Riyadh Khalaf

Lichen: the rule breaking, definition defying, ancient wonder that is literally all around us. I promise after watching this you won’t be able to stop seeing forms of it EVERYWHERE.. The footpath, on trees, walls and even tucked in crevices on older cars! This cute and alien-like oddball has always fascinated me from the first time I noticed it on a primary school nature walk. I remember stopping to touch the spongy and brightly coloured filaments hanging from trees in Glendalough and even put some in my pocket to “examine” when I got home. Sadly, without the internet and being so young I was left (tree) stumped for years. But now the wonders and weirdness of lovely lichen has me hooked all over again! An ancient living snapshot into our origins, proving that, even in nature, team work makes the dream work #nature #lichen #plants

Hatching has begun! The moment has finally come. I wish I could help the little one out, but apparently that can be fatal as they instinctively turn inside the egg to cut off the umbilical blood vessel. So it’s just a game of patience now and interfering will only happen if there’s an emergency. Thank you to everyone who has come along on the journey with us so far. You’re all aunties, uncles and piblings! Name suggestions very welcome while we wait.. 🤔🥰🐣 #rescueanimal #duckling

Fear of flying be gone! (or somewhat reduced..) The magic of flight shouldn’t be so scary that you dread your next trip. I hope this walk-through helps in some way ✈️ @virginatlantic #aviation #avgeek #fearofflying

Is there anything more beautiful and other-worldly than the Aurora?? I think not! @australia @tasmania @mariaislandwalk #AuroraAustralis #science #space #SeeAustralia #brandedcontent

I have lovingly begun calling these guys “walking potatoes” and I encourage you to do the same. The blonde wombats of Maria Island, @tasmania are famous for their unique appearance and being utterly unbothered by the passing humans. It’s thought that this place is such a safe haven for them, that they just spend their days grazing away, safe in the knowledge that there’s so few predators that can harm them. What a blissful life. Blissful for me too on the @mariaislandwalk ! Temps on Tassie can get pretty low in the winter with freezing cold blasts rolling in from the Southern Ocean, so that extra layer of shaggy fur helps keep things toasty in the snow. Just one of COUNTLESS new marsupials I’ve spotted while exploring beautiful @australia #nature #science #wombat #SeeAustralia BrandedContent

Not going to lie, a 30-minute snorkel in ‘Tassie’ water temps at this time of year without a wetsuit was BRAVE! But I couldn’t resist taking my camera and seeing what hid beneath the surface.. the chattering teeth were worth it. Wandering along a vast expanse of coastal and land tracks with @mariaislandwalk has been nothing short of a nature lover’s dream. You’re constantly reminded of how deeply the wonderful people of @tasmania care about nature, and as a result, what they did (on the year of my birth!) to protect it by starting this marine reserve. This is just one of endless nature reserves across Tasmania that makes this part of @australia feel so packed with untouched wild beauty. Perhaps it’s something of a glimpse into what the planet might look like if more places began caring for their native flora and fauna as the living treasures they are. If you can, visit this place, leave no trace, and take nothing but photos and memories. You will thank me! #MarineReserve #VisitAustralia #Tasmania brandedcontent

Two words sum up the ancient coastline of @tasmania : “Savage Beauty”. It’s a place where you can see the scars of earth’s monumental power right before your eyes. 180 year old dolierite cliffs stand proud, exposed by the unrelenting winds of the Southern Ocean. Nevertheless they are topped with a family of plants and animals which ONLY exist here - an island on the bottom of the world about the same size as Ireland. The next landmass Antartica 16,000km south. Over three thrilling hours while aboard the @pennicottjourneys power boat, we got up close and personal with these famous cliffs the size of the Eiffel Tower, Australian seals, cormorants, common dolphins and even a giant albatross (The latter evaded my camera!) This landscape is not necessarily what comes to mind when you think of @australia , but it’s just another example of the endless and varied natural beauty that exists on this magical continent. Can you tell I love it here? #tasmania #australia #nature #brandedcontent

This wondrous island detached from Australia at the end of the last ice age about 12,000 years ago. During this time, the plants and animals of @tasmania began to evolve on their own, unique from their mainland counterparts! I’m thrilled to be back in my happy place exploring @australia so soon after my first visit! There are so many fun and fascinating things planned that I cannot wait to share here. Side note - my “G’day!” is now almost indistinguishable from the locals 👏🇦🇺😅 #Tasmania #SeeAustralia #Nature #brandedcontent

This is nature with volume turned up to the max and the fast forward button slammed. Every process, life-cycle, inter-species dependence is more intense and literally life or death in a mini world like this. On a places like @heronisland on @queensland ’s Great Barrier Reef, you see thousands of years of evolution obviously, beautifully, and, sometimes grusomely on display without even having to look for it. Somehow this life-giving vs life-taking relationship works in such balance that both the Pisonia tree and Noddy Tern flock thrive in ways they never could on the mainland. Get ready for the wonders I found below the waves! I am so in love with you Australia! #greatbarrierreef #heronisland #nature #australia #queensland

It’s only when the scale of this aircraft is compared to things we can visualise, that the true magnitude of the @qantas A380 begins to make sense. It will always blow my mind seeing this half a million kilo aircraft gracefully lift off the ground 🤯✈️ #aviation #avgeek #a380

You know those rare moments where you know what you’ve just witnessed has changed you in a profound way? This was it for me. This green sea turtle hatchling, erupted from its sandy nest with its 100 siblings. All of them driven by instinct to scramble toward the sea where danger from birds transitions into danger from sharks, rays, mantis shrimp and the elements. If this little one is a female and survives long enough, she will return to this very beach in 30 or so years to lay her own eggs and carry on the bloodline. After decades of being on the endangered list, in late 2025, scientists were confident enough to remove the green sea turtle from the list. A huge win for nature and the humans who stepped in to change their once perilous prospects. On the way, I have some gorgeous videos where I dive into the fascinating life cycle of these beautiful animals! #seaturtle #greenseaturtle #greatbarrierreef #queensland

Comment RIYADH and we’ll DM you the episode 💌 WISH I KNEW × RIYADH KHALAF 🎙️ From hiding who he was as a teenager in Dublin… to interviewing global icons and building a career rooted in self-expression. @Riyadhk ’s story is one of identity, resilience and choosing the version of yourself that stays - even when the world tells you to tone it down. In this episode, we talk honestly about bullying, coming out, drag, family, faith, and the moment he decided he would never contort himself to fit again. We dive into: ✨ Growing up in a mixed Catholic–Muslim household 🌈 Coming out — and rebuilding his relationship with his dad 🎤 Performing drag in secret and reclaiming confidence 🧠 Losing work for “sounding too gay” 🔥 Choosing authenticity over approval - every time If you’ve ever felt like you had to shrink, soften or shape-shift to belong - this conversation will stay with you. 💙 Podcast Partner: @heights 20% off your first month of science-backed supplements Use code WISHIKNEW20 via the link in bio #SelfWorth #ComingOut #LGBTQStories #Confidence #PersonalGrowth