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Rick LeCouteur
Inviting young readers to marvel at the wonder of nature's creatures
Rick's Blog
#bunyipsbooksbeyond
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The Flightless Cormorant: A symbol of resilience in peril (#241)
Will your grandchildren be able to see a flightless cormorant in the wild? The Galápagos Islands are a place of wonder, a natural...
Rick LeCouteur
Jan 27, 20253 min read
Bonza Biodiversity Bonanza: Australia’s expanding protected areas (#218)
As the world grappled with its share of challenges in 2024, Australia quietly achieved some remarkable milestones in conservation. ...
Rick LeCouteur
Jan 4, 20252 min read
Who Owns a View? Tree vandalism in Sydney (#215)
Tree vandalism is an issue that has quietly plagued Sydney for years, often unnoticed or ignored by the wider public. It’s a crime...
Rick LeCouteur
Jan 3, 20255 min read
The Microplastic Crisis: A global challenge for health and sustainability (#201)
Plastic production has skyrocketed over the past decades, with an alarming 460 million metric tons manufactured in 2019 alone. With...
Rick LeCouteur
Dec 19, 20243 min read
2024 Nature Headlines: Climate chronicles (#197)
As the year 2024 draws to a close, reflect on a series of transformative events that shaped the trajectory of climate action and our...
Rick LeCouteur
Dec 17, 20244 min read
Understanding Climate Change: Every degree matters (#129)
Imagine a world where intense heatwaves are the norm, rising seas swallow coastlines, and food shortages affect millions. This isn't...
Rick LeCouteur
Nov 8, 20243 min read
Wildlife in the City: Red-tailed hawks and urban wildlife adaptation (#124)
What does it take for a wild hunter to survive in our urban jungle, and what can we do to help it thrive? This morning, glancing above...
Rick LeCouteur
Nov 1, 20243 min read
Echoes of Extinction: The urgent call to heal our planet (#120)
As we peer out over an ever-evolving landscape of environmental crises it becomes clear that the damage to our planet is no longer a...
Rick LeCouteur
Oct 28, 20244 min read
Australia’s Unlikely Hero: How the white ibis tackles toxic toads (#119)
In Australia, few creatures are as notorious as the white ibis, or, as locals dub them, the "bin chicken." Known for its scavenging...
Rick LeCouteur
Oct 28, 20243 min read
Probing the Depths: The Ibis and its tactile super sense (#114)
Ever wondered how ibises manage to find food hidden deep in murky waters or buried beneath layers of mud? With their long, curved...
Rick LeCouteur
Oct 15, 20243 min read
Feral Cats Down Under: The Feral Cat Invasion (#111)
In the vast and rugged landscapes of Australia, a silent predator roams undetected. Its presence is barely noticed, yet its impact is...
Rick LeCouteur
Oct 13, 20244 min read
Jizz vs. Gestalt: Decoding the subtle art of bird identification (#106)
In the world of birdwatching and ornithology, identifying a bird is rarely just about analyzing a list of specific features like size,...
Rick LeCouteur
Oct 11, 20243 min read
Five Years to Save the Planet: Call to action (#105)
In the next five years, the fate of every living creature on Earth could be sealed. As wildlife populations plummet and ecosystems teeter...
Rick LeCouteur
Oct 10, 20243 min read
The Colugo: Borneo’s mysterious gliding marvel (#93)
Dive into the shadowy canopies of Southeast Asia's lush rainforests where the colugo, often mistaken for a flying lemur, performs its...
Rick LeCouteur
Sep 28, 20243 min read
Nurturing Nature: Why animals matter in early childhood learning (#81)
Introducing young children to nature through animals profoundly impacts their development and environmental awareness. Animals serve as...
Rick LeCouteur
Sep 22, 20242 min read
Rainbow in Feathers: The outback’s most vibrant bird (#77)
Imagine a bird so vibrant it seems painted by the hand of an artist - a living rainbow darting through the Australian outback. Meet the...
Rick LeCouteur
Sep 17, 20243 min read
Vanishing in the Arctic: The plight of the snowy owl (#74)
Imagine a vast, snowy landscape, where the silence is broken only by the faint rustle of wings and the sharp, piercing gaze of a Snowy...
Rick LeCouteur
Sep 16, 20244 min read
Invisible Barriers: Bird migration, high-rise hazards, and Flaco's urban tale (#73)
Every year, billions of birds embark on epic migrations, traversing continents and oceans in search of breeding grounds and warmer...
Rick LeCouteur
Sep 15, 20244 min read
Playground Revolution: Redesigning spaces for a sustainable future (#69)
As temperatures rise and city spaces shrink, the joyful sounds of children at play face an uncertain future. What if the answer to...
Rick LeCouteur
Sep 14, 20243 min read
Krill and Consequences: The industrial threat to whales in Antarctica (#65)
Just as they begin to rebound from the brink of extinction, the great whales of the Southern Ocean now face a new, insidious threat....
Rick LeCouteur
Sep 10, 20242 min read
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