Rick Schwartz
@zoologyrick.bsky.social
❤️’er of nature & conservation🌍
🎤Host of “Animals, Nature and You” 🎧
🐨Constantly curious about animals🦎
👟Trail runner & trash picker-upper ♻️
🎤Host of “Animals, Nature and You” 🎧
🐨Constantly curious about animals🦎
👟Trail runner & trash picker-upper ♻️
Why do I support organizations like Global Conservation Force?
Because I never want to hear, “Remember when rhinos were still around? They were so magnificent - it’s sad there aren’t anymore.”
#WildlifeConservation #RhinoConservation #GCF #wildlifeeducation
Because I never want to hear, “Remember when rhinos were still around? They were so magnificent - it’s sad there aren’t anymore.”
#WildlifeConservation #RhinoConservation #GCF #wildlifeeducation
February 16, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Why do I support organizations like Global Conservation Force?
Because I never want to hear, “Remember when rhinos were still around? They were so magnificent - it’s sad there aren’t anymore.”
#WildlifeConservation #RhinoConservation #GCF #wildlifeeducation
Because I never want to hear, “Remember when rhinos were still around? They were so magnificent - it’s sad there aren’t anymore.”
#WildlifeConservation #RhinoConservation #GCF #wildlifeeducation
Ever wonder why you see so many snails crossing the sidewalk after a rainstorm? Because they can!
Yes, they can also do it when it dry, but it takes more time and resources. Snails rely on the mucus they produce to reduce friction while traveling. After a rainstorm…
🐌⤵️
Yes, they can also do it when it dry, but it takes more time and resources. Snails rely on the mucus they produce to reduce friction while traveling. After a rainstorm…
🐌⤵️
February 11, 2026 at 11:12 PM
Ever wonder why you see so many snails crossing the sidewalk after a rainstorm? Because they can!
Yes, they can also do it when it dry, but it takes more time and resources. Snails rely on the mucus they produce to reduce friction while traveling. After a rainstorm…
🐌⤵️
Yes, they can also do it when it dry, but it takes more time and resources. Snails rely on the mucus they produce to reduce friction while traveling. After a rainstorm…
🐌⤵️
Super Bowl Sunday has always been a day to celebrate owls - Superb Owls! Although I am with an Eurasian eagle-owl in the picture, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with many species of owls. #FunFact I learned from working with many different owls… ⤵️
#SuperbOwl #AnimalFact #WildlifeFact
#SuperbOwl #AnimalFact #WildlifeFact
February 8, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Super Bowl Sunday has always been a day to celebrate owls - Superb Owls! Although I am with an Eurasian eagle-owl in the picture, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with many species of owls. #FunFact I learned from working with many different owls… ⤵️
#SuperbOwl #AnimalFact #WildlifeFact
#SuperbOwl #AnimalFact #WildlifeFact
#Caturday is a a great day to enjoy fine felines in your feed. It’s also #ReverseTheRedDay, a good day to remember wild cats need our help. Sure a lot of them have camouflage (like the #cloudedleopard in the pic). But…⤵️
February 7, 2026 at 4:34 PM
#Caturday is a a great day to enjoy fine felines in your feed. It’s also #ReverseTheRedDay, a good day to remember wild cats need our help. Sure a lot of them have camouflage (like the #cloudedleopard in the pic). But…⤵️
This!⬇️
Today is #ReversetheRedDay! Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is proud to support Reverse the Red (@reversethered.bsky.social) and be part of this impactful global movement to conserve #biodiversity and improve species #conservation.
Want to learn more? Visit cheetah.org
Want to learn more? Visit cheetah.org
February 7, 2026 at 4:27 PM
This!⬇️
Did you know that we can reconnect with nature in our everyday lives? 🌱
Gabrielle Katanic (@TalkNerdyToMeCalifornia on IG) shares her journey from a nature enthusiast to a nature educator & influencer!
All episodes of “Animals, Nature, and You” now available.
