Guideposts celebrates the incredible animals working to make our world a little better.
1 of 5 Bovine Buddies
You’ve heard of animal therapy with dogs, cats, horses, birds…but cows? On farms in the U.S., the Netherlands, and other countries, cow cuddling (koe knuffelen in Dutch) is helping people feel better. Not every cow is suited to the job, but many have calm personalities that invite a warm embrace. Some even lie down, allowing folks to get closer. A farmer, a therapist, or a handler shows visitors how to approach and greet the cows and oversees the session to ensure it’s a safe interaction.
2 of 5 Canine Conservationists
In 2017 the worst wildfires in Chile’s history destroyed 1.4 million acres of forestland in the central Maule Region. Three border collies named Das, Olivia, and Summer trotted in to help. Wearing special backpacks filled with native seeds, the dogs ran up to 18 miles during outings, sowing more than 20 pounds of seeds along the way. Their owner and trainer, Francisca Torres, told Mother Nature Network, “We have seen many results in flora and fauna coming back to the burned forest.”
Popular products
There is no product to show
3 of 5 In the Weeds
Along the Great Allegheny Passage trail and the banks of Monongahela River near Pittsburgh, six goats from Allegheny GoatScape munch on invasive and unwanted vegetation. These goats provide a natural solution for clearing overgrowth in parks and on trails and college campuses, eating everything from weeds to poison ivy. Allegheny GoatScape sets up fencing and shelter for the animals and transports them to the next location when they’re finished working in a particular area.
4 of 5 Serving a Purpose
While spectators at the All England Club have their eyes on the ball during Wimbledon’s tennis matches, Rufus the hawk is watching out for pigeons. Rufus’s presence keeps birds from landing (and relieving themselves) on the court and disrupting the tournament. Though Wimbledon is his biggest job, Rufus also patrols other stadiums, hospitals, and Westminster Abbey. But he doesn’t go far—the hawk always returns to his handler, Imogen Davis, knowing she will feed him.
5 of 5 Seal of Approval
Scientists were perplexed when a giant hole, known as a polynya, opened in the ice of the Weddell Sea, off the coast of Antarctica, in 2016 and 2017. Using a combination of robots, radio equipment, and elephant seals wearing antennas on their heads, experts learned that unusual ocean conditions, salt levels, and intense storms caused the opening. Without the seals—which swam into the depths of the polynya and transmitted data via the antennas—we may never have gotten to the bottom of this hole mystery.