Call To The Wild: 7 Amazing Animal Whisperers
September 27, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in 7 Wonders Series & Animals & Habitats & Science & Research. ]
Animal Whispering may seem to be a modern method of gently communicating with animals but it’s actually a kinder, gentler form of inter-species communication with thousands of years of history to back it up. Though the 7 amazing animal whisperers profiled here aren’t the only ones using both the term and the methods, their skill, notoriety and knack for self-promotion have enabled them to be heard over the roar of the crowd.
The Dog Whisperer
(images via: The Guardian UK, GossipSauce and Tower Video)
“How can I help?”, asks Cesar Millan as soon as he walks into the room. The 42-year-old former illegal immigrant may be the most well-known of all animal whisperers, primarily due to his listeners of choice: dogs.
(images via: DogWhisperer.net, Dog Obedience Training Online and Beyond The Rhetoric)
Even with 65 million potential “patients” in the United States alone, however, it’s taken Millan’s powerful yet persuasive personality to build Dog Whispering into a 7-figure-grossing corporation dedicated to making every dog owner an unchallenged leader of the pack in his own home.
(image via: Tontin247 / Deviantart)
Cesar Millan learned how to work with animals on his grandfather’s farm in Sinaloa, Mexico, where he soon acquired the nickname El Perrero (“The Dog Boy”) for the natural way he interacted with canines. Nowadays he espouses his philosophy of dog management on his hit TV show, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan. By stressing the principles of exercise, discipline and affection (in that order), Millan teaches the owners of even the most recalcitrant dogs that they can assume and maintain a leadership role that benefits both owners and pets.
The Bird Whisperer
(images via: TheBirdWhisperer.com)
You may not have heard of Ken Globus, but the bespectacled gent who became known as the Bird Whisperer tamed thousands of antisocial avians over the past 25+ years. Ken learned how to deal with birds at his parents’ pet store in Inglewood, California, where almost all of the birds were caught in the wild. By literally throwing out the books on bird-raising and using his own innate sensitivity, he eventually established a new way of taming even the most un-handleable birds.
(image via: TheBirdWhisperer.com)
That’s Ken above, left, with filmmaker Steven Spielberg on the right holding his pet Panama Amazon parrot, Blanche.
(images via: Parrot Chronicles)
Sadly, Ken Globus passed away on September 10th, 2008, but his pioneering technique of “progressive desensitization” is being taken up by a new generation of Bird Whisperers.
The Shark Whisperer
(images via: The Bahamas Weekly, Dek-D and TCPalm)
Cristina Zenato has been referred to as “the First Lady of Shark Diving” but doesn’t Shark Whisperer sound way cooler? I mean, whispering underwater is tough enough as it is without a Great White Shark trying to horn in on the conversation… and just try finding ol’ Mac the Knife’s ear in the first place!
(images via: PunchBaby and Dek-D)
Inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame in March of 2011, Cristina Zenato has been a tireless advocate for the welfare of sharks and is the Diving Supervisor, Dive Instructor and Shark Dive professional at UNEXSO (UNderwater EXplorers SOciety) on Grand Bahama Island. Cristina has learned the delicate procedure of tonic immobility from her mentor, Ben Rose, and has used the technique to remove hooks from the mouths of oft-voracious Caribbean Reef sharks.
Here’s a quite beautiful video of Cristina Zenato making shark-play look like child’s play… and not the one starring Chucky. Prepare to be amazed:
333 Nina Salerosa, via JoeRomeiro333
(image via: Innocent Bystanders)
Not to be outdone in the shark whispering department (and in other news, there’s a shark whispering department) is Mike Rutzen, a South African diver who’s been dubbed “Sharkman” by his less-daring fellow divers. Rutzen performs tonic immobility on sharks by balancing them face-down on his palm and massaging their snouts. How he gets them into that position in the first place is another story entirely.
The Wolf Whisperer
(images via: National Geographic, WHSmith and Canine Squad)
“My, what big ears you have!”, said Little Red Riding Hood to the Big Bad Wolf. Maybe if Li’l Red had applied Shaun Ellis’ wolf whispering methodology and talked to the ears, not the hand, maybe Grandma would still be alive & kicking and the wolf wouldn’t seem quite so big and bad. Ellis, also known as The Wolfman, takes “hands-on” interaction to the highest level possible without actually becoming a member of a wolfpack… oh wait, he’s done that too.
(images via: Erin Flight’s Blog)
Quite a different way to interact with wolves is conducted at the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota, where captive wolf packs have been maintained since 1989. Wolves at the IWC are socialized to humans at a very early age and
any physical human interaction is limited to a selected group of Wolf Care staff, enabling easier veterinary checks and excellent wolf behavior viewing opportunities from the center’s glass windows.
(images via: R-ML’s Den and International Wolf Center)
IWC Wolf Curator Lori Schmidt is seen above being greeted by either Shadow or Malik, the Center’s two 11-year-old Arctic Wolves who together make up the current Retired Pack. The mission of the IWC is “teaching the world about wolves” but it’s really the wolves who do the teaching; the human staff’s task is to interpret their unique world-view. It seems that in this case, the wolves are the ones doing the “whispering”.
The Lion Whisperer
(images via: Damn Fresh Pics)
There are Cat Whisperers and then there are Big Cat Whisperers like Kevin Richardson, the Lion Whisperer.
(images via: Animal Care and Seaway Blog)
Richardson, a 32-year-old animal ranger at The Lion Park in Lanseria, just outside Johannesburg, South Africa. “I don’t use sticks, whips or chains – just patience,” explains Richardson. “It may be dangerous, but this is a passion for me, not a job.”
(image via: Damn Fresh Pics)
Richardson relies not only on 10 years of experience working with animals, but also in his previous career in physiology where he worked with patients who had undergone surgery. “I am someone they relate to,” says Richardson. “I enrich their lives. If these animals are going to be kept in a captive situation, don’t they deserve to have the best care, the best entertainment, the best lives?”
The Bear Whisperer
(images via: TheBearWhisperer.com, Denver Post and TV Rage)
Annoyed by the bear necessities in Mammoth Lakes, CA? Call Steve Searles, the Bear Whisperer. You’ll be glad you did and the bears even more so, as Searles’ quiet yet persistent persuasiveness allows wayward bruins to get back to nature with their hides (and lives) intact.
