer. The monkey is small, with light gray fur and white patches around its eyes, on its chest and around its mouth.] via

[fatehbaz]

In the Intag Valley of Ecuador, at this “most biodiverse hotspot on the planet” (the cloud forests of the tropical Andes), local communities have engaged in 30 years of sustained defense of environment and resistance to multiple mining corporations, including Canada’s Copper Mesa Corporation. The group Defensa y Conservación Ecológica de Intag has helped plant tens of thousands of trees while establishing about 40 different forest reserves. Now the planet’s biggest copper producer company (Codelco) is targeting the Intag region, with wells already drilled and important court cases scheduled for 2023. Among the many unique orchids, moths, hummingbirds, plate-billed mountain toucan, spectacled bears, mountain tapirs, critically endangered brown-headed spider monkey, and other creatures, in Intag Valley there are two species of frog which live nowhere else on Earth, previously thought to be extinct: the longnose harlequin frog and the newly-named “rana cohete resistencia de intag” (”Intag resistance rocket frog”). The frogs now provide “hope” and are the subjects of Intag’s pending court cases.

From January 2023, Mongabay provides a thorough report about Intag’s cloud forest ecosystems, community projects, and resistance to mining. Excerpts from their report below.

---

For nearly 30 years, communities have worked to conserve, restore and defend the cloud forests of the Intag Valley in Ecuador, in what locals say is the longest continuous resistance movement against mining in Latin America. The tropical Andes are considered the world’s most biodiverse hotspot, ranking first in plant, bird, mammal and amphibian diversity; however, less than 15% of Ecuador’s original cloud forests and only 4% of all forests in northwestern Ecuador remain. Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer from Chile, plans to open a mine in the Intag Valley that would destroy primary forest and lie within the buffer area of Cotacachi Cayapas National Park — a plan that experts say would be ecologically devastating and not worth the cost. Communities are using the presence of two threatened frog species — previously thought to be extinct — at the mining site to challenge the project [...].

In the 1960s, to encourage development, the government deemed forested properties with no human occupants “unproductive” and open to land grabbers. In turn, landowners were forced to clear at least 50% of the land to prove it was in use. These agrarian laws led to a flurry of deforestation that lasted into the 1990s. [...]

Pumas (Puma concolor), spectacled bears (Tremarctos ornatus), mountain tapirs (Tapirus pinchaque), mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata), the critically endangered brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps fusciceps), and the colorful plate-billed mountain toucan (Andigena laminirostris) are just a few of the more charismatic threatened species living here. [...]

Our first foray deep into this “terrestrial coral reef” is led by Roberto Castro, a local nature guide, environmental educator, and Zorrilla’s friend and neighbor. [...]

“Here is the Sangre de Drago tree … its red sap [is] a cure for many ailments,” he says. “Here is the Cecropia tree that lives in partnership with the ants.”

He shows us a white flower that shares its nectar with just one bat species and lets go of its seeds in a grand explosion once the nectar is spent. We see the sickle-winged guan (Chamaepetes goudotii), a large ground bird that lays only one, maybe two, precious eggs in a year. The famed Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus) cries out, its song somewhere between that of a parrot and a squealing pig. In the cloud forest, a single leaf is a stage for drama: ants farming aphids, lichens making their slow march against the moss. The forest drips with life.

We stop in a grove of massive elephant ear plants, twice as tall as a person. “These plants tell us water is abundant,” Castro says. The water trail leads us to a 10-meter (33-foot) waterfall. Castro stands in the stream below and pulls out a minuscule underwater castle made from pebbles.

“This is the home of moth larvae,” he shows us. [...]

Zorrilla and other community members started the environmental group Defensa y Conservación Ecológica de Intag (DECOIN) in 1995. [...] DECOIN helped communities establish 38 small-scale forest reserves that, altogether, protect almost 12,000 hectares (nearly 30,000 acres) of forest within the buffer zone of Cotacachi Cayapas National Park. [...]

