Apparently the Vatican gulls have developed quite a media following!
www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo...

Great to be connected, Robyn!

Read Hannah’s article “You want to reduce the carbon footprint of your food? Focus on what you eat, not whether your food is local”: ourworldindata.org/food-choice-...

While we might intuitively think that “food miles” — how far our food has traveled to reach us — play a big role, transport accounts for just 5% of the global emissions from our food system.

There is an implicit feeling of trust I sensed while in close proximity to them that also feels a bit undeserved and heartbreaking given the role anthropogenic factors have had in the decline of their species over the last century.

African penguins have absolutely no fear of humans given that they have not evolved around land-based animals that would harm them.

Boulders Beach is a protected site where artificial nests have been constructed to supplement a lack of natural nesting sites, to facilitate breeding, and to keep them safe from predators and weather. It is a magical experience being surrounded by these highly intelligent and socially complex birds.

Many of them are starving to death because of drastically reduced fish stocks resulting from industrial fishing and climate change. Other factors contributing to their decline are coastal development, oil spills, and diseases such as bird flu.