(images via: Mammoth Lakes and The Wrap)
Is Steve Searles smarter than the average bear? Find out for yourself by watching “The Bear Whisperer” on the Animal Planet network. “I have learned over the years that the biggest, baddest and meanest bear is usually in control of the others,” explains Searles. “My success is based on assuming that role and showing our bears who is boss. ‘Bear Whisperer’ will prove that we can co-exist with most wildlife if we take the time to understand how and why they behave the way they do and respect that.”
The Horse Whisperer
(images via: Boswell’s Poetry and ABC Counselling)
Though many people first heard the term “horse whisperer” through the 1998 eponymously titled 1998 film starring Robert Redford and Scarlett Johansson, so-called “horse whisperers” date back to the early 19th century. Daniel “Horse-Whisperer” Sullivan kept his methods secret but onlookers reported he would stand face to face with his equine subjects and would appear to be whispering to them.
(images via: Horseback Online and Jackson’s Hole Adventures)
What Sullivan and later followers were practicing was Natural Horsemanship, a gentle way of training horses dating back at least to the era of Classical Greece. Practitioners of natural horsemanship avoid techniques involving punishment that inculcate fear in the horse being trained. Instead, subtle body language and a system of behavioral negative reinforcement are applied, with the goal being to forge a willing partnership with the horse.
(images via: Connected Horsmanship, Dharma Haven and Lovemarks)
One of the foremost Horse Whisperers of the modern era is Monty Roberts, author of the best-selling book The Man Who Listens to Horses. Roberts first observed wild mustangs in his early teens, noting they seemed to express themselves through a discernible type of body language. His autobiography, first published in 1996, has been translated into over a dozen languages and has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. You’ll find an interesting interview with Monty Roberts here.
(images via: The Daily Raider)
Since the concept in all its many variations (“Duck Whisperer” anyone?) exploded out of pop culture’s melting pot, one wonders if Animal Whispering has jumped the shark… sorry, Christina Zenato. Though the phrase is what pays these days, the theory of natural social interaction with animals still stands on its own, er, four legs.
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Eco Kitty: 12 Great Green Products for Cats
August 15, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Animals & Habitats. ]
Dusty clay cat litter, food based on slaughterhouse byproducts and toxic flea treatments aren’t good for your cat, your family, your home or the world at large. Choose healthier, greener cat products instead, from toys and treats to collars and carriers. These 18 eco-friendly options will keep your cat happy, healthy and high on catnip.
Kitty’s Garden of Edible Grass
(image via: only natural pet)
Are your indoor cats chewing up all of your houseplants? Indulge their instinct to chew on grass with a pot of wheatgrass, oat, rye or barley. One good choice is the SmartCat Kitty’s Garden, a kit that contains a pot, peat moss soil and organic seeds.
Recycled Cardboard Scratcher
(image via: uncommon goods)
Encourage your cats to scratch a designated object instead of your furniture. Cardboard cat scratchers come in all shapes and sizes, and are often made of recycled cardboard. Bonus: they can be tossed in the recycling bin once they’re shredded beyond recognition! This cute dog-shaped one is from Uncommon Goods.
Organic Catnip
(images via: petco)
Something about catnip makes most cats go crazy. Catnip, a perennial herb in the mint family, contains an essential oil called nepetalactone, which stimulates cats. Sprinkle organic catnip like that offered by Castor & Pollux on toys, bedding or a cardboard scratcher.
Natural, Biodegradable Cat Litter
(image via: worldsbestcatlitter.com)
Conventional clay cat litter not only tracks dust all over the place, it’s also a significant environmental problem: 2 million tons of it end up in landfills every year. Seek out a biodegradable, compostable cat litter made from renewable materials instead. One option is World’s Best Cat Litter, made of whole kernel corn.
Compostable Litter Box Liners
(image via: biobagusa.com)
Want to compost that eco-friendly cat litter? Line the litter box with a biodegradable liner like the ones made by BioBag. It couldn’t be easier to simply lift used litter out of the pan and toss the whole bag into your compost pile. Make sure you maintain a separate compost pile just for cat waste, and never use the resulting compost on food crops.
Eco-Friendly Recycled Pet Carrier
(image via: amazon.com)
Tote your kitty around in style with an eco-friendly pet carrier. The Eco-Friendly Tote by Snoozer is made of durable recycled burlap and features a large main compartment with four zippered mesh openings for ventilation as well as a large flap packet on the front for accessories.
Crunchy Treats for Dental Health
(image via: drsforstersmith.com)
Let’s face it – most pet owners don’t wrangle up the cats on a regular basis to brush their teeth. To keep up your cat’s dental health, feed them healthy, crunchy cat treats like those from Pet Greens. The texture of these treats helps control plaque; they’re also grain-free and packed with protein and nutrients.
Natural, Holistic Cat Food
(image via: petco)
Most brands of commercial cat food contain some pretty unhealthy ingredients like gluten, corn, rendered meats and animal by-products. Brands that cut out these ingredients and focus instead on natural, holistic food packed with vitamins and minerals are far better for kitty’s health. Halo Spot’s Stew is a great choice, containing wild salmon, whole egg and veggies like sweet potatoes.
Breakaway Hemp Cat Collar
(image via: only natural pet)
A natural renewable resource known for its strength and durability, hemp is one of the most eco-friendly materials available. The hemp collars by Silly Kitty feature a safety breakaway clasp to let cats break free if the collar catches on anything. Available in a range of colors, these collars are breathable and biodegradable.
Cozy Organic Bed
(image via: the premium pet)
Cats love cozy spaces, especially beds with high walls. The Organic Bumper Bed by West Paw Design is soft, comfy and available in a wide range of colors and sizes.
Stimulating Natural Toys
(image via: only natural pet)
Engage your cat’s instinct to chase small prey with a fun interactive toy like the Field Freddy’s Feather Cat Toy. This biodegradable toy is simply a wood wand, a hemp string and cork ‘feathers’ that will get your cat active, helping to prevent obesity. Naturally, you can DIY this for next to nothing.
Natural Flea Care
(image via: only natural pets)
Cats can be sensitive to many of the essential oils that are recommended to prevent fleas on dogs, leaving many cat owners uncertain about how to control these pesky pests. Only Natural Pet offers flea care kits for cats in mild, moderate and severe packages, which include items like flea combs, brewer’s yeast tablets, herbal defense shampoo and an all-in-one flea remedy made with diatomaceous earth, a mineral substance that is non-toxic to people and pets.