(🔗 in bio)
#NatureLovers #Ecology
Gabrielle Katanic (@TalkNerdyToMeCalifornia on IG) shares her journey from a nature enthusiast to a nature educator & influencer!
All episodes of “Animals, Nature, and You” now available.
(🔗 in bio)
#NatureLovers #Ecology
February 5, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Did you know that we can reconnect with nature in our everyday lives? 🌱
Gabrielle Katanic (@TalkNerdyToMeCalifornia on IG) shares her journey from a nature enthusiast to a nature educator & influencer!
All episodes of “Animals, Nature, and You” now available.
(🔗 in bio)
#NatureLovers #Ecology
Gabrielle Katanic (@TalkNerdyToMeCalifornia on IG) shares her journey from a nature enthusiast to a nature educator & influencer!
All episodes of “Animals, Nature, and You” now available.
(🔗 in bio)
#NatureLovers #Ecology
It’s only Wednesday!?
Is it just me, or does it feel like this week is the largest species of monitor lizard on earth?
Yep, this week is dragon, Komodo dragon.
🦎
#AnimalFact #KomodoDragon
Is it just me, or does it feel like this week is the largest species of monitor lizard on earth?
Yep, this week is dragon, Komodo dragon.
🦎
#AnimalFact #KomodoDragon
February 4, 2026 at 10:09 PM
It’s only Wednesday!?
Is it just me, or does it feel like this week is the largest species of monitor lizard on earth?
Yep, this week is dragon, Komodo dragon.
🦎
#AnimalFact #KomodoDragon
Is it just me, or does it feel like this week is the largest species of monitor lizard on earth?
Yep, this week is dragon, Komodo dragon.
🦎
#AnimalFact #KomodoDragon
Happy International Zebra Day. This photo was taken in Kenya a decade ago. During that adventure I was able to visit with Grevys Zebra Trust & interview the director. It was during that discussion I learned how much the zebra was like family to the pastoralists.
#InternationalZebraDay #GrevysZebra
#InternationalZebraDay #GrevysZebra
January 31, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Happy International Zebra Day. This photo was taken in Kenya a decade ago. During that adventure I was able to visit with Grevys Zebra Trust & interview the director. It was during that discussion I learned how much the zebra was like family to the pastoralists.
#InternationalZebraDay #GrevysZebra
#InternationalZebraDay #GrevysZebra
“Got whiskers?”
#AnimalFact: The opossum is nocturnal, but has poor eyesight. those cute ears are very important for acute hearing. And that nose that looks so boop-able (please do not boop the opossum) is very important thanks to its very strong sense of smell.
(1/3)⤵️
#Opossum #WildlifeEducation
#AnimalFact: The opossum is nocturnal, but has poor eyesight. those cute ears are very important for acute hearing. And that nose that looks so boop-able (please do not boop the opossum) is very important thanks to its very strong sense of smell.
(1/3)⤵️
#Opossum #WildlifeEducation
January 20, 2026 at 8:27 PM
“Got whiskers?”
#AnimalFact: The opossum is nocturnal, but has poor eyesight. those cute ears are very important for acute hearing. And that nose that looks so boop-able (please do not boop the opossum) is very important thanks to its very strong sense of smell.
(1/3)⤵️
#Opossum #WildlifeEducation
#AnimalFact: The opossum is nocturnal, but has poor eyesight. those cute ears are very important for acute hearing. And that nose that looks so boop-able (please do not boop the opossum) is very important thanks to its very strong sense of smell.
(1/3)⤵️
#Opossum #WildlifeEducation
♥️
On MLK Day, we reflect on the power of justice and equality, for people, for wildlife, for our planet. Every creature deserves a chance to thrive. 🌎🐺
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
January 19, 2026 at 6:42 PM
♥️
♥️
As we honor Dr. King's legacy, we reflect on the importance of community, courage, and compassion. Through acts of kindness and service to others, we can plant the seeds for love + positive change.
"We must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
"We must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 19, 2026 at 6:42 PM
♥️
Today was a much needed, outside day.
#GetOutside
#GetOutside
January 18, 2026 at 8:52 PM
Today was a much needed, outside day.
