EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

New Year, New Life

Plains Zebra (Equus quagga [prev. burchellii]), Family Equidae
Tarangire National Park, Tanzania, Africa

Explanation:  Happy New Year to everyone! ... and to every critter and plant on this amazing planet!

Our world has whirled another annual cycle, giving us another chance to make this future a sustainable, thoughtful, safer one.

With the new year comes new life.  The stars of this week's image go by many names, but most recognize them as "just" zebras.  Also called plains zebra, Burchell's zebra, common zebra, and Chapman's zebra, the promise of life is again renewed for this and most other species.

But these are harsh times for grazers of east Africa.  Tanzania and adjacent countries are now in their 8th year of a prolonged drought.  Look at the grass forage underfoot of this mom and foal ... all is brown, dry, and barely palatable.  

We too face times of shortage, drought, famine, and scarcity, but we can choose to moderate our use of natural resources, and we can foresee futures of both increased scarcity and sustainability. 

The choice is ours.  May this new year bring not only new life, but new commitment to a livable future for all of us.  

Happy New Year, Happy New Life
from your friends at
Ecology Picture of the Week