Marsupials are filled with surprises. Each story reminds us how life, in its tender beginnings, can teach us something new. Recently, keepers at Chester Zoo in the UK captured remarkable footage of a Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo joey growing inside his mother’s pouch. Tiny cameras placed gently inside the pouch gave us a rare window into his earliest days, from jellybean size through the first months of development. If you’re curious to see that rare pouch footage, you can watch it here. This precious joey was born to parents Kitawa and Kayjo through an international conservation breeding program, part of a global effort to help this endangered species thrive. Here are five fascinating facts about tree kangaroos: 1. Like all marsupials, tree kangaroo joeys are born extremely small, about the size of a jellybean. They must climb into their mother’s pouch immediately after birth to continue developing. 2. Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos live high in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea, spending much of their day in trees rather than on the ground. 3. Tree kangaroos move with surprising grace in the trees, able to climb, perch, and leap between branches with ease. 4. Tree kangaroos tend to rest or sleep for up to 16 hours a day, often positioning themselves head down so rain can roll off their fur. 5. Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo is classified as Endangered due to habitat loss and slow reproduction, which makes every successful birth especially meaningful. This short video includes a mix of footage from both protected environments and the wild. It offers a helpful glimpse into how tree kangaroos climb and navigate trees, something many of us have never seen before. Learning about the wonderful world of animals is a gentle reminder that there is always more to learn, care for, and celebrate. What marsupial do you want to learn about next?

There are blue balloons outside a mailbox in the forest! 💙 The Bageni family of mountain gorillas, living in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has welcomed twin babies. Their family now numbers 59 individuals. The twins were born to Makufu, an experienced mother welcoming her seventh and eighth babies into the world. Twin births among mountain gorillas are rare. In the early months, infants depend entirely on their mother for warmth, transport, nourishment, and protection. Because of this, park rangers and conservation teams are increasing monitoring to quietly ensure the twins and their mother are doing well during this fragile beginning. Mountain gorillas are a critically endangered subspecies, found only in the forests of the DRC, Uganda, and Rwanda. Not long ago, their numbers dropped to around 400. Today, through protection, community involvement, and dedicated guardianship, their population has grown to about 1,000 individuals. Every birth still matters. Makufu herself carries a story of resilience. She was once part of the Kabirizi family, which suffered devastating losses to poaching, including the loss of her own mother. That history makes this moment feel even more tender. Mountain gorillas are known for their intelligence and deep family bonds. They live in close knit groups led by a silverback, where cooperation, play, learning, and caregiving are shared responsibilities. They recognize individual faces and voices, grieve their dead, comfort one another, and form lifelong relationships. Young gorillas learn by watching, imitating, and staying close to those who keep them safe. Watching a family like this grow is a reminder that protection is not just about survival. It is about giving space for connection, learning, and care to continue across generations.

I want to share an important update about Harmony Fund and Sasha’s Shelter. The deadline for relocating the 750 dogs has been extended to May, but this is not about raising money by May and then starting, everything needs to be completed by May, and time is very tight. Right now, they need to raise $100,000 for construction costs just to safely move the animals off the current land. This is not the full cost of the project. It’s simply what’s needed to get the dogs to safety so the next steps can even happen. Harmony Fund has applied for grants, but so far, nothing has come through. Laura, the founder, has already taken out a second loan on her home to try to bridge the gap, but unfortunately, construction loans aren’t available where this shelter is located in Serbia, and even with that personal sacrifice, they are still short. This is the reality for many animal organizations because there is no government funding. It’s citizen support, occasional local grants, and people stepping up when they can. I know this firsthand. It takes a village, and it’s both heartwarming and heartbreaking work to help animals. If you know of any grant opportunities, foundations, or individuals who might be able to help, please share them in the comments. I will personally pass that information along to Laura. If you’re able to help financially, please know that every little bit truly matters. Twenty people giving five dollars is one hundred dollars. A small monthly donation adds up over time, and that’s how I give. What you can do is enough. And if you can’t give right now, sharing this story helps more than you know. If there’s someone in your life who loves animals and might want to help, please feel free to share my community with them or point them directly to Harmony Fund. Any action moves the solution closer. Thank you for caring. Thank you for being here. And thank you for standing with the animals when it matters most. 💚