🐕 An avalanche left dog LouLou missing in the Alaska mountains. A team of volunteers, helped bring her home.

LouLou, a 4-year-old huskydoodle (poodle-husky mix), was found alive after surviving nearly 50 hours alone in the snowy wilderness of Alaska’s Chugach State Park. 

- The Incident: On October 10, 2026, an avalanche near Eklutna Lake / Pepper Peak swept two mountaineers roughly 500 feet down a mountain ridge. Both men survived with serious injuries and were evacuated to a hospital, while LouLou vanished into the snow.

- The Rescue Effort: From overseas, LouLou’s owner, Lauren Padawer, coordinated a massive volunteer response involving over 20 people, drones, a scent-detection dog, and aerial searches. 

- The Breakthrough: An Apple AirTag attached to LouLou’s collar provided a crucial tracking signal. After roughly 50 hours, volunteer helicopter pilots Amanda Barker and Dave Beckett picked up a ping, flew to the area, hiked the final 20 minutes on foot, and spotted LouLou barking in the snow. 

- The Outcome: LouLou was safely flown off the mountain suffering only minor injuries (a broken toenail and a chipped tooth) and reunited with her family.

Full report: https://accuweather.com

The dog's owner did not have to pay for the search, and neither did standard taxpayer-funded Search and Rescue (SAR) agencies. Instead, the search for LouLou was entirely funded and executed by private citizens, volunteers, and non-profit resources. 

Because government-funded SAR agencies do not typically deploy official resources (like military or state trooper helicopters) to look exclusively for missing pets, the operation was handled through a community-driven effort:

- Private Helicopters: The helicopter pilots who found LouLou, Amanda Barker and Dave Beckett, are private individuals who volunteered their own aircraft, time, and fuel to fly the mission. 

- Volunteer Workforce: Over 20 people—including drone operators, local hikers, and a specialized scent-detection dog team—donated their time and equipment entirely free of charge. 

- The Initial Rescue: The only part of the incident covered by standard taxpayers was the initial evacuation of the two injured human mountaineers. In Alaska, the Alaska State Troopers and National Guard handle wilderness rescues for humans, and under state law, these official life-saving operations are funded as a public service via the state treasury without charging the victims. 

Ultimately, LouLou's rescue came down to a community of Alaskans willing to pitch in out-of-pocket rather than a costly government operation.

Full report: https://accuweather.com

https://www.google.com/search?q=An+avalanche+seriously+injured+two+mountaineers+and+left+LouLou+missing+in+the+Alaska+mountains.+A+team+of+volunteers%2C+helicopters+and+an+AirTag+helped+bring+her+home.%0A%0ABy+Monica+Danielle%2C+AccuWeather+staff+&client=ms-opera-mini-android&channel=new 

Squirrel ! (video)

Squirrels chew on wood primarily for two main reasons: dental maintenance and gathering nest material.

1. Wearing Down Their Teeth

Squirrels are rodents, which means their front teeth (incisors) continuously grow throughout their entire lives—at a rate of several inches per year. If they don't constantly grind them down, their teeth can grow too long, making it impossible for them to eat. Chewing on dense materials like hard woods, tree bark, and branches provides the friction necessary to file their teeth down and keep them sharp.

2. Nest Building and Insulation

In addition to filing their teeth, squirrels often chew away strips of wood, bark, or wood fiber to harvest soft materials for building their nests (drey). They shred the fibers to line the inside of their nests for warmth and cushioning.

Other Reasons

• Minerals and Salt: Sometimes wood (especially processed timber, outdoor decks, or furniture) contains absorbed salts, minerals, or chemical treatments that squirrels are attracted to.

• Scent Marking: Squirrels have scent glands near their cheeks and mouths. Chewing or rubbing their faces on wood helps mark their territory to inform other squirrels in the area.

 

beautiful elk along the road towards Moab Utah (video, 2026)

 

cat sleeping on chair at library (Florissant CO) (video)

 

Deer at Salida (CO) library (Oct 2026 video)

 

Deer outside library (video) (Salida CO)

 

alpaca "spit" on me at pueblo zoo

 

The animals at Pueblo Zoo known for spitting are the llamas and alpacas in the Pioneer Ranch children's farm area. Why They SpitDefense & Hierarchy: Camelids (llamas, alpacas, and camels) use spitting as a way to establish dominance within their herd, ward off unwanted attention, or protect their food. What It Actually Is: When they give a mild warning air-spit, it's mostly saliva. However, if they are thoroughly annoyed or threatened, they regurgitate acidic contents from their stomach, resulting in a foul-smelling spray designed to make whatever bothered them back away immediately. While they generally reserve their worst spitting for other llamas or alpacas, zoo visitors who get too close, hold onto food teasingly, or make them feel cornered occasionally get caught in the crossfire! FORTUNATELY , IT WAS MOSTLY AIR - HE BASICALLY BLEW AIR ON ME, NOT MUCH MOISTURE IN IT You got extraordinarily lucky—that air-pissed "warning shot" is the absolute best-case scenario! When a llama or alpaca just huffs out air or a tiny speck of dry saliva, they are basically telling you "back off, I'm thinking about loading the real ammunition." If they had actually pulled trigger on the full-blown green stomach-acid cannon, you would have known immediately by the smell, which lingers for hours and ruins whatever clothes you were wearing. You managed to dodged a serious bullet!

Pueblo Zoo (videos)

The Pueblo Zoo is a compact, community-focused zoo located within City Park in Pueblo, Colorado. Established in 1934 with historic stonework features originally built by the WPA, it spans roughly 25 to 30 acres and houses over 400 animals representing around 125 different species.

• Themed Geographic Exhibits: The grounds are organized into distinct regional zones, including the Serengeti Safari (featuring African lions, painted dogs, and meerkats), Asian Adventure (home to red pandas, snow leopards or Pallas's cats, and takins), as well as dedicated spaces representing Australia, South America, and the North American prairies.

• Pioneer Ranch: A family-friendly children's farm area where visitors can see and interact with domestic farm animals like goats, llamas, alpacas, and camels.

• Indoor & Specialized Habitats: The facility features indoor spaces like the EcoCenter (housing African penguins and tropical rainforest species) and the World of Color herpetarium, which showcases a diverse collection of reptiles and amphibians.

• Atmosphere: Reviewers often note that its smaller, walkable layout makes it an easily manageable 2-to-3-hour stroll compared to massive metropolitan zoos, offering a more intimate and shaded park-like setting.

 

primates (video, 2026)

 

cats (video)