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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 273 min read
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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. Â ...
Rick LeCouteur
Jan 42 min read
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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 35 min read
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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. Â With...
Rick LeCouteur
Dec 19, 20243 min read
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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
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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. Â This isn't...
Rick LeCouteur
Nov 8, 20243 min read
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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? Â This morning, glancing above...
Rick LeCouteur
Nov 1, 20243 min read
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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
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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." Â Known for its scavenging...
Rick LeCouteur
Oct 28, 20243 min read
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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? Â With their long, curved...
Rick LeCouteur
Oct 15, 20243 min read
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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. Â What if the answer to...
Rick LeCouteur
Sep 14, 20243 min read
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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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