#GetOutside
#GetOutside
January 17, 2026 at 7:21 PM
It’s a beautiful #Caturday with a chance of clouds... Clouded leopards that is.
#AnimalFact: Clouded leopards are smaller than a big cat & bigger than a house cat. Consider to be amongst the best tree climbers in the cat family, they tend to live in forested areas in Southeast Asia.
#cloudedleopard
#AnimalFact: Clouded leopards are smaller than a big cat & bigger than a house cat. Consider to be amongst the best tree climbers in the cat family, they tend to live in forested areas in Southeast Asia.
#cloudedleopard
January 17, 2026 at 6:09 PM
It’s a beautiful #Caturday with a chance of clouds... Clouded leopards that is.
#AnimalFact: Clouded leopards are smaller than a big cat & bigger than a house cat. Consider to be amongst the best tree climbers in the cat family, they tend to live in forested areas in Southeast Asia.
#cloudedleopard
#AnimalFact: Clouded leopards are smaller than a big cat & bigger than a house cat. Consider to be amongst the best tree climbers in the cat family, they tend to live in forested areas in Southeast Asia.
#cloudedleopard
This week we will hit the halfway point of January. And yet, somehow, it feels like it has been a lot longer since we rang-in the new year with high hopes.
It’s going to be a long year. There’s going to be a lot going on. In the middle of it all, I hope…
(1/2)
#koala #connection #selfcare
It’s going to be a long year. There’s going to be a lot going on. In the middle of it all, I hope…
(1/2)
#koala #connection #selfcare
January 12, 2026 at 3:59 PM
This week we will hit the halfway point of January. And yet, somehow, it feels like it has been a lot longer since we rang-in the new year with high hopes.
It’s going to be a long year. There’s going to be a lot going on. In the middle of it all, I hope…
(1/2)
#koala #connection #selfcare
It’s going to be a long year. There’s going to be a lot going on. In the middle of it all, I hope…
(1/2)
#koala #connection #selfcare
Why do elephants dig for water?
Well… It’s kind of a deep subject, but one worth digging into.
#AnimalFacts
tsavotrust.org/how-do-eleph...
Well… It’s kind of a deep subject, but one worth digging into.
#AnimalFacts
tsavotrust.org/how-do-eleph...
Why do elephants dig for water? - Tsavo Trust
One of the most striking and well-documented behaviours associated with water scarcity is the digging of wells in dry riverbeds. This behaviour is not simply a response to drought. Evidence shows that...
tsavotrust.org
January 10, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Why do elephants dig for water?
Well… It’s kind of a deep subject, but one worth digging into.
#AnimalFacts
tsavotrust.org/how-do-eleph...
Well… It’s kind of a deep subject, but one worth digging into.
#AnimalFacts
tsavotrust.org/how-do-eleph...
January 10th is Save the Eagle Day. The bald eagle was taken off of the endangered species list in 2007, about 40 years after being listed. Does that mean we no longer need to protect habitat, waterways and the environment? Of course not! It means…
(1/3)
#BaldEagle #AfricanFishEagle
(1/3)
#BaldEagle #AfricanFishEagle
January 10, 2026 at 3:02 AM
January 10th is Save the Eagle Day. The bald eagle was taken off of the endangered species list in 2007, about 40 years after being listed. Does that mean we no longer need to protect habitat, waterways and the environment? Of course not! It means…
(1/3)
#BaldEagle #AfricanFishEagle
(1/3)
#BaldEagle #AfricanFishEagle
Tomorrow is #NationalBirdDay! Seeing as we are in the midsts of winter why not start off National Bird Day celebrations with a cool feathered friend? But wait this penguin is on pebbles, not snow? While we do associate penguins with the frozen antarctic, African Penguins…
(1/3)
(1/3)
January 4, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Tomorrow is #NationalBirdDay! Seeing as we are in the midsts of winter why not start off National Bird Day celebrations with a cool feathered friend? But wait this penguin is on pebbles, not snow? While we do associate penguins with the frozen antarctic, African Penguins…
(1/3)
(1/3)
Working on my New Year’s resolutions. Got as far as, “Make time to rest and recharge.”