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ARCH Helping Haiti’s Animals in Need
February 22, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
The Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) was formed just days after the quake to provide relief for the animal survivors and address the threat of disease spreading from animals to humans. Jointly led by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), ARCH has far surpassed its initial goals.
“We didn’t know what sort of impact we could make early on,” said Laura Flannery, U.S. communications manager of WSPA. And yet, with no real animal population count or idea of how many animals would require medical assistance, ARCH leaders coordinated with Haiti officials and the United Nations just one day after the earthquake to direct one of the largest animal relief efforts in modern history.
“Our original goal was to treat 14,000 animals in one year,” said Kevin Degenhard, project manager for ARCH. “But, in the first two months, our team of ten people had already treated 12,700 animals.” One year later, the ARCH coalition has helped more than 50,000 animals.
The backbone of the operation is ARCH’s mobile veterinary clinic, which allowed the team to travel into earthquake-stricken neighborhoods and provide aid and vaccinations to thousands of dogs, cats, goats, cattle, horses, and other animals. But the relief effort was not simply about treating and vaccinating animals; it also focused on assisting and training local veterinarians so that they may continue animal welfare projects after the ARCH volunteers have left.
In one year, ARCH has helped repair the National Veterinary Laboratory and main lab infrastructure, which fell during the earthquake. It has installed twenty-four solar-powered refrigeration units, which are critical to storing animal vaccinations, and launched the country’s first-ever public awareness campaign to educate Haitians about disaster preparedness, pet care, and health issues related to their pets and families.
“We’re hoping we’ve built a cornerstone, an infrastructure, for the local veterinarians and the Haitian people,” said Flannery. “Building the community is a vital part so that Haitians can continue on and have a better understanding of the importance of companion animals and livestock and their welfare.”
It’s hard to predict what lies ahead for Haiti and its people, especially after the ARCH coalition has left, but there is little doubt that ARCH and its volunteers have equipped Haiti with the right tools to take care of its animals.
Beth
Animal Architecture: 14 (More!) Modern Homes for Pets
October 25, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steph in Animals & Habitats, Art & Design, Home & Garden. ]
Forget dowdy carpet-covered cat houses, plain jane dog crates and ugly plastic hamster cages – homes for household pets can be stylish, too. From unbelievably pricey luxury pooch palaces to simple IKEA hacks that make modern pet furniture accessible to all, these 14 abodes for cats, dogs, birds, hamsters, rabbits, chickens and even fish are anything but ordinary.
Stackable Cube-Shaped Fish Hotel
(image via: design milk)
Give each fish a luxurious private room of its very own with the modern cube-shaped ‘fish hotel’ by Teddy Luong. The design is stackable so you can even create a fish skyscraper.
Geometric ‘Lulu’s Hideaway’
(image via: gnr8.biz)
For those whose homes are so carefully outfitted that an ordinary dog bed would stick out like a sore thumb, there are creations like the $550 ‘Lulu’s Hideaway’ by Pet Project. Resembling a piece of modern art or perhaps a stool more than pet furniture, this geometric acrylic shelter pleases fans of Danish design.
Prefab Platform Dog House
(image via: prefabs.blogspot.com)
Dog on a hot tin roof? This prefab modular dog house, made from IPE hardwood and painted cement board and topped with corrugated aluminum, would look right at home beside many modern home designs.
Duplex Aquarium/Bird Cage
(image via: gizmodiva)
If you’ve got household pets of both the feathered and finned variety but limited space to keep them in, this unusual ‘duplex aquarium cage’ could be an option. A dome beneath the fish bowl actually allows visual interaction between the two pets.
Sleek Cat House by Leo Kempf
(image via: leo kempf)
A cozy bed, some cardboard for scratching and a great view: what more could a pampered kitty wish for? Designer Leo Kempf made this modern cat house for his own cat, Olive, saying “She enters through a door in the bottom side and then ascends a ramp, which boosts her to the upper level. The front wall is plexi-glass, the floor is 2.5 inch thick old sheepskin rug, and my wife made some small paintings that hang on the walls.”
$382,000 Pooch Palace
(image via: the daily mail)
How much is too much to spend on a dog house? Some might balk at anything over a couple hundred bucks, but one unidentified surgeon in England spent more than most of us do on our own houses. For $382,000, the doctor’s two Great Danes get temperature-controlled beds, a spa, automatic food and water dispensers and a 52-inch plasma TV with state-of-the-art stereo playing dog-friendly programs.
Egg-Shaped Nogg Chicken Coop
(image via: contemporist)
Backyard chicken farmers, take heart – you don’t have to build an ugly wire-and-wood contraption to hold your birds. “The Nogg” is a modern egg-shaped chicken coop for 2-4 chickens, made from cedar wood, stainless steel and glass. It even has a little round window at the top so you can peer in and check the progress of your uber-fresh eggs.
IKEA Hack Hamster Home
(image via: ikea hacker)
Hamster fcages are nearly always an eyesore, seemingly available only in brightly colored plastic. So Martina of Australia took matters into her own hands and transformed an IKEA ‘Expedit’ bookshelf into a surprisingly beautiful hamster home that gives her dwarf hamster plenty of room to roam.
‘Solo’ Blown Glass Cat House
(image via: modern cat)
Blown glass is so beautiful, but it doesn’t have to be limited to art objects in the home – why not make it more functional? Like a huge glass vase turned on its side, the Solo cat house by designers Compressed Pattern and glass blowing studio esque gives cats a cozy place to sleep while also allowing them to see their surroundings.
Chic Bunny Hutch
(image via: design sponge)
An even simpler and more beautiful IKEA hack has the ‘Besta’ shelf unit serving as a modern, super-simple rabbit hutch. Nicole used non-toxic materials to make this home for her Holland Lop bunny and shared the instructions over at Design Sponge.
BowHaus Modern Dog Crate
(image via: denhaus)
“Meant for a home where cocktails and canines mix it up”, the BowHaus home for small dogs by DenHaus makes style top priority with a powder-coated steel design that also functions as a side table. The starburst design provides ventilation while maintaining a cozy feel for its four-legged inhabitant.
Cat Capsule by Christian Ghion
(image via: contemporist)
Mod and comfy, the cat capsule by Christian Ghion bravely boasts an all-white sheepskin-lined design that will look lovely as long as your beloved feline isn’t a puker. So stylish, you’ll want a matching human-sized one for yourself.
