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xtruss · 29 days

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In The Heart Of The Amazon, This Pristine Wilderness Shows Nature’s Resilience

Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park, Along the Banks of the Napo River, Shows How Biodiversity Can Thrive When Humans Don’t Interfere.

A Butterfly sits perched on the shell of an endangered Yellow-Spotted River Turtle (Podocnemis Unifilis). The butterfly is drinking the turtle’s tears—a symbiotic behavior where the insect obtains minerals, especially sodium, to compensate for its scarcity in this environment.

— Photographs byThomas Peschak | ByJúlia Dias Carneiro | April 22, 2024

Amid the din of tragic tales of Environmental Degradation in the Amazon, there are other, quieter but no less compelling stories testifying to the sheer power of nature to thrive when left untouched. Such is the case of the Napo River, which flows along the north of Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park.

“It’s a place where all your senses explode. You’re not just seeing life all over, you’re hearing calls of birds, frogs, the wind; smelling the pollen of plants, the soil, the rain. It’s overwhelming,” says biologist, conservationist and environmental Photographer Lucas Bustamante. “For anyone in love with nature, it’s like being a kid in a toy store.”

A trio of Hoatzins (Opisthocomus Hoazin) hang over a stream by the Napo River. Hoatzins build their nests above streams as a protection mechanism. If predators try to raid their nests, the young chicks leap to the water to escape, and use their claws to climb back into their nests once the danger has passed.

Established in 1979 in northwestern Amazonia, Yasuní National Park is the largest conservation area in Ecuador. It protects some 1,1 million hectares of Amazon rainforest, an area roughly the size of Croatia. It’s one of the most biodiverse forests on the planet—and the Napo River is the artery pumping life into its heart.

The river begins in the high slopes of the Andes to the east and marks the park’s northern frontier. It eventually joins the Amazon River to the west, after crossing into Peru.

Bustamante is from Ecuador, and he organizes expeditions for photographers into Añangu, a village by the Napo River managed by local Kichwa indigenous families. Twenty years ago, the group decided to Pursue Ecotourism instead of logging and hunting as their main source of income. The project has thrived, and so has nature.

“It took a few years for the animals to start coming back, and for the forest to start recovering,” Bustamante says. “Right now, it’s like a small paradise, an island of biodiversity.”

Soren Walljasper, NG Staff

‘Aquatic Spiderweb’

This pristine space was the perfect place for photographer Thomas Peschak, who wanted to capture the deep connections between the Amazon’s animals and its waterways. A National Geographic Explorer, Peschak is working on a long-term project to document the rainforest from the water—its “aquatic spiderweb” of giant rivers with hundreds of tributaries and thousands of streams.

He and Bustamante spent weeks on a canoe paddling on the creeks around the Napo River, looking for endemic species like the giant river otter. These endangered mammals are among the Amazon’s top five predators, wolfing down seven pounds of fish in one day. Their presence is a strong indicator of a healthy Aquatic Ecosystem.

“Across the Amazon we are seeing things deteriorate, but Napo really bucks the trend. Because there’s no poaching, illegal logging or mining a lot of the wildlife around the river is incredibly relaxed around people,” says Peschak.

That ease, in turn, gives Peschak a unique opportunity to capture and showcase many animals’ behavior in the wild, like a butterfly drinking the tears from a river turtle’s eyes, a giant otter snatching up a fish, and red howler monkeys feeding on leaves above a stream.

Not everything is so simple, however. In the days before Peschak’s expedition, heavy rain swelled the Andean headwaters. Water levels in the Napo River rose dramatically, making its streams overflow and bleed into the forest.

The flood, while not unusual for the river and its ecosystem, made the explorers’ search for otters much harder. The flooded streams meant that the animals could swim far inside the flooded forest, away from the main riverways. So Peschak and Bustamante spent seven days paddling with no otters in sight—until, on the final day, they saw a group of them feasting on fish.

“In this job, you have to be patient beyond stupidity,” says Peschak. “When every bone and brain cell in your body tells you to give up, that's when you have to keep going. Patience and persistence are rewarded by nature.”

Highway of Seeds

The remarkable biodiversity around the Napo River reflects its descent from the foothills of the Andes to the Amazon Basin. These ecosystems blend along its banks in a unique way, and this means that the Yasuní National Park has a vast array of species within its bounds.

A Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta Seniculus) spotted from a canoe on the water. These monkeys like to pick the best trees, leaves and fruits in the forest, and this connects them to healthy rivers and streams, where trees are always producing new, crunchy leaves. It’s impossible to ignore their presence in the Amazon: their vocalizations to mark territories can be heard miles away.

The Napo is also loaded with nutrients from the Andes, including rich ash from volcanic eruptions. It’s a whitewater river, which designates waterways carrying large amounts of sediments, giving them a muddy color. It’s also an efficient disperser of seeds. “The Napo River is like a highway in which millions of seeds travel from the Andes and across the region, helping species to propagate,” says biologist Gonzalo Rivas-Torres.

This flow of seeds is also a crucial food source for the great variety of fish found in the Napo’s waters. And this has ripple effects on the rest of the forest, far beyond the river’s bends.

“Fish depend on the amount of nutrients, fruits and seeds in the water. If the forests by the riversides aren’t in good shape, fish populations will be low, and otters won’t have enough food,” he explains. “Everything is connected.”

Rivas-Torres is the director of the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, a biological field station kept by Universidad San Francisco de Quito in collaboration with Boston University for research, education and conservation.