(Okay, I may not be able to sleep 18 hours a day like some tigers. But I did manage to do rest and relax today.)
#NewYearsResolution #Tiger #AnimalFact
(Okay, I may not be able to sleep 18 hours a day like some tigers. But I did manage to do rest and relax today.)
#NewYearsResolution #Tiger #AnimalFact
January 2, 2026 at 1:10 AM
Working on my New Year’s resolutions. Got as far as, “Make time to rest and recharge.”
(Okay, I may not be able to sleep 18 hours a day like some tigers. But I did manage to do rest and relax today.)
#NewYearsResolution #Tiger #AnimalFact
(Okay, I may not be able to sleep 18 hours a day like some tigers. But I did manage to do rest and relax today.)
#NewYearsResolution #Tiger #AnimalFact
Walking out of 2025 a little prickly, but still standing. See ya in 2026! 🥳
#NewYearsEve #LookingForward #HappyNewYear
#NewYearsEve #LookingForward #HappyNewYear
December 31, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Walking out of 2025 a little prickly, but still standing. See ya in 2026! 🥳
#NewYearsEve #LookingForward #HappyNewYear
#NewYearsEve #LookingForward #HappyNewYear
Never underestimate yourself. You have survived every single one of your hardest days.
This post may, or may not, be for you. Nonetheless, I’m really glad you are here.
Wishing you the very best as we start the transition into a new year.
#Survivor #CPTSD #HealingJourney
This post may, or may not, be for you. Nonetheless, I’m really glad you are here.
Wishing you the very best as we start the transition into a new year.
#Survivor #CPTSD #HealingJourney
December 28, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Never underestimate yourself. You have survived every single one of your hardest days.
This post may, or may not, be for you. Nonetheless, I’m really glad you are here.
Wishing you the very best as we start the transition into a new year.
#Survivor #CPTSD #HealingJourney
This post may, or may not, be for you. Nonetheless, I’m really glad you are here.
Wishing you the very best as we start the transition into a new year.
#Survivor #CPTSD #HealingJourney
December 24, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Does the first day of winter have you feeing like a hedgehog getting ready for torpor?
🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔
#AnimalFact: Torpor is considered a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal. This means, a reduced metabolic rate and a decrease in…
(1/3)
#HedgeHog #WildlifeEducation #wintersolstice
🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔
#AnimalFact: Torpor is considered a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal. This means, a reduced metabolic rate and a decrease in…
(1/3)
#HedgeHog #WildlifeEducation #wintersolstice
December 22, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Does the first day of winter have you feeing like a hedgehog getting ready for torpor?
🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔
#AnimalFact: Torpor is considered a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal. This means, a reduced metabolic rate and a decrease in…
(1/3)
#HedgeHog #WildlifeEducation #wintersolstice
🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔
#AnimalFact: Torpor is considered a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal. This means, a reduced metabolic rate and a decrease in…
(1/3)
#HedgeHog #WildlifeEducation #wintersolstice
A #Caturday that sits between the new moon and the winter solstice… seems appropriate to feature the ocelot today.
The Aztec word ocelotl (or tlalocolotl) roughly translate to mean jaguar, linking the smaller cat to the larger…
(1/3)
#Ocelot #AwesomeAnimal
The Aztec word ocelotl (or tlalocolotl) roughly translate to mean jaguar, linking the smaller cat to the larger…
(1/3)
#Ocelot #AwesomeAnimal
December 21, 2025 at 4:59 AM
A #Caturday that sits between the new moon and the winter solstice… seems appropriate to feature the ocelot today.
The Aztec word ocelotl (or tlalocolotl) roughly translate to mean jaguar, linking the smaller cat to the larger…
(1/3)
#Ocelot #AwesomeAnimal
The Aztec word ocelotl (or tlalocolotl) roughly translate to mean jaguar, linking the smaller cat to the larger…
(1/3)
#Ocelot #AwesomeAnimal