Hamster Cabin with Tiny Stairs
(image via: zooplus)
Don’t want to give over an entire section of a room to your pocket-sized pet? Sometimes a smaller home will still do, especially when that home is thoughtfully created from high-quality materials. This “small pet cage phoenix” is like a cabin for your hamster, complete with a ridiculously adorable little set of stairs leading to a loft-like sleeping compartment.
Cubix Modern Dog House
(image via: dog milk)
No dog-loving fan of Bauhaus architecture could pass the Cubix Modern Dog House without a second look. Made of varnished wood with break-proof glass windows that can withstand all weather conditions, this dog house is worthy of a highly visible location in your yard.
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Happy Father’s Day: 20 Awesome Animal Dads
June 20, 2010 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: Flickr, Science Blogs, Citizen Arcane, Sea World, Conservation Report, PBS, Discovery, Flickr, Toad Haven, Wolf Park, Hide Tanning, University of Texas, Crystal Kiss, Soda Head, The Longest List…, Animal Information, Magick Canoe, Pixdaus, Sea World, Oz Animals)
In celebration of Father’s Day, here are 20 awesome animal dads that go above and beyond their parenting duties, thus providing their children with great opportunities to survive in the wild.
Buns in the Oven: Male Animal Pregnancies
(Images via: Flickr, Mental Floss, The Epic Adventures of Jeeva)
Not all animals come from the mother’s womb; in the case of seahorses, pipefish and leafy sea dragons, it is the father who gets pregnant. Female seahorses deposit eggs in the brood pouches of male seahorses, which then fertilize the eggs with their own sperm and reside over three-week pregnancies. Over the course of three days, the male seahorse gives birth to 200 baby seahorses. Similarly, male pipefish carry eggs in protective pouches prior to giving birth, as do leafy sea dragons, which not only care for eggs over a nine-week period but give birth during a 24-48 hour period by shooting the babies out from their tails. For more information on male animal pregnancies, please see the following WebEcoist article: Role Reversal: 5 Strange Tales of Animal Male Pregnancies.
A Father’s Warmth: Emperor Penguins, Rheas & Sticklebacks
(Images via: Australian Antarctic Division, The Fat Finch, Friends of the Creek, West Fly Fishing, Go Pets America)
While male emperor penguins do not get pregnant, they spend 60 days incubating their young, specifically with a feathered flap located on the tip of their feet. While protecting the eggs from the Arctic cold (with temperatures reaching as low as 70 degrees below), the father emperor penguins do not eat a thing, causing them to lose as much as half of their total body weights. Another incubator is the male rhea, a large bird that keeps anywhere from 10-60 eggs warm during a 40-day period and then raises its young for nearly two years, solely on its own. A little fish that is quite the ladies man, the sticklefish actually shows some restraint and discipline when carrying for the eggs of its young, specifically by spending more than half of each day fanning them at 400 beats per minute, thus providing air that is oxygen rich and clean.
Kissing Fathers: Sea Catfish and Giant African Bullfrogs
(Images via: Professional Anglers Association, Dive Shoppe 2003, Scienceray, Light Mood)
Once a male sea catfish fertilizes his eggs, he protects them in a unique way, by storing up to 50 fertilized eggs in his mouth until they are ready to hatch. Especially interesting, the sea catfish will keep his hatched babies in his mouth for up to 2 weeks before setting them free into the big, wide world. If you think that’s crazy, the giant African bullfrog will swallow more than 6,000 eggs, keep them inside his vocal sacs for six weeks, and then spit them out during hatching season.
Regurgitating Daddies: Male Cockroaches and Wolves
(Images via: Sussex Online Shopping, Don’t Forget Your Sunscreen, Humans for Wolves, What Do Wolves Eat?)
Cockroaches have a disgusting effect on not only humans but their young. To ensure that his baby cockroaches are getting the necessary nutrients to grow up and be strong and equally disgusting cockroaches, the dad cockroach will consume bird droppings rich in nitrogen and then regurgitate the waste to his young. Not only do male wolves hunt as far as 20 miles away for food for their young, they also rip apart and regurgitate meat for baby wolves that are less than 3 months old and do not have strong enough teeth.
Great Providers: The Red Fox and Sand Grouse
(Images via: P Base, Jackson Hole Wildlife Tours, Wild Africa Safaris, Polls Boutique)
Many of our fathers worked tirelessly to put food on the table when we were young; the same goes for male red foxes, which must hunt for food every 4-6 hours when feeding their families, and the sand grouse, which flies and flies and flies to saturate its young. To their credit, male red foxes are able to maintain a “work hard, play hard” mentality. When their young foxes grow up, the fathers will often roughhouse with them and teach them how to hunt. As for the Kalahari Desert’s male sand grouse, it will fly as many as 50 miles a day to soak its feathers in water before returning to its nest to lets its babies drink from them.
The Protectors: Jacanas and Lions
(Images via: South African Parks, Smithsonian Journeys, Really! Robin)
Known for their ability to balance on lily pads (thus appearing to walk on water), jacanas keep close guard of their nests, often protecting their young from their cheating mothers, who not only run off with other partners but come back and smash their own eggs. As for the father lion, he has a history of careless fathering such as sleeping when the lioness and cubs attack prey and then getting first dibs on meals. However, he is a great protector when awake, willing to take on anyone when it comes to protecting his pride, which can include as many as a dozen cubs and 7 lionesses.
Daddy Car Care: Dart Frogs, Marmosets & Water Bugs
(Images via: Flickr, Edinburgh Zoo Blog, Unique Daily, Monster Fish Keepers)
When many of us were young, our Dads lugged us around many places, whether it be school, sporting events, recitals or somewhere else. It turns out that male golden poison dart frogs, marmosets and giant water bugs are no different than many of our Dads. After the female golden poison dart frog lays its eggs on land, the male frog will give newly-hatched tadpoles a piggyback ride, carrying them on his back to large bodies of water so that they can evolve one day into frogs. As for male marmosets, they often lug around their young on their backs, specifically when swinging through the trees. With that said, it’s not just fun and games for the male marmosets, which actually spend more time raising their young than their female partners, which only pay attention to the babies when it’s time to nurse. When the baby marmosets are ready for solid food, their fathers will help them find it and then feed them. As for giant water bugs, they will spend up to a full week carrying 150 eggs on their back until their babies hatch. Sounds painful.