In Intag, communities are self-defined administrative units, whose leader is nominated by its residents. It’s up to each community to decide how to best protect forests. Most include agreements prohibiting activities such as [...] cattle ranching, mining [...]. Bolaños and fellow community members planted more than 60,000 trees on slopes that were originally forests but had been converted to pasture decades ago. Working for six months each year between 2008 and 2013, dozens of community members planted 22 native species [...].

Intag’s richness aboveground is rivaled by a different kind of wealth below: copper. [...]

In 1996, the Japanese mining company Bishimetals, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation, found evidence of massive copper deposits in the Intag Valley. [...] In 1997, local communities reacted [...]. No one was harmed in the incident, but it was enough to make the company pull out. [...] After Bishimetals retreated in 1997, things calmed down until the Canadian mining company Copper Mesa Corporation (formally Ascendent Copper) entered the scene in 2004. [...] The company tried for five years to develop the project and used paramilitaries and violent force, Zorrilla tells Mongabay. [...] DECOIN helped residents file a lawsuit against both the mining company and the Toronto Stock Exchange for complicity in human rights violations based on Copper Mesa’s actions. [...] [I]n 2010 the Toronto Stock Exchange delisted Copper Mesa Mining Corporation.

---

Now, the communities face the world’s largest copper producer, Chile’s Codelco, which has partnered with Empresa Nacional Minera (ENAMI EP), Ecuador’s state-owned mining company, and invested millions into advanced mining explorations across Intag — in particular within the 5,000-hectare (12,400-acre) mining concession known as Llurimagua. [...]

According to several community members Mongabay spoke to, around 400 military and police officers used force to ensure the presence of Codelco and ENAMI in the mining concession. [...] Javier Ramirez was the president of the Junín community in 2014 when he was arrested for “sabotage and rebellion against the state.” [...] Codelco persisted and set up camp in the Junín Community Reserve, a patch of primary, old-growth forest [...].

Codelco has installed at least 90 drilling platforms within the reserve, digging down to depths of 1,200 meters (3,900 feet). [...]

The U.S. nonprofit Earth Economics [...] valued ecosystem services in Intag, such as water, food, climate regulation, soil retention, pollination, waste treatment, recreation, and scientific research, at $447 million per year in 2011. That’s higher than the projected revenue from copper mining in the region [...].

At the base of a waterfall, we stop to catch our breath, and Zorrilla steps forward. “This is close to where they found the frogs,” he says.

And here enters hope.

Among the dozens of threatened species in the tropical Andes, two have been found in this reserve and nowhere else on Earth: the longnose harlequin toad (Atelopus longirostris) and the Intag resistance rocket frog whose name was chosen through a contest. Both were presumed extinct until they were recently found again in the Junín Community Reserve. [...]

Finding these frogs has given the community a strong argument to try to legally stop mining development [...].

In September 2020, the Intag communities won one of the few cases upholding the rights of nature in the lower court. But the case was overturned in the higher provincial appeals court due to a procedural error. [...] The case is now before a three-member appeals court. After months of delay, a new judge was appointed in December. The new judge wants to have all of the evidence presented again, essentially starting the process over. The next court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23 [2023]. [...]

We speak with Norma Bolаños about Mujer y Medio Ambiente (Women and the Environment), a group of nearly 50 women in Intag who make products out of cabuya, a fiber they produce from the agave plant, and color with natural dyes. [...]

In Cotacachi, we visit the home of Cenaida Guachagmira. She’s 28, the same age as the resistance movement, and has known this fight her whole life. [...] “The companies have their weapons and we have our dignity,” Guachagmira told Re:wild in an interview earlier this year.

---

Headline, images, captions, and all text published by: Liz Kimbrough. “In Ecuador, communities protecting a ‘terrestrial coral reef’ face a mining giant.” Mongabay. 9 January 2023. [Italicized heading and first paragraph in this post added by me.]

[planetzoos]

Guess who got polls finally?! I wanted to pit all the DLCs against each other, but there's 14 out now, so no can do. Let's start with just the animal packs - which is your favourite?