Their base is on the banks of the Tiputini River, a tributary of the Napo. From this perch, Rivas-Torres says he’s always spellbound to see wildlife so close and all around. His students have wept after seeing a jaguar in the wild for the first time, for example, or when releasing a yellow-spotted turtle back into the river.

“They say they didn’t expect to see this, or they didn’t know Ecuador was also this.” Rivas-Torres says. “It’s a life changing experience.”

#Rivers #Rain Forests #Wildlife Photography #Biodiversity #Floods #Fish 🎣🐟🐠#Wildlife #Heart of the Amazon #Pristine Wilderness #Nature’s Resilience #Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park | Banks of the Napo River #Thriving Biodiversity #No Human Interference #Butterfly 🦋 | Yellow-Spotted River Turtle 🐢 | Podocnemis Unifilis #Photographer | Lucas Bustamante #Hoatzins | Opisthocomus Hoazin #Amazon River #Red Howler Monkey 🙈🐵🐒 | Alouatta Seniculus

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bethanythebogwitch · 28 days

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Wet Beast Wednesday: spiny softshell turtle

It may be neither Flat Fuck Friday nor Turtle Tuesday, but because this is my series and I can do what I want, I'm talking about a very flat turtle. The spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera) is the most widely distributed and possibly the most common softshell turtle in North America. Its range covers most of the Eastern half of the USA and stretched into Canada and Mexico. There are 6 subspecies separated by geography and hybridization can happen in places where their ranges cross. Hybridization has also been known to happen with the Florida softshell (Apalone ferox). The subspecies are the northern (A. s. spinifera), gulf coast (A. s. aspera), Texas (A. s. emoryi), pallid (A. s. pallida), Guadalupe (A. s. guadalupensis), and black (A. s. atra) spiny softshells.

(Image: a spiny softshell turtle seen from above and to the side. It is a turtle with a wide, flat shell. Its head and one foot are visible. The head is skinny and has an elongated nose. The foot is wide and flat, with webbed toes. The turtle is an olive green with black dots on the skin, yellow stripes on the face, and dark spots on the shell. End ID)

The thing that makes a softshell a softshell is the lack of keratinized scutes on their shells. This makes the shells smooth and leathery. The center of the shell has a layer of solid bone user it, but this does not extend to the edges of the shell, making it less rigid. Softshells are the fragile speedsters of the turtle world. Their shells are a lot lighter and often more streamlined, allowing for faster movement both on land and in water, but they provide less defense. Spiny softshells have spiny projections along the front edge of the carapace (upper shell), with males having more than females. They are some of the largest North American freshwater turtles. Females can reach a carapace length of 54 cm (21 in) and 11 kg (25 lbs) while the smaller males max out at about 25 cm (10 in).

(Image: a spiny softshell being held by a person, seen from the front. The leading edge of the carapace is visible, showing off the small spines. End ID)

Spiny softshells have wide, flat, paddle-like feet with three claws and an elongated nose that acts like a snorkel. The turtles are born a bright olive color with striped faces and dark spots on the shell. Males keep their juvenile coloration for their entire lives while females grow darker ad lose many of their markings. It can be very difficult to tell females of different subspecies apart, while males and juveniles can be distinguished by their markings. Smooth skin and highly vascularized membranes in the cloaca, mouth, and throat allow the turtles to breathe by diffusing dissolved oxygen from the water into their blood.

(Image: a male and female spiny softshell facing each other. The male is less than half the size of the female and has an olive colored shell and skin, with dark spots on the shell. The female is a uniform muddy brown color. End ID)

Spiny softshells are generalists able to live in a wide range of habitats. They prefer streams, rivers, and ponds with muddy or sandy bottoms and high visibility, but can live in most freshwater habitats. Softshells are diurnal, spending their days basking and feeding. Being turtles, they are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature matches the surrounding temperature. To warm themselves up, the turtles bask in the sunlight. They can often be found resting on exposed rocks, logs, sandbars, or shorelines. While not particularly social animals, the turtles will bask in groups. When threatened, softshells will attempt to swim away and/or bury themselves. In the right sediment, a softshell can bury itself in under a second. Because their shells are less rigid, softshells have to actively defend themselves when cornered and will bite and scratch. People have to be careful when handling them. They brumate (that's hibernation for reptiles) during winter. While brumating, they bury themselves underwater and slow their metabolism and oxygen requirements. In this state they can fully sustain themselves on oxygen absorbed through their skin or special membranes.

(Image: a spiny softshell turtle buried in its hunting strategy. Only the head is visible above the sand. End ID)

They are primarily carnivores and will eat anything that can fit in their mouths. Aquatic insects, crayfish, worms, amphibians, mussels, snails, fish, and more are on their plate. While capable of fast swimming, they are not pursuit predators. They employ two primary hunting strategies. The first is to bury themselves in the sediment and wait for prey to come by. The second is digging in the sediment to find worms and other animals. Fish have been known to follow digging turtles around to feed on animals unearthed by them.

(Image: a spiny softshell in captivity. It is swimming at the surface of the water in a tank, amongst artificial leaves. End ID)

Spiny softshells mate in spring. Males attempt to woo females by swimming over to them and bumping heads together. The male then sits on top of the female to mate. Unlike most species of turtles, the males do not grab onto the female's shells during mating. Eggs are laid between summer and early fall and will hatch next spring. The female will dig a nest in sandy or gravelly banks and bury the eggs once they have been laid. She provides no further care. Females will typically mate multiple times each year, with each mating having a different nest. The juveniles take 8 to 10 years to reach sexual maturity and they can live up to 50 years in the wild. Many turtles determine sex by the temperature the eggs are incubated in. This is not the case with spiny softshells, who have genetics based sex determination.

