On October 19th, researchers at the Center for Whale Research have spotted a very young calf swimming alongside J35, also known as Tahlequah, one of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest. This beautiful little boy has been designated J65. This birth has my heart excited and scared at the same time. J35 is the whale who carried her dead calf for 17 days in 2018 and again experienced the heartbreaking loss of another calf in 2024. It was devastating to watch this beautiful mother mourn her babies. Unfortunately, orca calves have a very high mortality rate, with only about half surviving their first year. And because the Southern Residents are already struggling with a shortage of Chinook salmon, their primary food source, these precious babies face additional challenges from the moment they're born. The wonderful news is that researchers have observed J65 swimming well, socializing, and nursing from his mother, with no visible signs of health problems. I know babies are such wonderful news, but this little one needs all the prayers and positive thoughts we can send his way. His first year of life is incredibly fragile, and every surviving calf is so important to the future of this endangered population. So please join me in welcoming J65 to our ocean family and congratulating J35 on the arrival of her beautiful baby boy. ❤️ Our hearts will be with this mother and her little one every step of the way. Whether you love wildlife, rescue animals, conservation, or simply believe every animal deserves a voice, we'd love to have you join our animal-loving family at Empowering Animals. 💙

One of the things I love about Empowering Animals is finding different ways to raise money for the organizations doing the hard work of rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting animals. Through my Cause & Chaos shirts and mugs, donated artwork, private donations, and our Premium and VIP memberships, we're building different ways to give back. Some of our designs donate 100% of the net profits, while others contribute a percentage. Proceeds from our Premium and VIP memberships go directly toward helping animals, too. My digital children's book, Love Doesn't Stink, gives 100% of the net profits to the care and protection of skunks. I'm sharing a few examples of how we're doing this with the help of two very talented artists: a one-of-a-kind linocut print gorilla design by Kate Bullock and a beautiful oil painting of Luna, the screech owl ambassador for All Things Wild, by Michelle Cyr. Both original pieces were donated to help raise funds for wildlife. Every month, our community also gets to vote on which animal organizations receive our donations. And everyone gets a vote, whether they're a free member or a paid supporter! Empowering Animals is about bringing people together who love animals and finding ways, big and small, to make a difference. Want to join us? We'd love to have you come be part of our mission to help the animals! Membership is free, and you're welcome to come see what we're all about. 🐾 Empowering Animals And if you're a talented artist or craftsperson with some creative ideas for raising money to help animals, I'd love to hear from you! Let me know in the comments.

I design Cause & Chaos graphic tees as a way to not only make a living, but also give back to the animals. It's a win-win! I've recently added some new shirts, including the Office Chaos Collection, perfect for a trip to the HR department. 😂 I've also been playing around with Cause Cups and Chaos Cups! Every shirt gives 10% of the net profits to Empowering Animals, with a few special designs, like the gorilla and pangolin shirts, giving 100% of the net profits to animal organizations. 100% of the net profits from Cause Cups go to animal organizations, while 10% from Chaos Cups goes to Empowering Animals to help support the people taking care of the animals. Here's an invitation to check out what I've been working on. Go and enjoy a good laugh today, and if you want to wear some love and chaos around or have a nice addition to your morning caffeine, the animals will benefit too. ❤️🐾

Say cheeese, critter! That's exactly what is happening in Indonesian Borneo, and I love this approach to wildlife conservation! A program called KehatiKu, operated by Borneo Futures in West Kalimantan, is helping turn animal hunters into animal protectors by giving local communities a way to earn money photographing wildlife instead of removing them from their natural habitats. Using a dedicated mobile app, villagers photograph or record wildlife, submit their observations for verification, and receive payment based on the species. 📸 A common bird can earn approximately $0.30. 📸 An endangered orangutan can earn approximately $7.50. The beauty of this approach is that the same animal can be photographed over and over again, providing an ongoing opportunity to earn income while allowing the animal to remain wild and free. And look what this program has accomplished so far! 🐾 More than 800 local wildlife observers are participating. 🐾 Nine villages are involved, with two more expected to join in October 2026. 🐾 There are 73 species eligible for payments. 🐾 Two participating villages have voluntarily introduced hunting bans! The program is also helping researchers gather valuable information about wildlife populations and where different species are living. But there's another beautiful side to this story. One participant, a 50-year-old farmer named Octavius, shared that his earnings are helping pay for his children's college education. Another participant, 72-year-old Imelda, described how animals once viewed as pests, including deer and wild boar, are now animals people want to protect. This program currently has funding secured through 2028, although finding a way to sustain it financially over the long term remains an important goal and I will be keeping an on this one. 😊 What I especially love about this approach is that communities aren't being asked to choose between providing for their families and protecting the animals who share their world. They're being given an opportunity to do both and this is when the magic happens!

Animals bring so much to our lives and to the Earth. They share their unconditional love, forgiveness, and acceptance with us and expect nothing in return. Their wild beauty reminds us that there is something bigger out there making this world go round. Whatever your experience is with animals, there is always room to grow, share, learn, understand, and love them even more. Empowering Animals would love to share all that with you. Come on over, the animals are waiting for you. ❤️🐾