I couldn't fit all the animals in the poll text, so here's what's missing:

Grasslands - striped hyena and butterflies

Wetlands - Nile lechwe, red-crowned crane and crested newt

North America - arctic fox and bullfrog

Southeast Asia - proboscis monkey and giant leaf insect

[mandolorian-birder]

Attention All Planet Zoo Lovers

There has been a Mod breakthrough about a week and a half ago. We can now ADD NEW SPECIES to the game WITHOUT REPLACING OTHERS. It is now easier to install these mods also. In the past 10 days 21 new species have been added. (Also the next Official Planet Zoo update drops on March 30th

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/planet-zoo-update-1-5-coming-30-march.567225/ (Rumors are saying a Southeast Asia Pack) This update is going to contain a lot of quality life improvements and finally being able to save Franchise zoos and share them as sandbox. CUSTOM VIDEO BOARDS + EDUCATION BOARDS are coming. You can see what these will most likely be like from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdnGTH_6OqY&t=316s

Here’s the list along with download links. All animals can be seen here (Not my video) The dude in the video is pretty cocky which is sort of annoying but this opens huge opportunities for making new models, rigs, and animations for planet zoo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3zJzuEpQbU 

HarlequinzEg0′s Mods (Models by Aurora Designs + PureWinter):

Eastern Moose, Thylacine, ​ Przewalski's Horse

Leaf’s Mods: 

Red Fox, Squirrel Monkey, Tufted Capuchin, Fallow Deer, Suffolk Sheep

Nicholas LionRider’s Mods:

Aoudad, Alpaca, Dromedary Camel, North American River Otter, Maned Wolf, Sand Tiger Shark, Nubian Goat

Wyzer’s Mods:

Spectacled Caiman

HoxtonsMODS’s Mods:

Malayan Tapir

SibCDCU’s Mod (Model by PureWinter):

Quagga

LevelWolf’s Mod:

Red Wolf, New Guinea Singing Dog

GloomyBooty’s Mod:

Cougar

[ursusenthusiast]

Oh Martimus 😍 Gotta love that humidity hair dew.

[amonkeyaday]

Every time I think I’m getting better knowledge of primates, I learn I don’t know much at all! There are so many kinds of Leaf Monkeys I’m featuring a different one all week, starting with this cutie.

Dusky Leaf Monkeys live in Malaysia & Thailand. The contrast around their eyes gets more dramatic as their fur gets darker (like the adult in the background) so they sorta look like they’re wearing glasses, which is why they’re also known as Spectacled Langurs and Spectacled Leaf Monkeys...

Photo by Troup Dresser, whose Flickr I could get lost in forever:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23271361@N06/albums/72157605608566467

[larimar]

bbcearthVerified

We all know this look! #EarthCapture by @matthewalbanus ⁣

Dusky leaf monkeys (Trachypithecus obscurus), also known as spectacled leaf monkeys (for obvious reasons), are found in Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. Newborns are easily recognised by their bright yellow/orange coats which darken as they reach maturity.⁣

[feed-the-birdss]

Let Your Hair Down

Authors Note: I wrote another Jily Fanfic based on the song “Let Your Hair Down” by MAGIC! This fic is dedicated to the Toronto Maple Leafs (who are, to my utter devastation, officially out after tonight’s game, but I just might survive), and to @blitheringmcgonagall for being so amazingly supportive lately <3

Summary: James and Lily are in their seventh year at Hogwarts, and the stress about being the perfect muggleborn Head Girl has been getting to Lily lately.

Read it on Fanfic.net

“I’ll see you later. I have a meeting with McGonagall,” murmured Lily as she got up from the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall leaving a half-eaten plate of her lunch. Just as she was about to walk away from the table, James grabbed her hand and looked at her with furrowed brows and a concerned look in his eyes.

Lily paused and looked back at him with a small smile as she gave his hand a squeeze with hers, making James’ expression soften in response, and she used her free hand to gently run her fingers through his hair unruly messy black hair as she walked past him to exit the Hall.

James watched her long red ponytail swing back and forth as she walked away from him with a dumb look on his face. All he could think was “there she goes, there she goes”. To him, there’s nothing better than her.