(Image: a group of 5 juveniles. The photo focuses on two who are sitting next to each other. One has its front right leg on the shell of the other. They have similar coloration to an adult male. End ID)

(Image: a newborn emerging from its egg. The egg is round and white, looking like a ping-pong ball. Only the head of the turtle has emerged. End ID)

Most subspecies of spiny softshell are classified as least concern or near threatened by the IUCN, meaning they are not in danger of extinction. The exception is the black spiny softshell, also known as the Cuatro Ciénegas softshell, which is critically endangered. The primary threats to the turtles is habitat loss due to human activity. Adults have no natural predators outside of the Florida and adjacent state populations, which are prey to alligators. Juveniles are eaten by a variety of animals including fish, snakes, raccoons, and herons. People will also eat the adults. Because it can take a whole decade for juveniles to become reproductive, losses in population take a long time to replace. They have been introduced to areas outside of their native range, most notably the western USA. Most of these introductions are due to people releasing pet turtles into the wild.

(Image: someone holding a juvenile. The shell is 2-3 times the size of the human's thumb. End ID)

#i typoed it as softhsell more times than I care to admit #wet beast wednesday #turtle #turtles #softshell turtle #soft shell turtle #spiny softshell turtle #reptile #biology #zoology #ecology #animal facts #freshwater ecology #aquatic biology #informative #educational #image described #turtle power #herpetology

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juvmarchiori · 5 days

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Just noticed that I haven't showed the upload version of the character lineup and design for my TMNT au

What if TMNT took place in São Paulo, Brasil instead of NYC?

Donatello is a Green Sea Turtle, he has an expandable bo staff and he specializes in machines and underwater combat. He's the fastest of his brothers inside the water and has a part covered in water that he calls his lab. However he's the slowest in land and has some difficult on fighting in land.

Michelangelo is a Tracajá (Yellow Spotted Amazonian River Turtle), he's the youngest and is the fastest of his brothers on land, he also has a natural camouflage that all tracajás have. Miguel has alongated claws that helps him in fight when he isn't with his weapons, altought he has to be extra careful with them to not hurt his family and friends

Rafael is a Cherry Head Tortoise. He's the tank of the team, always stepping in to the fight first to protect his brothers, especially Donnie (Donatello can't go inside his shell, Sea Turtles can't do that). He does have rage outbursts but is learning how to deal with it by cooking and baking. He always have some sort of snack inside of his shell (granola bars, chocolate,etc). He doesn't know how to swim, so he's usually paired with Donnie in missions.

Leonardo is a D'orbigny's Slider, he's the eldest and the leader of the team. He worries too much about every single thing, he wants to follow his father steps and become a great ninja. Leonardo always has a plan C just in case. He munches his bandana when he gets bored or when he dissociates. He cares too much about missions, but the safety of his brothers are his number one priority and he has little to none self preservation.

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mousetoe-wc · 8 months

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I Got bored one time awhile ago and made a list of every prefix plus some into organised sections so I thought I might as well share.

All the ones that aren’t cannon to warriors, yet at lest are bold

Describing names

Colours: red, russet, copper, golden, amber, yellow, green, blue, violet, pink, white, gray, black, ebony, dark, pale, silver, brown, tawny, fallow

Pattern, Texture + Size: spot/ted, dapple, speckle, freckle, brindle, patch, mottle, ragged, tangle, kink, bristle, fuzzy, curl/y, wooly, soft, sleek, little, tiny, small, slight, short, tall, long, big, heavy, crooked, broken, half, stumpy, shred, torn, jagged

Actions + Character: flip, pounce, bounce, jump, hop, crouch, down, low, drift, flail, strike, running, fidget, mumble, whistle, snap, sneeze, shiver/ing, shining, flutter, fallen, lost, rush, fleet, quick, shy, sweet, brave, loud, quiet, wild, hope, wish,

Other: claw, whisker, dead, odd, one, spike, fringe, echo, song, hallow, haven

Elements

Time + Weather: day, night, dusk, dawn, morning, sky, sun/ny, moon, storm, lightning, thunder, cloud/y, mist/y, fog, snow, blizzard, ice, frost, dew, drizzle, rain, clear, wind, breeze, gale, shadow, shade, bright, light,

Earth/Water/Fire names: stone, rock, boulder, slate, flint, pebble, gravel, sand/y, dust, mud/dy, meadow, hill, rubble, river, ripple, whorl, float, rapid, shimmer, lake, swamp, marsh, wave, wet, bubbling, splash, puddle, pool, creek, fire, flame, flicker, flash, blaze, scorch, ember, spark, ash, soot, cinder, smoke

Plants

Trees: alder, aspen, birch, beech, cedar, cypress, pine, elm, willow, oak, larch, maple, bay, rowan, timber, bark, log, wood, twig, acorn, cone, seed, spire

Berry/Nut/Fruit/Herb: juniper, elder, sloe, holly, yew, mistle, bramble, hickory, hazel, chestnut, nut, apple, cherry, cranberry, olive, pear, plum, peach, chive, mint, fennel, sage, basil, mallow, parsley

Flowers: aster, poppy, primrose, rose, bluebell, marigold, tansy, pansy, briar, cherry, daisy, dandelion, daffodil, tulip, violet, lily, myrtle, thrift, yarrow, heather, lavender, blossom, bloom, flower, petal

Other: leaf, frond, fern, bracken, sorrel, hay, rye, oat, wheat, cotton, reed, pod, cinnamon, milkweed, grass, clover, weed, stem, sedge, gorse, furze, flax, nettle, thistle, ivy, moss, lichen, bush, vine, root, thorn, prickle, nectar

