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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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Cheetah Coalition: The blinded eye and the loyal heart (#331)
In the golden grasslands of Africa, speed is everything. To be a cheetah is to carry the burden of being the fastest land animal on...
Rick LeCouteur
May 27, 20253 min read
Crows & Ravens: The consciousness of corvids (#330)
As children, many of us watched a crow tilt its head or a raven glide overhead and wondered: What’s going on inside their minds? For...
Rick LeCouteur
May 26, 20254 min read
Why Orange Cats Are (Mostly) Boys: Science cracks the code (#329)
For years, the genetic mystery of orange cats has gone unsolved. While their personalities have long inspired memes, comic strips, and...
Rick LeCouteur
May 26, 20254 min read
When Nature Imitates Politics: The southern flannel moth (#328)
Deep within the forests of the southeastern United States and parts of the Amazon, a peculiar caterpillar has captured public attention,...
Rick LeCouteur
May 25, 20252 min read
Titanic’s Missing Passenger: A cat named Jenny (#327)
Among the many legends to drift from the wreckage of the RMS Titanic , one tale stands out. Not for tragedy, but for survival. Her name...
Rick LeCouteur
May 24, 20252 min read
Snollygoster: A deliciously devious word (#326)
Every now and then, the English language coughs up a word so curious, so characterful, and so loaded with sly charm that it demands to be...
Rick LeCouteur
May 24, 20252 min read
Mutualism: Children’s picture books inspire cooperation (#325)
A mutualistic relationship is when two organisms of different species work together, each benefiting from the relationship. Organisms...
Rick LeCouteur
May 23, 20253 min read
The Myth of Being the Best: What does #1 really mean for Vet Schools? (#324)
Graduation season is upon us. Across campuses and live streams around the world, proud deans will take the podium, look out at rows of...
Rick LeCouteur
May 11, 20252 min read
The Great Deception: When ‘independently owned’ means ‘corporate controlled’ (#323)
Walk into a veterinary hospital in your neighborhood and you might be greeted by warm staff, a comforting logo, and a sign that proudly...
Rick LeCouteur
May 11, 20252 min read
The Unseen Teacher: The Animal as the Fourth Educator (#322)
Over the past decade, a quiet revolution has taken root in early childhood education: animals are increasingly being recognized not just...
Rick LeCouteur
May 9, 20253 min read
Wildlife, Wilderness, and the Wrecking Ball: Undoing decades... (#321)
A Relentless Retreat from Environmental Protection and Wildlife Conservation The first 100 days of the current administration’s return...
Rick LeCouteur
May 4, 20254 min read
The Chewy - PetSmart - BC Partners Saga (3 of 5): Who is BC Partners and does it matter? (#320)
Parts 1 and 2 of this series of posts on the Chewy - PetSmart - BC Partners Saga examined how Chewy evolved from a niche online pet...
Rick LeCouteur
May 3, 20254 min read
In Praise of the Contrarian (2 of 2): When animals defy the norm (#319)
While contrarianism is a human concept rooted in reasoning and culture, certain animals behave in ways that resemble contrarianism :...
Rick LeCouteur
May 2, 20252 min read
In Praise of the Contrarian (1 of 2): A Case for thinking differently (#318)
In a world that often rewards conformity and consensus, the contrarian walks a different path. Whether in science, politics, art, or...
Rick LeCouteur
May 2, 20253 min read
Veterinary Medicine for Sale: When profit replaces purpose (#317)
Increasingly, private equity firms and multinational corporations are in charge. Not veterinarians. In the U.S., U.K., Australia,...
Rick LeCouteur
May 1, 20253 min read
The Chewy – PetSmart – BC Partners Saga (2 of 5): Raymond Svider & the billion dollar bet (#316)
In the world of private equity, convention is king: borrow big, slash costs, and squeeze profits. But Raymond Svider , Chairman and...
Rick LeCouteur
Apr 30, 20253 min read
The Chewy – PetSmart – BC Partners Saga (1 of 5): Pet food to power play (#315)
In a previous Rick’s Blog post, titled Chewy’s Big Play , we looked at how Chewy evolved from a niche online pet retailer into a...
Rick LeCouteur
Apr 30, 20253 min read
Restoring Columbus Day: A step backward for America (#314)
Columbus was a skilled navigator and undeniably changed world history by linking Europe and the Americas. But when you look closely at...
Rick LeCouteur
Apr 28, 20254 min read
Memory, Dream, & Longing: A Soft Collision (#313)
A memory, a dream, and a longing. At first glance, they seem like separate phenomena, each belonging to its own corner of the mind. ...
Rick LeCouteur
Apr 27, 20253 min read
Silent Collapse: The Global Coral Crisis (#312)
Imagine a forest suddenly turning gray, its vibrant life vanishing without a sound. That’s exactly what’s happening beneath the waves...
Rick LeCouteur
Apr 27, 20253 min read
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