b little

One of the most iconic orchids of the Cape, The Disa uniflora, also known as the Red Disa or Pride of Table Mountain 🔥 and they’re out in full force right now 😻❤️‍🔥 This incredible beauty is one of the few orchids that thrive in cool, wet mountain streams.❤️‍🔥💦🌿 While they usually bloom in shades of red, they can range from deep crimson to pink (as you can see here). Bright red is the most common, but some have softer pink tones, and on rare occasions, yellow or white forms have been reported. If you’ve ever seen a yellow or white one in the wild, let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear if this is true! Unlike most fynbos plants, which rely on fire to regenerate, Disa uniflora is a water-dependent orchid that prefers misty, moisture-rich environments. And when it comes to pollination? This orchid plays by a different set of rules. Instead of bees or birds, it relies entirely on one butterfly 🦋 The Mountain Pride Butterfly (Aeropetes tulbaghia) has a thing for red flowers. As it sips nectar, it brushes against the flower’s pollen, carrying it to the next bloom. Without this butterfly, Disa uniflora wouldn’t be able to reproduce, a rare and delicate partnership, making it the sole matchmaker for this species. Because of this highly specialized relationship, the Red Disa is incredibly vulnerable to habitat loss, drought, and declining butterfly populations. No butterfly = No pollination = No new Red Disas. A few years ago, Bryan Little (@publicshowsofreflection ) created an art installation along Rhodes Drive to celebrate the fynbos ecosystem. Using reflector tape, the artworks light up when you drive past them at night—there for a split second, just like these fleeting encounters in nature. Among them was the iconic Disa and its butterfly, glowing together just like they do in real life. Swipe to see some of the artworks he created to celebrate this incredible landscape ✨ 📍 Endemic to the Western Cape 🦋 Pollinated exclusively by the Mountain Pride Butterfly 💦 Found in wet mountain streams and waterfalls 🌿 A flagship species of the Cape Floristic Region

⚡️ CARACAL CROSSING ⚡️ Have you spotted them? ✨ #SlowDownForWildlife Each of these beautiful reflective artworks by @publicshowsofreflection @earthagencyorg has been placed in a caracal roadkill “hotspot” identified using the mortality data we have collected over the last eight years. If you see one, remember to reduce speed and look out for wildlife! ⚠️ #PublicShowsOfReflection #ReflectiveRooikatte #WildlifeCrossing #RoadEcology #scienceandart #urbanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #urbanecology #capetown

Welcome to the @earthagencyorg studio.

‘No person shall eat more than half a penguin per day - 1668’ This was the first conservation law in South Africa, mentioned by the ‘human google’ John Maythem in his book ‘Rapid Fire’. @capetalkza The rule was brought into effect by the Dutch colonialists. It is historically unclear if the law stemmed from the practice of feeding penguins to slaves (we can assume because they didn’t taste good) or the devoutly Catholic Portuguese who classified the African Penguin as a fish so they could eat them on Fridays when they were traditionally not allowed to eat meat. (anything tastes good with enough garlic) 350 years later and at the end of this month the African Penguin will change IUCN status and officially become Critically Endangered - which means one step from extinction. The African Penguin is in deep trouble and predicted to be EXTINCT IN THE WILD by 2035 if some drastic action isn’t taken. Luckily there are heroes; SANCCOB and Birdlife South Africa in partnership with the Biodiversity Law Centre and the Institute for Marine and Coastal Management have opened a lawsuit against the South African government in a landmark case, possibly the first in the world, where a government is being sued over the extinction of a species! We wish those fighting this good fight all the best for their caring and bravery. If you’d like to support these extremely passionate and hardworking people please consider signing the petition and following them on socials to see how else you can help our special African penguins. Links in our stories 🐧 Follow @sanccob and @birdlife_sa to stay updated 🫶🏾

eARTh Agency What we imagine, becomes… Imagine a world of diversity and abundance. Imagine a place where storytellers and artists, scientists and mystics, ecologists and innovators, elders and visionaries - all come together to protect our Earth. Imagine motivating the preservation of the environment through curiosity and wonder, instead of climate anxiety and feelings of consumer guilt. Imagine allowing the earth to tell her own story, through bringing together the many voices that feel a call to represent her. We are imagining all of this. eARTh Agency is a not-for-profit ecological storytelling service that aims to support conservation efforts by weaving webs along tendrils of curiosity and optimism: through science, art, music, ecology, culture + expression of spirit. We create Art for Nature. Follow our work Share our stories Sign up for our seasonal newsletter (link in bio) ::Credits/Thank You:: @daleast @blacksmithvfx @amy.rusch @zipzapcircus @dingo1983 @grantappleton @jeremymarkshelton @animal_ocean @the_rewilding @faith47 @iantchagralittle @publicshowsofreflection @danedodds ::Music Credit:: Bad Guy - @billieeilish (violin cello bass cover) - @simplythree