Animals

Mammals: mouse, rat, mole, vole, shrew, squirrel, hedgehog, bat, rabbit, hare, ferret, weasel, stoat, mink, marten, otter, hog, wolf, hound, fox, vixen, badger, deer, doe, stag, fawn, sheep, cow, pig, lion, tiger, leopard, lynx, milk

Birds: robin, jay, cardinal, thrush, sparrow, swallow, shrike, starling, rook, swift, dove, pigeon, crow, raven, duck, goose, heron, wren, finch, swan, stork, quail, gull, lark, owl, eagle, hawk, kestrel, buzzard, kite, hoot, feather, bird, egg, talon

Fish, Reptiles + Amphibians: pike, perch, pollack, trout, tench, cod, carp, bass, bream, eel, minnow, fin, snake, adder, lizard, turtle, frog, toad, newt

Bug type Names: bug, lady or ladybug, moth, spider, ant, snail, slug, beetle, bee, wasp, dragon or dragonfly, bumble, worm, maggot, cricket, fly, midge, web, honey

Skyclan + Warriorclan: Bella, Billy, Big, Harry, Harvey, Snook, Ebony, Monkey

#warrior cats #wc

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cherrb333 · 2 months

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faded paint(based off of @tblsomedoodles Adopted au)

I had a lot of fun writing this quick little one-shot, thanks for giving me permission to write a little fanfic ^^ hope you like it:D

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“Boys! Wait!” The rat called out for his two twin sons who were being rowdier than usual, disgruntled when the two continued running off despite his protest. The Little turtle watched his father grumble to himself, blinking. The small turtle, much like his brothers, had orange-yellow spots all along his body, including his cheeks, much like freckles. He held his father's hand as he glanced around the sewers curiously. A glint of metal from the side distracted The little tot as he slowly slipped his hand away from his oblivious father, he slowly walked up to the can, eyes gleaming when he saw the orange Paint in the can. He squealed, dipping his hands into the cold substance and slowly pressing his two Hands firmly Into the wall in front of him. He was so distracted by the paint, he failed to notice his family's voices leaving the area until he was all alone. He stuck his tongue out as he dragged his finger in lines that created A drawing of what was supposed to be his family. It was a bunch of stick Figures, but to be fair he was only a tiny tot. He finished Off the drawing with a hum, stepping back to admire his work, only to brush His Shell back against something furry. He gasped as he glanced up to see an unfamiliar mutant cat staring down at him with a gleam in his eye that struck fear in the tot. Before he knew it, and before he could think, he was quite literally snatched away By the strange cat, and taken away down the halls of the sewer, And away from his family. it took a minute for the turtle to realize what had happened, but as it began to dawn on the small tot, he let out a loud wail followed by a tear-filled call for his dad in desperation to be saved from this kid snatcher.

“Oy! Shut up! I don't like it when my food is noisy!” The anger got the best of the mutant as he threw The poor tot against The wall, who retreated into his shell to protect himself from the hit, causing his shell to crack under the force. the tot continued to cry whimpering as he realized he couldn't see his papa, or his brothers. his hands trembled as he closed his eyes, emotions overwhelming the poor tot so much that he was shaking violently. he subconsciously called out for help desperately in his mind, praying for something to save him. luckily, his calls were answered. the feeling of ghost like hands touched his head as a sudden burst of energy filled his body with electricity that ran along his arms, which also glowed a bright orange-yellow colour as the floor gave through and a bright orange portal appeared, taking the turtle, and the kidnapper with it. The cat yelped as his grip on the turtle loosened to save himself from the shortfall. Mikey retreated into his shell in fear as he soon skidded over the edge and into the green water of the sewers. He peeped as he surfaced trying desperately to swim. He grabbed a random object in desperation to survive, coughing up water as he was pulled further down the river of sewage. soon, the tot reached a place where he could reach for the concrete. He sniffled as he landed on the concrete floor, shaking his head to rid himself of the liquid. He looked around the slightly dimmer part of the sewers, calling out for his family, hoping they could hear them. But nobody came. He slowly sat down sniffling and growing into silent whimpers as the weight of the situation fell heavily onto his shoulders causing him to hyperventilate and slowly drop his head into his knees. His cries and chirps of distress filled the sewers, his body trembling as he curled into a ball there on the floor.

“Who’s there?” a voice called out, a strong New York accent that boomed in the sewers. A red-clad turtle came into the room, sai drawn as he scanned the room for danger, only to lower his sai when he saw the smaller yellow spotted turtle trembling on the ground a few feet away. He slowly walked forward, holding his hands up at the sign of Mikey’s flinch, placing his sai on the ground to show he meant no harm

“Hey, Lil guy. It’s ok, I won't harm you, you’re safe” he whispered, holding out his hand to the small tot who stared at him with tear-filled eyes, the tot glanced at the hand noticing the similarity to his. He held his hand up curiously, placing it in the bigger one, eyes bulging at how similar they were. Mikey started slowly relaxing, sniffling with a crease that shouldn't be on his cute face. “I'm just like you, see?” he whispered, smiling softly as the poor tot relaxed, allowing him to pick up the small fry in his arms. He was already beginning to be very fond of the small tot. “Don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you…I can be your pops if that’s alright. Well, until we find your parents.” Mikey blinked up curiously at the older turtle as he was hoisted up into the big arms and pressed his head against the hard shell of the red turtle’s plastron, sniffling into it as he babbled to the man in broken toddler sentences.