Male Weaver Birds: The Bob Villas of Animal Dads
(Image via: British Science Association)
How many fathers out there were especially handy, building their daughters dollhouses and their sons new bikes? Before a male weaver bird can become a father, he must prove that he is up for the task, specifically by building a nest for the young. If the female weaver does not find the nest acceptable, she will refuse to mate with the male, which may tear down the nest and start from scratch to appease his desire to make babies.
Male Flamingo Milk: It Does The Body Good
(Image via: New York Daily News)
Milk is a rich nutritional resource for the young that typically comes from the female. In the case of flamingos, it is the male who secretes milk for the young. While containing protein and fat like other mammal milk, the male flamingo milk is a bit different in that is red rather than white in color, due to a pigment that is stored in the flamingo’s liver.
The Male Antechinus and Its Ultimate Sacrifice
(Images via: Wet Tropics, The Hermon Slade Foundation, Natural Newstead)
With a tireless libido, the small Australian mouse known as the antechinus can spend up to 12 hours mating at a time. However, the antechinus can get so caught up in making love that it forgets to feed itself and sleep. Thus, many of these male mice die after mating. However, the sacrifice is not without reward, as the female partner often has enough sperm to last until the end of breeding season and sustain the population.
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Extreme Eco-Fashion: 10 Recycled Critter Collections
May 26, 2010 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Elizah in Animals & Habitats, Art & Design, Uncategorized. ]
Human beings have relied on the innate warmth and coziness of animal skins for ages, and back in the day with sub-zero temperatures swirling about and the threat of snarling, chronically hungry prehistoric animals at every turn, it made sense to make the most of what remained following a heart-throbbing hunt. Despite the eventual creation of a highly profitable industry built around raising creatures for the sole purpose of harvesting their lush coats, the practice is in our current day and age increasingly considered not only inhumane but also entirely unacceptable now that we’ve developed perfectly viable vegan alternatives. Those who are eco-sympathetic may feel that it is wrong to kill an animal and profit from the sale of its skin, but what about recycling perfectly usable critter body parts when random creatures have met their untimely demise underneath cars, as the result of ill-placed power lines or following a mishap with an immaculately clean office building window? As you will see below, there are more than a few fashion designers and their creative (or morbidly?!?) inspired compadres who pursue the darker side of animal recycling in an effort to craft left-of-center fashion statements that purportedly celebrate the lives of those whose candles have burned out well before their time.
Iris Schieferstein
(Images via: Trampin Feet, Shocking Fuzz, Iris Schieferstein, Design Crisis)
It’s one thing to strut your stuff while wearing the skin of a sacrificed alligator or cow, but once you dare to literally hoof it while sporting recognizable body parts or dead-on, fully intact critters…wellllll, let’s just say that that’s where many fashionistas would easily draw the line. German artist Iris Schieferstein has certainly gone where no other creative minded animal recycler has gone before by fashioning what-the-huh? footwear out of hedgehog bodies, once soaring white doves and now dead-as-a-doornail horsie feet. Certainly striking, these inarguably practical fashion staples nonetheless provoke one to declare a piercingly audible, “Neighhhhh!!!!”
Reid Peppard’s RP/ENCORE
(Images via: Examiner, Smile & Save The Planet, Reid Peppard)
Unlike many of her taxidermy contemporaries who fail to clearly identify precisely how they source the subject of their works, Reid Peppard has long been very transparent about using city casualties that have been found rather than hunted. While it’s not surprising that many find her distinctive brand of fashion rather repulsive, the self-confessed vegetarian sees nothing wrong with transforming what would have normally gone to waste into beautiful personal adornments that might potentially have the power to change the general perception of city-dwelling vermin and garden variety rodents. Interestingly, Peppard has commented that many of her naysayers will “wear leather without thinking…eat meat, drive cars that pollute the atmosphere (and) then turn around and say that my taking waste and preserving it is somehow wrong.” Good point. Now who’s this close to buying her pristine white rat carcass coin purse? Hello? Any takers? Rat purse anyone?
April Hale
(Images via: Craftzine)
For those who experience a serious case of the heebee-jeebies when it comes to the mere mention of the words rat purse, April Hale’s line of roadkill jewelry (with no heads attached) may be just what the doctor ordered. Why must we continue farming conventional forms of fur, anyway? Imagine going cold turkey on the fur industry altogether and instead repurposing the hides of anything that perishes due to natural or city-livin’ causes? There’s certainly a seemingly endless supply… Hale — who also happens to eschew meat — was inspired to pursue this unconventional fashion niche following an unfortunate incident in which a squirrel pulled a deer-in-headlights moment by freeze-framing underneath the tire of her car. She now pays her bills by transforming all manner of flattened critters (house pets excluded) into quirky adornments that celebrate the simple beauty of what we take for granted.
James Faulkner
(Images via: Ecouterre, Refinery 29)
Brits tend to dabble in the quirky side of life (or death as the case may be), but in their defense, they are also far more likely to exercise sustainable behaviors due to a deep-seated eco-awareness that permeates their culture. Scotland-born James Faulkner initially applied his green inclinations on a grand scale by transforming a dearly departed magpie located on the side of the road into a show-stopping headpiece for a friend’s wedding. With ooohs, aaahs and many follow-up orders under his belt, Faulkner soon found himself smack dab in the middle of a dandy little business that allowed him to exercise his artistic inclinations while also honoring his belief in treading lightly on the earth. Stating that he hopes to “maintain the beauty of these creatures” with his hand-crafted millinery, he is opposed to “farming for fashion, which is why (he) sources all of (his) materials as much as possible.”
Lady Lavona
(Images via: Lady Lavona)
Fancy a gnarly-looking bird claw, set of critter choppers or a brawny black beak dangling from your neck? Then Lady Lavona is your gal, conjuring up all sorts of beastly anthropomorphic fashion adornments that pay homage to the macabre Victorian-era penchant for recycling bits and pieces of animals bagged in hunting excursions. While she sources some of her inventory straight from 16th – 19th century stockpiles — including vintage animal hoof necklaces and full spreads of miniature fangs — a great deal of what she sells is self-designed, such as her wildly popular crows feet amulets accented with an artful tangle of earth-toned semi-precious jewels. One thing that Lady Lavona wants prospective buyers to know about her collection is that her animal trinkets are legitimately recycled, unlike those of her competitors that “are bred in captivity for the sole purpose of being sold to human consumers…labs, pet stores, etc.” and yet billed as never being killed for the sole purpose of becoming one of their end products.
