Sally Lightfoot Crab

Invertebrates > Crustaceans

The Sally Lightfoot Crab (Grapsus grapsus), celebrated across the Galapagos archipelago as the ‘Zayapa’, is one of the most vividly colored, agile, and charismatic intertidal invertebrates on Earth. Named by 19th-century sailors after a famous Caribbean...

Himalayan Monal

Birds > Galliformes

The Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus), known in Nepal as the ‘Danphe’ where it reigns as the beloved National Bird, is widely celebrated as one of the most dazzingly iridescent and visually magnificent birds on planet Earth. Often hailed by...

Blue Orchard Bee

Invertebrates > Hymenoptera

The Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia lignaria), celebrated across North America as the Orchard Mason Bee, is a gentle, metallic-blue solitary bee renowned as the premier agricultural pollinator of early spring fruit trees. Incomparably more efficient at pollinating apples,...

Sonoran Desert Tortoise

Reptiles > Tortoises

The Sonoran Desert Tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) is an iconic, armored keystone herbivore that reigns over the rugged, boulder-strewn foothills of the Sonoran Desert. Genetically distinct from the Mojave desert tortoise, this tough, ancient survivor makes its home...

Mountain Camellia

Plants > Trees & Shrubs

The Mountain Camellia (Stewartia ovata) is universally acclaimed as one of the most exquisitely beautiful native flowering trees in North America. Endemic to the cool, shaded coves of the southern Appalachian Mountains, this rare tea family member is famous for its...