For some reason, the solidarity of a stranger filled the tiny tot with warmth. He felt comfort in the embrace, almost familiar, but not. His eyes drooped closed as his tear-stained face contorted into a sleepy look. He curled further against the chest as Raphael cooed and chirped down at him. As they reached the lair, he slowly placed the boy on the couch, dragging a fluffy blanket up and tucking in the tot. He placed his hand against the poor tot's shell, taking notice of the cracks as he traced it with one finger softly. What had this poor thing been through to cause that? A sudden instinctive urge to protect the tot surged through his body so fast it gave the hot-headed turtle whiplash. A realization filled his mind as he slowly came to terms with what happened. Oh shit.

He was a father.

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ldmarottmnt · 3 days

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NEW OC!!

she is Maya! A river yellow spotted Turtle

Note: This is FOR avaly-a Mikey's

#rottmnt #rottmnt michelangelo #ibispaintx #rottmnt au #@avaly-a

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ruttotohtori · 3 months

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Amazoninjokikilpikonna/yellow-spotted amazon river turtle 🇫🇮 / Sony α55 (paikassa Korkeasaari Zoo)

#amazoninjokikilpikonna #korkeasaari #mun kuvii

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the-monkey-ruler · 4 months

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Is there an article that says the name of the Taoist skills and their respective characteristics of the monkey king? His Magic powers?

This isn’t a full list of them if that is what you mean? I know that JTTWR has a list in the works and an article explaining a lot of skills but there isn't really a full list. and while I have tried to catalog all his names powers I haven’t gotten around to organizing it.

This is NOT a list of his 72 transformations, but just a list of what he has used his power within the book.

Changed into a small sparrow perched on a tree

Changing himself into a cormorant

Changed into a small fish

Changed at once into a water snake

Changed again into a spotted bustard

Turned self into a pine tree

Rode a 'fierce wind' for monkeys

A mighty wind, hurtling pebbles, and rocks, a wind arose and separated the king from his subjects

Magic of body division

Plucked a handful of hairs, chewed them to pieces in his mouth, and spat and changed into thousands of little monkeys, who snatched and grabbed weapons

Magic of displacement, calling up a great wind, which carried all the little monkeys back to their home

Magic of water restriction leaped into the waves, which parted for him, and he followed the waterway 7

Magic of cosmic imitation, grew to be ten thousand feet tall, with a head like the Tai Mountain and a chest like a rugged peak, eyes like lightning a mouth like a blood bowl, and teeth like swords and halberds.

Transformed himself into a creature with three heads and six arms

Magic of immobilization, transfixed

Magic of body concealment, invisible

Changed into the form of the Great Immortal of Naked Feet

Plucking a few hairs, he threw them into his mouth and chewed them to pieces before spitting them out and sleep-inducing insects

Exerted his magical power and changed himself into a figure having the features and height of Erlang

Changed into the form of Holy Father Erlang

Hair changed into a writing brush with extra thick hair soaked in heavy ink

Magic power of foreknowledge, divination

Hair changed into a sharp, curved knife

Magic of overturning seas and rivers, he transformed the clear, limpid water of the Eagle Grief Stream into the muddy currents of the Yellow River during high tide

A strong wind arose and whipped the fire into a mighty blaze

Changed at once into an exact semblance of that old monk 72 magic to 'seize the wind' allowed the head of the wind to move past but he caught hold of its tail and sniffed at it

Changed at once into a spotted-leg mosquito

Magic of body protection, he stretched his waist and at once grew more than six feet, attaining the height of ten feet altogether

Magic of the body beyond the body, creates more selves, the body changes into ten of me, and the ten can also change into one hundred. In fact, the transformation can grow to millions and billions

Water-repelling spell breathe underwater

Change into a water creature like a fish, shrimp, crab, or turtle

Change hair changed at once into a specious Pilgrim

Change hairs into the elder, another changed into a figure like himself, and the two other trees changed into Sha Monk and Eight Rules

Magic of revivification

Magic of the spirit leaving the body

Pat a mouthful of water to break illusions

Spell that brought him the God of Day Patrol, the God of Night Patrol, and the Guardians of Five Quarters, to whom he gave the following instruction

Changed into Hill-Pawing Tiger, while he himself changed into Sea-Lolling Dragon.

Magic of thinning the body

Straightening up his torso, he grew about three and a half feet instantly

Magic of shortening the ground and moving the mountain

He changed at once into a cloth wrapper adorned with gold

Making the fire-repellent sign he hurled himself into the fire to search for the fiend

Water-division magic, he opened up a pathway for himself through the waves

changed himself into the form of one of those old Daoists

Magic of head cutting, his head came off with a swishing sound and grew a new one.

At once his belly closed up completely

At once he changed into a boy with the exact appearance of that child Guanbao.

Blew a mouthful of magic breath onto Eight Rules, whose body at once took on the form of the little girl.

Magic of invisibility

Wind-arresting magic

Magic of seizure

Magic of traction, taking hold of the two fiends and mounting the to head for the southeast

Changed at once into a herd of ferocious striped tigers, prowling and growling, which had the main road completely blocked

Grew to thousands of feet tall, body diminished in size until he became as small as a mustard seed.

Magic of Body-Vanishment, body to shrink and immediately became free of the ropes.