Wim Delvoye
(Images via: Wired, Dan Connolly, Wim Delvoye, Neatorama, Saatchi Gallery)
Judging from current industry statistics, the pork biz is doing oinkingly well — by golly, it’s the top animal-based protein source consumed in America! While the other white meat is deeply entrenched in our food chain, we rarely stop to think about how piggy parts are typically recycled. Aside from the bazillion rawhide ears that man’s best canine friends typically snack on in the span of one year or the potted pig meat wonder that we guiltily fry up in a pan (most commonly known as Spam) — porcine skin is also used in the fashion world…but how about pre-tattooed pig skin accessories? Wackadoodle Belgium artist Wim Delvoye has made this seemingly inhumane concept a very real reality on his Beijing-operated ‘art farm’ (the location specifically chosen due to the lack of animal rights concerns). It is there that he and his staff of master tattoo artists brand live (but fortunately sedated) pigs slowly but surely with all sorts of varied images and then allow them to grow to slaughter weight, tan their skins and then either sell the resulting canvases as art, use them as the foundation for custom fashion accessories or taxidermy entire creatures to sell to well-heeled consumers who think nothing of staring eye-to-eye at their specially ordered critter casualties.
Maximilian’s Pet Shop
(Images via: We Make Money Not Art)
Katie Higgs and Ella Kigour — the masterminds behind Maximilian’s Pet Shop — know just how ga-ga we are for our pets, so in a nod to the celebrity trend of dragging petite creatures along with us on mundane shopping excursions, the design team has conceived of a way for mere mortal no-names to do the same while employing a dash of conversation-starting-style. Sure, they have a few designs — such as their burrow friendly rodent accessible sweaters/scarves and bird cage purses — that enable still alive and kicking creatures to see the world with their pet guardians in tow. What is particularly creepy, however, is their Taxidermy Kitty Carrier which, while technically not a fashion accessory per se, still deserves to a place in the annals of extreme eco-fashion since those who are desperately smitten with their departed kittens might feel inclined to show the whole world just how sweet their whiskered face once was (and still is thanks to the modern wonder of well-executed taxidermy). Anyone squirming yet?
Loved To Death
(Images via: Kaboodle, Etsy, Buzzworthy MTV, Chopstix)
Oh goodness gracious…squirrel paw and bird head jewels?!?! Oh sure, why not! The folks at Loved To Death — who by the way have been very publicly accused of misleading their buyers by claiming that no animals were intentionally killed to create their pieces — made headlines with their instantly heart-sinking Polly-no-longer-want-a-cracker pendant, and with good reason. The instantly recognizable parrot, often found in the homes of many-an-animal-lover, never did anyone wrong aside from randomly chomping down on pokey, chronically inquisitive fingers for no particular reason. Not that such an unwelcome action deserves being beheaded and mounted on a silver-plated shield. Sigh. Parrots of the world…be forewarned.
Julia DeVille’s Disce Mori Collection
(Images via: Cool Hunting, Klimt02, Coilhouse)
‘Learn to Die’ doesn’t sound like a very nice name for a company, and yet Julia DeVille’s appropriately Latin-named taxidermy-based company isn’t billing itself as anything other than being a haven (or fashionista pedestal, if you will) for the preserved bodies and random parts of creatures that have passed over to the other side. The natural born Kiwi who now calls Australia her home intentionally utilizes “symbols of mortality” that have perished au naturel in an effort to inspire wearers to “contemplate their own mortal existence and, in turn, appreciate the significance of life.” The result is a collection of crumpled, bejeweled and tah-dahhh fashion statements that are oddly compelling yet flat-out freaky-deaky…great for the fashion-forward goth enthusiast or been-there-done-that rock star who really wants to get tongues flapping.
Custom Creature Taxidermy
(Images via: Solis, My Heart Monster)
Embracing a ‘waste not, want not’ mentality, wildlife rescue/rehabilitator/conservationist Sarina Brewer — who feels that animals are just as beautiful in death as they were while alive — proudly recycles every single animal body or component that passes through her hands. Typically reincarnating the bodies of creatures with varying circumstances (think roadkill, animals that are deemed as pests, pet trade casualties and discarded cattle), the Science Museum of Minnesota volunteer is an odd breed in that she is not only a self-confessed science nerd but also an artist who creates oil-based paintings, sculptural works and wearable fashion accoutrements. If her $45 grouse foot necklace doesn’t grab you, then her $55 coiled rat tail necklace, preserved raccoon heart or mummified kitten paw earrings surely will. The good news for sustainably-minded consumers is that you can take your eco-purchase one step further by repurposing many Custom Creature Taxidermy jewelry pieces as makeshift back scratchers — hmmm, on second thought, perhaps that extracurricular application might kick your itch into overdrive!
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The Secrets behind 5 Super Animal Protection Mechanisms
May 16, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: National Geographic, MSNBC, Ocean Explorer, Daily Mail)
Self-defense is a requirement in the animal kingdom, with copepods, frogs, cobras and other animals utilizing unique protection mechanisms that throw off predators and amaze us human observers, even when the secrets behind some of these tricks come out of the bag.
Shot Out of a Cannon: Super-Jumping Copepods
(Images via: Fish Web, Ocean Explorer, CO Exploration, Ocean Explorer, Peter Brueggeman, David Darling)
For one-to-two inch crustaceans called copepods, it is a necessity to be able to escape from larger underwater predators such as jellyfish, herring and mackerel. Recently recognized as the world’s most powerful jumpers, these tiny, torpedo-shaped copepods can accelerate as fast as 500 body-lengths per second when escape jumping in the water, raising the question of how something so small can generate so much speed? Well, it turns out that copepods have two different propulsion systems – one for jumping and one for swimming – that allow their miniscule legs to create so much power. According to recent research in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the copepod muscles used for jumping are geared differently than those used for swimming, thus allowing a maximum amount of force in short periods of time. Besides acting as an incredible defense mechanism, this super-jumping ability serves copepods well by allowing them to sneak attack smaller prey.
