Refugee

sketch of Tamba

This is probably Tamba, the more dominant of the two males.  Jasiri was nearby.  They are Southern White Rhinoceroses, now living at the Detroit Zoo.  Tamba in Swahili means "strut proudly," Jasiri means "courageous."  Tamba was getting his legs massaged with a lineament, from the fetlocks down, by his zookeeper caretaker when I was there. With such bodyweight loaded onto their legs, Rhinos challenge zoos to replicate a soft/hard mix for their pen's floor upon which they walk around every day.  (And of course the floor must be maintained/cleaned up every day.  Gosh.)

I think Detroit Zoo is doing a good job.  Probably really good.  You can see and even think about helping with the Rhinos at the Detroit Zoo here:  https://detroitzoo.org/rhinos/

Watching the Rhinos, I felt like the world was there, in the pen with me.  Big world made to be this: creatures in the same space trying to enjoy the space together.  This is our challenge in this century isn't it:  making a good home for us All:  refugees, caretakers, onlookers, ignorers, All.

Mascot extraordinaire

A mascot can really add:  lift a team, event, occasion, for All.  Look at Jetta here!

Jetta with Team Vihti

Here is a description of wonderful Jetta by Andrew Keh, writing from Hyrynsalmi, Finland:

"Jetta is a stuffed badger ensconced in a bird cage.  She acts as a mascot of sorts for a team of 12 friends who make the seven-hour drive each year from Vihti, near Helsinki, for the competition.  They bought the doll seven years ago from a junk store at a highway rest stop, and her fame around the swamp has grown ever since.  A couple of years ago, she was interviewed by a local newspaper."

The competition referred to is the 20th annual Swamp Soccer World Championships.  Here is a link:   https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/sports/finland-has-a-sports-screw-loose.html