Changed into a tiny fly,

Changed with one shake of his body into an old, hungry hawk

Changed with one shake of his body into a pangolin

He shook his body and changed at once into a neat young priest,

Change with one shake of his body into the appearance of that Little Wind Cutter whom he first met on the road

He changed into a tiny mole cricket

With one shake of his body into a little bee

Change into the form of the Tang Monk

He changed with one shake of his body into a moth

Changed back into an ant

Magic of Passage, He shrank his body and climbed out of the ropes

At once he changed into a little firefly,

Mouthful of immortal breath toward the ground on the southwest. Immediately a gust of dark wind blinded the people's eyes, and only then could the pilgrims proceed.

Spell of release, bandits gradually regained consciousness

That is at least MOST of the times that Wukong has used magic and that is undoubtedly more than what he can do considering that 'changing' your form is just one thing.

Again this is NOT his list of 72 transformations, just a list of what he has used in the book.

#anon ask #anonymous #anon #jttw #journey to the west #xiyouji #ask #sun wukong #monkey king

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frogonamelon · 8 months

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What kind of turtles are 2k12????

It's never been specified but I would very much like to know what kind of turtles they are. There are so many box turtles and I just.... don't believe that they're diamondback terrapins.... they're green???

Picking out the options, I decided to go by what they look like to find similar looking turtles in color/texture/pattern but I'm almost certain I missed something. There were also some I just couldn't even if I wanted to like spotted, wood, and map turtles as well as any kind of sea turtle.

#tmnt 2012 #tmnt 2k12 #tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #mrlively tmnt2k12

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bubble-masquerade · 10 months

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Pt. 2!! of the oc project with my sister @bogwatertrash

Sylvie

Name Meaning: From the forest

Turtle Species: Southern Painted Turtle

Southern Painted turtle Average adult size ranges from 4 to 6 inches with a lifespan of 30 to 40 years

It is an subspecies of the painted turtle, and is the smallest of the painted turtle sub species

Semi aquatic and can be found close to swamps, marshes, ponds, lakes, and rivers.

They also prefer slow moving waters They can also be found basking on partially submerged logs on water bodies

Red middorsal line on carapace

Omnivorous. Various invertebrates, aquatic vegetation

Plants, small animals, such as fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects, and some carrion.

Young painted turtles are mainly carnivorous, acquiring a taste for plants later in life

Southern Painted turtles generally enjoy being left alone, whether that means they are in the wild or in a tank at home.

It is possible to handle a Southern Painted turtle, and the more you do so the more likely your new friend will become used to being held

Because of their size and instincts, Southern Painted turtles tend not to like it when other animals or creatures get too close to their head.

If you make quick movements near their head, you can expect them to flinch away or even try to bite you

Personality/Other Info

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Gender: Cisgender Female

Sexuality: Bisexual

Introvert

How she was found: In a bag as a tot in an alley way

Some Knowledge of basic magic. Craft specialty is Plant magic

Support swapper

Has a cute tooth gap

Prefers to be with her siblings/parental unit, especially when it comes to going out to places where large groups of people will be attending

Terrified of Jurassic park. Got traumatized from the t-rex scene as a tot and hasn’t watched it since

Gets in to chaotic messes with Klee (in which Klee is leading)

Loves quality time with her siblings when they aren’t all together doing something/getting in to trouble. Also enjoys parallel play

A sweetheart and a savage. Head in the clouds and she sometimes gets distracted

When she hyperfocuses it can be hard to get her attention

Favorite movie/show genres are dramedy/disaster films. However she cannot stand horror

She ADORES her plants. From her flowers to her shrubs, and has even grown stuff for Pedro and Caly to work with in the kitchen. Has a terrarium that absolutely nobody is allowed to touch tho. She will cry. Also, expect small houseplants everywhere

Enjoys warm weather and the fall. Doesn't like it when it gets hot

Wears a stim bracelet on each wrist, beaded and colorful, almost never takes them off

More of a follower than a leader in the shenanigans with Klee. is the one to say “it was almost a great idea” knowing everything usually goes wrong

Does swear, surprisingly. But its mostly softly under her breath

Has a habit of taking naps in the greenhouse. So there's now a large beanbag, pillows, and blankets in there

Is okay with affectionate touches as long as she’s not overwhelmed/over stimulated

☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️

Klee

Name Meaning: Clover

Turtle Species: Bog Turtle

Orange/Yellow/Red Spots behind/above ears

Shell- Usually brown, grey, mahogany. Sometimes has Amber/Dark colored lines

Plastron- Usually pale yellow with irregular black blotches

Diurnal and secretive, it spends most of its time buried in mud and – during the winter months – in hibernation.

They are very timid and like to stay hidden

The bog turtle is one of the smallest living turtles.

Personality/Other Info

Pronouns: Any she/he/they

Gender: Agender

Sexuality: Pansexual

Ambivert

How they were found: Climbed on the back of a mexi-boys food truck as a tot and made their way to New York. Found kung fu panda style. Scared the shit outta the poor truck driver/worker unfortunately

Still Learning about the magic system. Craft Specialty is Necromancy

She can be blunt, childish, forgetful, secretive, and pretty impatient at times

Whenever given the chance, will only wear odd socks (One longer than the other / Two different colors). A sock gremlin if you will

Very adventurous and bold. Very active and energetic at times. Unfriendly to certain people they come across

They get pretty careless when it comes to chores and basic at home duties. Baby sibling attitude

Is constantly fidgeting with something. HATES eye contact

Favorite movie genres are horror/thriller. Knows Sylvie doesn’t enjoy those kinds of movies so during family movie nights he doesn’t suggest them. Waits till they know Sylvie is busy to watch them with the others or warns her ahead of time if they want to watch the movies in the living room

Should seriously not be allowed to handle any money

Loves clowns. Don't know why, but they do. Every Halloween they go as a clown. As a tot, it was very cutesy stuff. But the older they get the more unhinged they look

Loves rainy, foggy weather. Silent Hill vibe type stuff

Collects bones. Cleans them as a hobby and is also getting in to making jewelry out of them

Sleeps with a plushie still. Needs it to fall asleep

Tries to get away with everything. Hates being grounded

Isn’t really the touchy type. As a tot though you’d find her napping with Sylvie

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foodandfolklore · 1 month

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The Grimm Variations, Episode 2

A new Netflix Anime has caught my eye. It's Called the Grimm Variations; which feature retellings of Original Brothers Grimm fairytales. But rather be a beat for beat, they are more reimagined. A "What If" kind of thing. I figured I'd share the original Fairytales these stories are based on for those interested.

