I’m starting to get really wary of “aggregators,” those sites that simply steal stuff from other sites, don’t give them credit, and usually compile lists of things that seem to attract people, like “The 7 things you need to know to have great sex,” or “You won’t believe what this cat did!”. What bothers me is […]
by Matthew Cobb Regular readers will know that I have become the staff of a small kitten called Harry, who is bitey and scratchy and generally excitable, except when he’s not all floppy and purry and asleep. On Saturday, Harry decided to help me with marking (aka grading) second year university exams. These were short […]
Many of you probably know that the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the world’s largest rodent. They can be huge: as Wikipedia notes, “The top recorded weights are 91 kg (201 lb) for a wild female from Brazil and 73.5 kg (162 lb) for a wild male from Uruguay.” That’s a lot of rodent! Capybaras are native to South America, but some […]
(Does that sound like the title of a Krista Tippett show?). I’m on the move today, and posting will be light, which means that if I report on science or natural history, I won’t have time to read the original papers. But this finding is cool anyway, and there’s a video, so I’ll use a […]
All I know about this is come from the notes accompanying the YouTube video, but given what you see, the description rings true: Cockatoo Imitates Couple Arguing Peaches was owned by a couple that eventually got a divorce and of course, I’m sure there was a few disagreements. Peaches now mimics a couple arguing, even aggressively moving […]
It’s about damn time! Groundhogs are regularly abused and mishandled all over the U.S. on February 2 in the annual ritual of Groundhog Day. But Jimmy the Groundhog in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, got his revenge on behalf of all rodentdom. As WISC.tv reports: Just as Sun Prairie Mayor Jonathan Freund, leaned in to hear Jimmy’s […]
Okay, here are a bunch of orcas (killer whales, Orcinus orca) rubbing their bellies on pebbles in very shallow water in Dog Bay, Canada. They come amazingly close to the observers (almost within nomming distance), and you can see how large their dorsal fins are. It’s amazing behavior: But why the hell do they do this? […]
Yes, today is Groundhog Day, and the fabled prognosticating groundhog from Pennsylvania (Marmota monax) saw his shadow, which means we’re in for six more weeks of winter weather. Has he been accurate in his predictions over the years? Go here to find out. h/t: Melissa
I’m on the verge of declaring bears to be Honorary Cats™, joining the pantheon with foxes and owls. Bears are furry, smart, and canny, as shown by this black bear who, looking for all the world like a man in a furry suit, opens the back door of a car: Readers’ bear experiences should be put in the […]
. . . at the Copenhagen Zoo. The YouTube info: The long awaited rhinoceros calf has finally been born at Copenhagen Zoo – watch the footage of the birth here! Shortly after his birth the small calf stumbled onto his feet, and after a few hours he started to suckle. I love the way the […]