⛰️💛🌸Arrived home after our East Coast trip to water flowing on the land, flowers, growth and new life after delicious winter rains: 1,4&5. Spending time with Aloiampelos commixta aka Peninsula rambling aloe. This protected endemic is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on IUCN’s global Red Data List 💛 Each plant is like an ecosystem in itself - we can spend hours starting into the fleshly yellow flowers and leaves watching the many insects and pollinators go about their business. 2. Little steams and rivulets span out across the land, sparkling in the winter sun. The sound is one of hope and life. 3. A mini super bloom of Hessea! 💖 Another rare and endangered Cape Peninsula endemic, Hessea cinnamomea stretching their pretty faces up to the sun. After not being seen here for more than 40 years, they bloomed en masse after the fire in 2017, and have now emerged again, triggered by our recent fire in Dec 2023. A true testimony to how important proper Environmental Impact Assessments are to identify critical areas of biodiversity and their support zones. 6. Early morning walks and greeting the neighbours: zebra in the reserve over the road. 7&8. Nature finds a way, you will too. Love letters of resilience from the leaves 💚🍃artwork @earth.altering 9. Newest member of our herd! Kid ram 2 days old, skipping and a hopping. 10. The Earth Thanks You 💕🌅🌈✨Sunset signage at our gate by @publicshowsofreflection

Gupchup gupchup 😀🔥😱🤣👀.. . . . . #gupchup #dance #trending #instagramreels #blueword #publicplace #foryoupage #vegan #explore #dancersofindia #dancereels #sheretoreels #comants😻💬🙉🙉❣️❣️😁😁

The spirit of Julius lives on… 🐒🙊🙉🙈

Today we celebrate #LeapDayforFrogs!🐸 This national awareness day aims to celebrate South Africa’s frog diversity and bring some much-needed attention to our furless friends the frogs. Frogs are among the most important but also the most threatened groups of animals on Earth. Learn more about this day, about frogs and about how to attract frogs to your garden in our IG stories and on our FB page! In 2022, as part of our collaborative #TaleOfTwoLeopards project, the @capeleopardtrust and the @the_ewt launched the ‘Spotted on the Road’ campaign to raise awareness about wildlife on roads in the Overberg. The campaign centred around two iconic species found in this region – the leopard and the Western Leopard Toad – and featured custom-design reflective road signs to raise awareness of wildlife crossings in high-risk areas. Read all about it at bit.ly/To2LUpdate5 . . . #Frogs #Toads #Amphibians #FrogAwareness #WesternLeopardToad #leopardtoad #frogdiversity #frogday #conservationaction #conservationinaction #conservationart #wildlifeonroads #roadecology #linearinfrastructure #SpottedOnTheRoad #roadsign #roadsigns #reflectivesigns @publicshowsofreflection

I’ve been doing a leadership course with @emergencemagazine for the past few months and ongoing until the end of the year. Emergence is one of my most treasured (re)sources of reflection around ecology, culture and spirituality, so I’m deeply grateful for this experience and it’s been an extraordinary journey so far ✨🙏🏽 It’s been just over a year now living and working in our new home in cape point and the sense of place I’ve felt is extraordinary. The over riding theme has to be baboon.. almost all conversations around here feature them, our days have found rhythm with their movements, almost every act considers them. Part of my course work with Emergence is exploring the themes that arise for me out of this co-existence. It’s a deeply personal journey but I hope to take you along through the writing that is literally ‘emerging’ out of this. I’ve written all my life but seldom shared anything , my main goal for this course is to gently overcome my fear of sharing my writing . This is a start... thanks to Chantal, our awesome neighbor, for introducing us to the inner workings of our plateau road troop 🙏🏽✨

This troop has left the @publicshowsofreflection studio! Keep an eye out for them in Constantia, Kommetjie and Simonstown! If you see them, it means please slow down 😉🙏🏾🐒

This week in Beautiful News: ▪️ Bryan Little’s roadside art reflects the importance of keeping an eye out for urban wildlife. ▪️ Rescued dogs trained to sniff out poachers have been responsible for buffalo populations increasing tenfold in the Serengeti. ▪️We journey to Cairo to discover the wonders, new and old, that decorate this city. ▪️Stephanie Blomkamp showcases the range and depth of photography across Africa through her publication, Oath. ▪️Discover how one of the world’s oldest reptiles navigate their way to safety. ▪️Jean Orlowski shares how his coffee farming methods are brewing a sustainable movement in Hawaii. #ReframingOurWorld #BNMoments #InstaGood #GoodNews #Love #InstaDaily #Repost #Kindness