The second Episode is based on the Story of the Pied Piper. Which wasn't first created by the two Brothers Grimm (Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm) but was first a Pome by Robert Browning. However, it latter became a Brother's Grimm story when the Grimm Brothers added it to a published collection of stories. With Browning's Credit of course. Here is the Original Pome, translated into English.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin (Also Called the Children of Hamelin) Hamelin Town's in Brunswick, By famous Hanover city; The river Weser, deep and wide, Washes its wall on the southern side; A pleasanter spot you never spied; But, when begins my ditty, Almost five hundred years ago, To see the townsfolk suffer so From vermin, was a pity.

Rats! They fought the dogs and killed the cats, And bit the babies in the cradles, And ate the cheeses out of the vats. And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles, Split open the kegs of salted sprats, Made nests inside men's Sunday hats, And even spoiled the women's chats, By drowning their speaking With shrieking and squeaking In fifty different sharps and flats.

At last the people in a body To the Town Hall came flocking: "Tis clear," cried they, "our Mayor's a noddy; And as for our Corporation—shocking To think we buy gowns lined with ermine For dolts that can't or won't determine What's best to rid us of our vermin! You hope, because you're old and obese, To find in the furry civic robe ease? Rouse up, sirs! Give your brains a racking To find the remedy we're lacking, Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing! "At this the Mayor and Corporation Quaked with a mighty consternation.

An hour they sate in council, At length the Mayor broke silence: "For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell; I wish I were a mile hence! It's easy to bid one rack one's brain— I'm sure my poor head aches again, I've scratched it so, and all in vain Oh for a trap, a trap, a trap!" Just as he said this, what should hap At the chamber door but a gentle tap? "Bless us," cried the Mayor, "what's that?" (With the Corporation as he sat, Looking little though wondrous fat; Nor brighter was his eye, nor moister Than a too-long-opened oyster, Save when at noon his paunch grew mutinous For a plate of turtle green and glutinous) "Only a scraping of shoes on the mat? Anything like the sound of a rat Makes my heart go pit-a-pat!"

"Come in!"—the Mayor cried, looking bigger: And in did come the strangest figure! His queer long coat from heel to head Was half of yellow and half of red, And he himself was tall and thin, With sharp blue eyes, each like a pin, And light loose hair, yet swarthy skin No tuft on cheek nor beard on chin, But lips where smile went out and in; There was no guessing his kith and kin: And nobody could enough admire The tall man and his quaint attire. Quoth one: "It's as my great-grandsire, Starting up at the Trump of Doom's tone, Had walked this way from his painted tombstone!"

He advanced to the council-table: And, "Please your honours," said he, "I'm able, By means of a secret charm, to draw All creatures living beneath the sun, That creep or swim or fly or run, After me so as you never saw! And I chiefly use my charm On creatures that do people harm, The mole and toad and newt and viper; And people call me the Pied Piper." (And here they noticed round his neck A scarf of red and yellow stripe, To match with his coat of the self-same cheque;

And at the scarf's end hung a pipe; And his fingers they noticed were ever straying As if impatient to be playing Upon his pipe, as low it dangled Over his vesture so old-fangled.)

"Yet," said he, "poor Piper as I am, In Tartary I freed the Cham, Last June, from his huge swarms of gnats, I eased in Asia the Nizam Of a monstrous brood of vampyre-bats: And as for what your brain bewilders, If I can rid your town of rats Will you give me a thousand guilders?" "One? fifty thousand!"—was the exclamation Of the astonished Mayor and Corporation.

Into the street the Piper stept, Smiling first a little smile, As if he knew what magic slept In his quiet pipe the while; Then, like a musical adept, To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled, And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled, Like a candle-flame where salt is sprinkled; And ere three shrill notes the pipe uttered, You heard as if an army muttered;

And the muttering grew to a grumbling; And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling; And out of the houses the rats came tumbling. Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats, Brown rats, black rats, grey rats, tawny rats, Grave old plodders, gay young friskers, Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins, Cocking tails and pricking whiskers, Families by tens and dozens, Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives— Followed the Piper for their lives. From street to street he piped advancing, And step for step they followed dancing, Until they came to the river Weser Wherein all plunged and perished!— Save one who, stout as Julius Cæsar, Swam across and lived to carry (As he, the manuscript he cherished) To Rat-land home his commentary: Which was, "At the first shrill notes of the pipe, I heard a sound as of scraping tripe, And putting apples, wondrous ripe, Into a cider-press's gripe: And a moving away of pickle-tub-boards, And a leaving ajar of conserve-cupboards, And a drawing the corks of train-oil-flasks, And a breaking the hoops of butter-casks: And it seemed as if a voice (Sweeter far than by harp or by psalteryIs breathed) called out, 'Oh rats, rejoice! The world is grown to one vast drysaltery! So munch on, crunch on, take your nuncheon, Breakfast, supper, dinner, luncheon! 'And just as a bulky sugar-puncheon, All ready staved, like a great sun shone Glorious scarce an inch before me, Just as methought it said, 'Come, bore me!'— I found the Weser rolling o'er me."