Mini Stretch Armstrongs: Physics-Defying Jumping Frogs
(Images via: Kwami Nyamidie, Tug BBS, Oklahoma State)
While copepods may be considered the world’s most powerful jumpers, frogs certainly can give them a jump for their money, with some smaller frogs able to jump more than 10 times their length. According to recent research in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the secret to frog-jumping abilities lies in their leg muscles, which are extremely flexible compared to those of other mammals. Prior to jumping, frogs situate themselves in a crouching position that stretches and elongates their hindlimb muscles in ways that define the laws of physics. Ultimately, this stretching enables frogs to generate incredible mechanical energy and force when taking off into the air and escaping from potential threats.
That Burns: The Pinpoint Control of Venom-Spitting Cobras
(Images via: Blue N Red, IBEX, Snakes and Stuff, Discover Magazine, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine)
What may come as a surprise, not all cobras use their venom to kill potential meals or threats; rather, some spit venom into eyes, which proves to be an amazingly effective and accurate defense mechanism. As recently detailed in the Journal of Experimental Biology, researchers studying spitting cobras were perplexed by a few questions: why do these snakes wiggle their heads before spitting and how do they hit their targets with such amazing accuracy ? Well, it turns out that spitting cobras track the body and eye movements of potential threats. When triggered by jerking head movements, these cobras will briefly restrain from spitting and actually wiggle their own heads in the direction of the threat’s eyes. This action allows them to estimate where the target – the threat’s eyes – will be in approximately 200 milliseconds. With this estimation in sight, the spitting cobras are able to aim and fire with a pinpoint control and accuracy that leaves many foes with burning vision.
Bee Nice or They’ll Rumble: Protective Elephants
(Images via: Taking Science by the Throat, Nature, PBS)
It would seem implausible that big and potentially bad elephants would be afraid of something as small as bumblebees. Well, it turns out that bees can put quite a scare into elephants, which utilize unique low-frequency rumbling sounds to communicate the presence of these winged creatures. According to research recently reported in the journal PLoS One, acoustic analysis of these distinct elephant calls revealed that they are used to warn other elephants about potential bee dangers and to communicate the need to flee. Especially interesting, the study found that elephants which heard these calls still fled, even if there were no bees in sight. According to researchers, these rumbles could be used by older elephants as a teaching instruction/defense mechanism for younger elephants that have yet to develop thick skins and could be seriously harmed or even killed by a swarm of stinging bees.
Bioluminescence: Lighting the Way, Fighting Off Predators
(Images via: Save the High Seas, Strange World of Mystery, Sustain by Design, Duke, Flickr)
Referring to the natural production and emission of light by a living organism, bioluminescence is a fascinating phenomenon and self-defense mechanism for many smaller sea creatures, including deepwater jellyfish, scaleless black dragonfish, krill, squid and the pelagic worm. Whether used as camouflage, a warning sign for larger predators to stay away or for another purpose, bioluminescence is still not fully understood – although researchers have been making some ground in recent years. In 2008, the Chemistry Noble Prize was awarded to two researchers for their work around a protein called GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein), which glows green when under ultraviolet light. As just one example, GFP is found in bioluminescent crystal jellyfish, which turn — you guessed it, green — when agitated. While GFP has been aiding jellyfish and other deep sea dwellers for centuries, its applications could even serve as a human defense mechanism in the future – specifically in the fight against cancer.
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Animal Native Tongues: Decoding 5 Cool Languages
April 4, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: Doctor Spiller, Travel Blog, Science Junkies, Powerful and Awesome, Ugly Overload, Rhoney Pots, Aintree Hospitals)
Just because animals are unable to talk like you and me doesn’t mean that they are unable to communicate with each other. In the case of giggling hyenas, growling dogs, squeaking catfish, singing woolly bats and beeping honeybees, certain sounds and actions are rich in meaning and symbolic of complex animal communication systems.
Giggling Hyenas: Laughing With You, Not At You
(Images via: MSU, Daily Mail, How Stuff Works, Flickr)
If you ever see a hyena laughing at you, don’t take personal offense. According to recent research in the journal BMC Ecology, the giggling that comes from spotted hyenas is used to convey information about age, dominance and identity. More specifically, the pitch of hyena giggles details age while note variations describe dominance and subordination. Such hyena giggles are typically heard during contests for food and are a good way for these animals to establish some sort of order rather than a free-for-all, feed-all.
More to a Dog Growl Than What Meets the Ear
(Images via: Hub Pages, Ask Dryin’, Flickr, Pet Partners Dog Training, K9 Corner)
According to a recent study, specific meanings are embedded in different types of dog growls, which are used by canines to convey important cues to each other. After recording three types of dog growls (one from a friendly dog looking to play tug-of-war, another from a concerned dog threatened by a stranger, and yet another from a protective dog guarding food) and then playing these sounds from a hidden speaker, researchers were surprised by the reactions of a dog approaching a bone. When hearing the friendly and threatened dog growls, the inquisitive dog stopped for a bit to listen to the growls and then continued in the pursuit of the bone. However, when hearing the protective growl, the dog jumped back from the bone, apparently getting the message to leave the food alone and suggesting a hidden meaning behind dog growls. Two things that especially surprised the researchers were how similar the threatened and protective dog growls were in sound but how different the approaching dog’s reaction was to these two types of growls.
The Squeaking Catfish Says: Give Me That Filet-O-Fish
(Images via: Daily Mail, Info Wave Media, Madgeburger Joe, Aces)
If you find yourself fishing this spring and pulling a squeaking catfish out of the water, chances are the fish may feel threatened (and rightfully so with a hook in its lip). According to a recent study in the journal BMC Biology, catfish communicate to each other by rubbing the spines of their pectoral fins into shoulder grooves, thus making a squeaking sound. Typically, the catfish squeaking sounds are used to warn other catfish of potential predatory threats in their areas and to communicate when competing, presumably for food or a mate. What especially surprised the researchers is that both young and old catfish squeak to communicate, with the squeaking sounds growing in intensity and length as the catfish age. Based on this finding, researchers have determined that catfish squeaking is a much more complex communication system than what it’s been credited for in the past.