However, James’ train of thought about his beautiful woman was quickly interrupted when Sirius, who was sitting across from him, smacked him over the head. “OI!” yelled James to Sirius, “what the bloody Hell was that for!?”

“You looked like a fool just staring after her Prongs,” lectured Sirius as he continued to shovel food into his mouth.

“Whatever mate,” muttered James with a scowl as he too proceeded to finish his meal.

“What’s going on with her anyway?” asked Sirius before gulping down the rest of his pumpkin juice and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “She seems more stressed out than usual. Remus agrees.”

James sighed and pushed his plate of unfinished food away from him, “Yeah, apparently Mulciber’s dad, who’s on the Board, asked Dumbledore to remove her as Head Girl all because of some dumb ass uniform infraction he noticed when he came to the school last week. Dumbledore refused, obviously, but still…”

“The fuck!? That’s Bullshit. Every sodding student wears their uniform wrong. It’s a rite of passage for any poor bloke or bird who’s forced to wear this ridiculous monkey suit,” he hollered. “They can’t honestly expect us to have our top buttons done up all the time!? It’s a fucking death trap. I feel like I am going to choke whenever it’s done up,” ranted Sirius. “But Lily’s uniform is always near perfect though!? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her with her top button undone…fuck, how on earth does she manage that,” he paused. “Small neck must be. Do you know what he said was wrong?”

“Fucking prick said her shirt was wrinkly, and that her kilt was an inch above the approved kilt length,” fumed James as he turned around with clenched fists to look at Mulciber chortling with his friends at the Slytherin table.

“WHAT!?” bellowed Sirius causing many heads to look in their direction and for Professor Flitwick to throw them a warning look. “Kilt length. That cunt is attacking Kilt length!? They’ll have to kill me before I let the misogynist villains on the board try to actually regulate Kilt length! If a bird wants to show off her arse, who the fuck are they to stop her?”

“I know, mate, but now Lily’s not only all worried about being the perfect Head Girl, but also making sure she looks perfect too.”

“Well shit, they actually got to her?”

“I mean, she says she doesn’t care what Mulciber’s dad thinks of her, but she loves being Head Girl, and she sees the difference she’s making with the other muggleborns in the school. So she’s refusing to let herself give Mulciber’s dad, or any of the Slytherins really, any excuse to call for her removal, and that has added a Hell of a lot of pressure on her,

‘Like, I’ve never seen her wear a ponytail as often as she does now. This morning she actually steamed her school shirt, and worst of all,” sighed James with hunched shoulders, “she almost didn’t want to risk sleeping in the same bed last night.”

“Well I’m sure you did a good job of convincing her not to do that, right Prongs?” asked Sirius with a smirk.

James smirked back, and his eyes started to glaze over as if reliving a memory, “maybe.”

“Good man,” congratulated Sirius while reaching over the table to give James two pats on the back, “and now, we leave to meet Moony at the greenhouses,” he declared as he grabbed James’ collar to drag him to the greenhouse with him.

A few hours later, James was strutting down an empty corridor with his broom hung over his shoulder sporting his red and gold practice quidditch robes. Just then, he saw Lily turn a corner at the opposite end of the corridor.

She stopped once she saw him, surprised. He, on the other hand, quickened his pace.

“All right, Evans?” asked James with his customary smirk that brought Lily back to the days of when he used to ask her out repeatedly.

Lily started to walk toward him as well returning his smirk with one of her own, “I’m good Potter. You off to quidditch practice?”

“Yep,” answered James once her finally reached her. He dipped his head so he could kiss her, but Lily swerved her head away.

“James, we can’t. I don’t want to get in trouble about kissing in public,” fretted Lily as she quickly turned her head to look behind her and see if anyone saw. “Other students can’t do it. So we can’t either.”

“Lils,” he implored as he cupped her cheek softly with his broom-free hand, “there’s no one around right now though.”

“I know love, but I can’t risk it right now,” she warned with pleading eyes. She then carefully took his hand from her cheek and lightly kissed it before putting back beside him. “McGonagall warned me that the pureblood fanatics on the Board and the Slytherins are desperate to see me out because I’ve given a lot of the muggleborns here enough hope to stick around.”