You should have heard the Hamelin people Ringing the bells till they rocked the steeple "Go," cried the Mayor, "and get long poles, Poke out the nests and block up the holes! Consult with carpenters and builders, And leave in our town not even a trace Of the rats!"—when suddenly up the face Of the Piper perked in the market-place, With a, "First, if you please, my thousand guilders!"

A thousand guilders! The Mayor looked blue; So did the Corporation too. For council dinners made rare havoc With Claret, Moselle, Vin-de-Grave, Hock; And half the money would replenish Their cellar's biggest butt with Rhenish. To pay this sum to a wandering fellow With a gipsy coat of red and yellow! "Beside," quoth the Mayor with a knowing wink, "Our business was done at the river's brink; We saw with our eyes the vermin sink, And what's dead can't come to life, I think. So, friend, we're not the folks to shrink From the duty of giving you something to drink, And a matter of money to put in your poke; But as for the guilders, what we spoke Of them, as you very well know, was in joke. Beside, our losses have made us thrifty. A thousand guilders! Come, take fifty!"

The Piper's face fell, and he cried, "No trifling! I can't wait, beside! I've promised to visit by dinner-time Bagdad, and accept the prime Of the Head-Cook's pottage, all he's rich in, For having left, in the Caliph's kitchen, Of a nest of scorpions no survivor: With him I proved no bargain-driver, With you, don't think I'll bate a stiver! And folks who put me in a passion May find me pipe after another fashion."

"How?" cried the Mayor, "d' ye think I brook Being worse treated than a Cook? Insulted by a lazy ribald With idle pipe and vesture piebald? You threaten us, fellow? Do your worst, Blow your pipe there till you burst!"

Once more he stept into the street, And to his lips again Laid his long pipe of smooth straight cane;

And ere he blew three notes

(such sweet Soft notes as yet musician's cunning Never gave the enraptured air)

There was a rustling, that seemed like a bustling Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling, Small feet were pattering, wooden shoes clattering, Little hands clapping and little tongues chattering, And, like fowls in a farm-yard when barley is scattering, Out came the children running. All the little boys and girls, With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls, And sparkling eyes and teeth like pearls.

Tripping and skipping, ran merrily after The wonderful music with shouting and laughter.

The Mayor was dumb, and the Council stood As if they were changed into blocks of wood, Unable to move a step, or cry To the children merrily skipping by.— Could only follow with the eye That joyous crowd at the Piper's back. But how the Mayor was on the rack, And the wretched Council's bosoms beat, As the Piper turned from the High Street To where the Weser rolled its waters Right in the way of their sons and daughters! However he turned from South to West, And to Koppelberg Hill his steps addressed, And after him the children pressed; Great was the joy in every breast." He never can cross that mighty top! He's forced to let the piping drop, And we shall see our children stop!" When, lo, as they reached the mountain-side, A wondrous portal opened wide, As if a cavern was suddenly hollowed; And the Piper advanced and the children followed, And when all were in to the very last, The door in the mountain side shut fast. Did I say, all? No; One was lame, And could not dance the whole of the way; And in after years, if you would blame His sadness, he was used to say,— "It's dull in our town since my playmates left! I can't forget that I'm bereft Of all the pleasant sights they see, Which the Piper also promised me. For he led us, he said, to a joyous land, Joining the town and just at hand,

Where waters gushed and fruit-trees grew, And flowers put forth a fairer hue, And everything was strange and new; The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here, And their dogs outran our fallow deer, And honey-bees had lost their stings, And horses were born with eagles' wings; And just as I became assured My lame foot would be speedily cured, The music stopped and I stood still, And found myself outside the hill, Left alone against my will, To go now limping as before, And never hear of that country more!"

Alas, alas for Hamelin! There came into many a burgher's pate A text which says that Heaven's gate Opes to the rich at as easy rate As the needle's eye takes a camel in! The Mayor sent East, West, North, and South, To offer the Piper, by word of mouth, Wherever it was men's lot to find him, Silver and gold to his heart's content, If he'd only return the way he went, And bring the children behind him. But when they saw 'twas a lost endeavour, And Piper and dancers were gone for ever, They made a decree that lawyers never Should think their records dated dulyIf, after the day of the month and year, These words did not as well appear, "And so long after what happened here On the Twenty-second of July, Thirteen hundred and seventy-six: "And the better in memory to fix The place of the children's last retreat, They called it, the Pied Piper's Street— Where any one playing on pipe or tabor, Was sure for the future to lose his labour. Nor suffered they hostelry or tavern To shock with mirth a street so solemn; But opposite the place of the cavern They wrote the story on a column, And on the great church-window painted The same, to make the world acquainted How their children were stolen away, And there it stands to this very day. And I must not omit to say That in Transylvania there's a tribe Of alien people that ascribe The outlandish ways and dress On which their neighbours lay such stress, To their fathers and mothers having risen Out of some subterraneous prison Into which they were trepanned Long time ago in a mighty band Out of Hamelin town in Brunswick land, But how or why, they don't understand.

So, Willy, let me and you be wipers Of scores out with all men—especially pipers! And, whether they pipe us free from rats or from mice, If we've promised them aught, let us keep our promise!

#food and folklore #fairytale #folktale #folklore #brothers grimm #grimm variations #Pied Pipper #Pied Piper #pied piper of hamelin #classics

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