RenoVous

 The red kangaroo is the largest marsupial in the world, but they only live in Australia. There are also eastern and western grey kangaroos, the antilopine (northern), and a couple tree kangaroos that are also found in New Guinea. Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo. The tree kangaroos are most threatened by hunting and deforestation, while the other populations are considered stable. There are about 50 smaller macropods closely related to kangaroos, such as wallabies. The word kangaroo comes from the Guugu Yimidhirr language, gangurru.  This may have more specifically referred to the Eastern Grey, but James Cook applied it et al. Many aboriginal people consider the kangaroo to be a totem, and of course different groups had different names for it.  The Eora called them patagorang  and the Arrernte referred to kere aherre. One suggestion for celebrating kangaroos today is to watch an old Australian TV show.

 Nilpena Ediacara National Park in Australia is home to the oldest fossils in the world. Millions of years ago, the Southern outback was part of the coastline, and a shallow seabed teeming with some of the first lifeforms on the planet - ediacaran biota.  These were mostly tubular and frond-shaped, immobile. "There are around 60 places in the world that have Ediacara fossils...  Elsewhere, you might be looking at a few individual specimens, but here, we're pulling out whole sections of the sea floor and piecing it back together," reports Kim Geue, the ranger in charge. Whole ecosystems are being revealed, containing tens of thousands of preserved specimens. The Australian government is pushing to have the surrounding Flinders Ranges designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  January 26, 1788 marks the first arrival of British ships at New South Wales, and the raising of the Great Britain flag.  While many choose to celebrate the diverse society and landscape of the nation, others prefer to call this Invasion Day, because of the many Indigenous lives lost. A recent poll showed 49% of Australians believe the date should be changed. Australia gained independence on January 1, 1901 so that's a frontrunner.  Prior to the 26th being made official, many Australians celebrated Anzac Day, a day of remembrance for soldiers, as their national holiday.  Gaining support is May 8, because "mate." A quick news search shows the many protests going on, the marches for Indigenous recognition. "Always was, always will be Aboriginal land." It wasn't until May 27, 1967 that Aboriginals were granted Constitutional rights. There are two groups: Aboriginal peoples, related to those who already inhabited Australia when Britain colonized the island - a...

As you may have heard, Australia is on fire.  It is believed that nearly 500 million animals have been killed since the start of the fire season in September.  There are horrible images of burned koalas and kangaroos - and while attention needs to be drawn, I don't want to share those images. The Irwin family run a Wildlife Hospital in Australia and have been very busy as of late.  Above, their 90,000th patient, an orphaned platypus. Up to 30% of the koala population has been wiped out, and a third of their habitat destroyed. Many animals are choking on the smoke as well.  Wombats panic at the smell of smoke, but they can't run fast or far.  Flying foxes are being affected by drought and the lack of food. There is also concern about habitat recovery and the relationship between the plants and animals.  For example, if potoroos (above) are hit by the fire, some plant species may be unable to regenerate, which could then kill ...