That’s when James took a good look at her. His eyes moved over her from behind his spectacles, and he saw her polished black flats, her uniform approved grey socks ending just before her knees, he kilt exactly 5 inches above her knees, her crisp white shirt perfectly pressed with the top button done up, her red and gold tie tightly knotted against her collar, her black wrinkle-free robes, her perfectly groomed eyebrows, and her red hair slicked back into a perfect high ponytail hiding the waves he loves to run his fingers through.

He sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean to risk that for you. I just love you.”

“I know you do,” she said with an appreciative smile.

“Just, if you can, please tell me when I can steal that kiss from ya, okay?” he smirked.

Lily rolled her eyes, but her smile still remained. “Anyway, you should head to practice Captain. I’ll meet you after my rounds in our dorm.”  She then continued to head down the corridor.

After quidditch practice and his shower in the locker rooms, James went to his and Lily’s dorm to finish up his homework and get started on the Prefect’s schedule for next week.

When he heard the door opened he immediately looked up to see his beautiful girlfriend walk in with her red hair still done up in a tight ponytail.

“Hey,” he smiled as he got up to greet her properly. Her words about kissing echoed in his head, but he figured that they were alone in their private dorms, the water is warmer here; so he grabbed her around the waist and dived right in putting his lips on hers.

To James’ relief, he was met with no resistance. Lily’s hands went straight for his messy hair, and when he started sucking on her bottom lip, she moaned in response. His lips then left hers to follow her jaw down to her neck and nip at the soft freckled skin there while his hands started travelling up from her waist.

However, he paused when his hands reached the back of her bare neck. James’ lips broke away from her skin to look at her with an expression Lily couldn’t quite place. So, Lily, the crazy girl she could sometimes be, stuck her tongue from out between her lips and licked James’ face starting at his chin and reaching it as high as she could go.

“Ew Lils,” cried James as Lily burst out into a fit of giggles. James started laughing too while wiping his face with the back of his hand, “what was that for?”

“You stopped,” confessed Lily with the mischievous glint still in her green eyes. “I was just trying to get you out of your own fat head.”

James chuckled, “Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about your hair.”

“My hair?” questioned Lily confusedly.

“Yeah, I mean, no one’s here right now, and it’s the end of the day, so we’re not on the clock now either. I just thought that you could let your hair down, and that this moment is nice because of that fact,” he said while his hands made their way back to her waist, and he started to dive once again.

He was met with resistance this time, however, as Lily turned her head and looked up at him confusedly. “Uhhhh…what? You don’t like my hair up?”

“What!? No! It’s not that at all. I love your hair all ways. I would love you even with no hair. I just meant it metaphorically,” he paused, “okay, well no, I meant it literally too, but that’s just because running my fingers through your hair is one of my favorite things to do. But like, in the metaphorical sense, you know, you’re just so stressed and worried about needing to be perfect all the time because of Mulciber, so I just wanted to, like, talk to you about how you don’t need to worry about being perfect with me. You can relax you know….let your hair down and stuff.”

Lily just giggled and responded with, “you’re such an idiot sometimes Potter.” She then reached up her hand to pull the elastic band holding her ponytail out of her hair letting it fall down in the waves that James loved.

James hands immediately started to comb the soft strands relishing in the softness between his fingers with a victorious gleam on his face, and just as he was about to dive right back into their snog session once again, he was, once again, met with resistance as Lily swerved her head. “Oi!” he whined.

“Sorry Potter, we’re gonna need to hold off on the snog session until later. We need to practice the Chicken Dance if you’re coming with me to Petunia’s wedding. I refuse to have a date who doesn’t have the perfect technique for the most important wedding dance of all time,” she declared as she grabbed her wand from her robes to move the furniture around and make room for their practice.

James just laughed but proceeded to indulge in her foolishness anyway. He knew that this dance wasn’t that important and that Lily just wanted to make him look like a fool, but this was the best part of spending time with Lily when it just the two of them and she didn’t have to worry about being the perfect Head Girl. They could be ridiculously in love as they were, and more importantly, they could be themselves.