If you’ve ever had a dog in your life, you don’t need anyone to tell you that they can be quite friendly. That is why many people tend to love dogs because they have that unconditional love and loyalty for their human companions.
Not only do they have those qualities, when was the last time you came home after a difficult day and the first “person” to greet you was your dog? They race to the door to be by your side and you rarely find them anywhere else. They are at our feet while we are eating dinner and on our lap while we are binge-watching Netflix. The funny thing is, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
As it turns out, those qualities are not only there for humans to enjoy, we sometimes see dogs getting close to other animals.
Social media is where you will find evidence of a very special friendship that exists between a Belgian Malinois and a tiny owl. It is melting hearts all around the world.
Tanja Brandt is a wildlife photographer who was kind enough to take these pictures of the most unusual and beautiful friendship. It was her dog, Ingo, and the owl, Poldi, that were the subject of the pictures.
Both of these animals were an instant hit when they showed up on social media. They even have their own account on Instagram and different photo books were created featuring the pair.
Here are some more of those pictures for your viewing pleasure.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