Clear-Winged Woolly Bat Signals
(Images via: Budak, Ecology Asia, Flickr, Animal Pictures Archive)
A recent study in the Royal Society Biology Letters declared that the highest pitched calls in nature come from the clear-winged woolly bat, which can reach initial frequency ranges of 235-250 kilohertz (approximately 120 times higher than those of human female singers) and move from higher to lower notes at a frequency range of up to 170 kilohertz (compared to less than 2 kilohertz for a human singer). While the audio abilities of the clear-winged woolly bat are certainly impressive, what do they mean? Apparently, these bats emit a series of echoing calls that help relay information about the size and location of prey to other bats. Amazingly, the bats increase the frequency of their calls as they got closer to the prey, with the researchers suggesting that there are different bat calls to distinguish from insects, spiders, leaves, twigs and other potential sources of food.
Honeybee Stop Signs: The Headbutt and Beep Beeps
(Image via: Neurophilosophy)
Honeybees are known for doing a waggle dance (see above image) to communicate with each other about fruitful feeding sites near their hives. However, when trouble is looming at a feeding site, the bees will alter their communication by headbutting and beeping at each other, according to a recent study in the journal Current Biology. In the past researchers thought that bees could only deliver excited messages; however, this viewpoint changed during a study in which the bees reacted to simulated attacks by predatory crab spiders. By apparently butting heads and beeping, the bees were able to warn each other to avoid the dangerous feeding site, with these bee signals essentially acting as a stop sign and demonstrating the first ever inhibitory or negative message from bees.
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Animal Suicide: Realistic or Illegitimate?
March 12, 2010 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: The Inspiration Room, Pet Wise, Change, Pet Insurance, Adda or Ardor)
Defined as the intentional killing of oneself, suicide is a sad and tragic event most commonly associated with human beings. Whether animals are capable of committing suicide has been a subject of debate for hundreds of years.
Proposed Examples of Animal Suicide
(Images via: Camusnagaul, Alex Wild, BioCrawler, Dive BC)
Suicide has traditionally been thought in terms of a conscious and willful decision to live or die. To some, this idea of suicide eliminates animals from the capability of intentionally killing themselves. However, to others, animal suicide is a very realistic thing, as evident by certain events in nature and the fact that animals experience feelings such as depression. A recent study in the journal Endeavor explored a history of suggested animal suicide, noting stories from the 1800s of a depressed Newfoundland dog repeatedly trying to drown itself until succeeding, a grieving cat hanging itself after the death of its kittens, a fleeing stag leaping off a cliff rather than being swarmed by a pack of dogs, etc. In a more contemporary light, believers in animal suicide have noted flies called pea aphids exploding themselves when threatened by ladybugs, wolf spiders willingly being devoured by their young, sad whales intentionally beaching themselves, and even octopuses biting themselves to death in experimental settings.
Different Opinions on Animal Suicide
(Images via: Soda Head, James Adonis, Tico Times)
The Endeavor study notes how animals have been shown to display grief, anger, insanity and other feelings, suggesting that they are more human than people give them credit for and thus potentially capable of making “willful decisions” to kill themselves. However, what may seem like an animal killing itself to one person may be interpreted by another as an animal displaying uncharacteristic behavior as a result of an external stimuli. Consider an animal that is taken out of its natural environment and held captive in an unfamiliar setting that disrupts its natural ability to find food, which may lead to depression and an appearance that the animal has lost the will to live (see above images). To others, animal deaths may appear suicidal but be accidental (such as the scared stag mistakenly running off the cliff), or simply a natural occurrence (such as when mother octopuses and wolf spiders die shortly after birth). Opponents of animal suicide note how such deaths are done not for selfish reasons but to ensure the survival of the young. While certainly subjective, the idea of animal suicide is seemingly easy to dismiss on the surface but merits more thought and research, especially when considering how captivity, depression and other circumstances can affect animals.
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20 Scary Animals, feel the spirit of halloween, would any of these make you scream?
October 24, 2009 by admin · View Comments
(Images via: Nose Digg, The Hostess, Somethin Beautiful, Wolaver)
With Halloween just around the corner, what better time than now to talk about some of the scariest and freakiest animals in nature. From the nocturnal primate (ayer ayer) that looks like a gremlin to the appropriately-named vampire bat that subsists on blood to a blobfish engulfing anything in its path to the hatchetfish with their ghostly apparitions, nature truly consists of some animals that can at times seem straight out of horror movies.
Hardly Out of Sight, Out of Mind Underwater
(Images via: Wild Animal Fight Club, L’s the Word, Epica Ceremony)
Thanks to the various “Jaws” movies of the late seventies and early 80s, it’s safe to say that this author has never placed a foot in the ocean out of fear of encountering the legendary monster, the “blood-thirsty” great white shark. Of course, movies tend to dramatize things, but the fact remains that the fear still exists all these years later. In simple terms, there is something very unsettling about floating in the water, with hundreds of miles and who knows what moving below you. Of course, the ocean’s waters are haunted by more than sharks, octopus and whatever this freaky, gap-toothed fish creature is.
Ghostly and Monstrous Deep Sea Creatures
(Images via: Flickr, Science Ray, Dark Roast Blend, Science Blogs)
The deeper the ocean gets, the stranger the fish become. Imagine scuba diving and running into some of these guys above, which are sure to send chills down the spine, cause you to clench your oxygen tank a little tighter and maybe even make you feel as if you’re in the depths of fiery hell (well at least this red fish in the upper-left hand corner). The monk fish (upper-right hand corner) looks more like a monster than a saint, while the viper fish has haunting eyes that cut right through you. As for the gulper eel (lower-right hand corner), it looks like a scientific experiment gone horribly wrong, at least from this point of view.
If Looks Could Kill
(Images via: Gateways Clearinghouse, It’s Nature, Wunder Ground, Science Ray, Ugly Overlord)
Reptiles are cold-blooded, which makes sense when considering the sheer intimidation that they can cast with a cold, blank stare. Simply looking into the eyes of these fellows can leave one feeling possessed and under their control. And when these creatures get mad, as evident above, their reactions are enough to leave you having nightmares for weeks to come. And let’s not enough talk about how the presence of a snake makes me feel.
Soft and Furry Until They Get Angry
(Images via: Flickr, Flickr, The Web site of Everything, Flickr, Flickr)
Various land-based animals that look cute or appear aloof for the most part can get quite nasty and vicious when need be. If you ever run across these critters on a bad day, be careful. These rabies-infested animals are not afraid of showing their teeth, hissing and letting you know who is in control. With all that said, most wild animals simply want to be left alone and are harmless unless they feel threatened. As has always been the case, respect the animals and they will typically respect you.
Chris
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