A Guest Blog by Erich Hoyt

On the morning of May 30, off Tofino, British Columbia, an orca calf, complete with fresh fetal folds and typical orange (instead of white) patches, surfaced between two mature females of J Pod.

There is always joy at the sight and sounds, the presence of a new baby. When that baby is a several hundred pound killer whale, born to J Pod in the southern resident orca community, the event turns into big news. This is a very welcome occurrence as the southern community has lost most of their calves in recent years and their numbers have dwindled to 75 — now 76 — individuals, down from a high of more than 100 before SeaWorld and other aquariums ransacked these pods with repeated captures in the 1960s and 1970s. The captures in BC and Washington State waters ended in 1976 but the southern orca community has had compounded pressures and threats including boat traffic, noise, pollution loads and reduced numbers of their preferred food, Chinook salmon. The southern community has been given endangered status by both the U.S. and Canadian governments.

Birds are fascinating animals. Descended from dinosaurs, they have evolved over 150 million years into the approximately 10,000 unique species that exist today.

Each spring around 200 species of land birds — around five billion birds in total — travel north toward their breeding grounds. These migratory birds play a crucial part in the ecosystems they travel between, and yet aside from appreciating the majesty of a flock of geese passing over or the hypnotizing beauty of a hummingbird hovering next to a flower, we often take the important presence of birds for granted.

Today, on World Migratory Bird Day, we want to celebrate the animals whose songs bring universal joy and that play a vital part in nature.

Using information from some of our best bird books, we've created a fun infographic showing some of the most impressive migration patterns of birds around the world.

Climate change has been on the minds of scientists, environmentalists, politicians, and even the average person for some time now, and the more we learn about increasing global temperatures and rising sea levels, the more we realize what a mammoth task it will be to protect our planet.

Since 1880, global sea levels have risen by 8 inches (20.32cm), and scientists believe that in another 80 years time the sea could rise another 8.2 feet (2.5m). Considering that more than two-thirds of Earth is already covered in water, we can expect many coastal regions and islands — including New York City, New Orleans, Mumbai, the Maldives, and more — to experience flooding. Some of these places may even disappear underwater.

In Rising Seas: Flooding, Climate Change and Our New World, Keltie Thomas examines what could happen if humanity doesn’t act quickly to combat climate change. This beautifully illustrated book also outlines what can be done at home to help.

Here are five facts you may not know about rising sea levels, plus some inspiration for what you can do.