Photo by Keith Lobo on Pexels.com Frans de Waal is a Dutch biologist and primatologist who thinks humans have some silly ideas/constructs about sex and gender. He’s written a number of books, most recently Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist. I heard him express his strong opinions on Alan Alda’s Clear and Vivid … Continue reading Sex and Gender: Diversity in Chimps, Bonobos, and Us
Category: animal behavior
I Think We All Need This…
https://twitter.com/QueenLesli/status/1558125131540619269?s=20&t=Sab8VCm9uU9L1tTKzJLbIg We must hope the penguin's assistant is treating him/her well--and the proper conditions for penguin good health are just outside the camera's range (an ice bath, for sure). In my heart, I know this cutie shouldn't be in captivity. I've persuaded myself that the artiste is having lots of fun and will be just … Continue reading I Think We All Need This…
A Couple of Garden Haikus
One feathery… Resplendent CardinalStraddles bough with familyFeeds babe, Mom looks on. Photo by Chris F on Pexels.com (I wish you could have seen Mom; she looked around as if to say, "As soon as this is done, I'm outta here.") The other furry… Brown rabbit pausesWhite-footed gray cat snoozesShared spot, different days. Photo by Steffi … Continue reading A Couple of Garden Haikus
Team Magpie Wins Round One
Photo by Daniil Komov on Pexels.com Not long ago, I posted some fascinating insights I’d learned about Lessons from Plants. Our flora friends depend on one another for the important things in life. They don’t hold back in asking for help. I wasn’t surprised, then, to learn about similar behaviors in birds. And I’d long … Continue reading Team Magpie Wins Round One
News About Climate Change–Some Good, Some Bad–Courtesy of Lizards…
Tiny lizards inspired biologist Thor Hanson to write a book: "Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squids." I heard him speak in yet another fascinating Alan Alda Clear&Vivid podcast. Hanson’s book, Alda says, is about “the ways plants and animals are responding as we humans are messing with their lives.”
And Now, For Something Completely Different…
A bit of fun with two budding four-footed Instagram stars.
It’s All in the Attitude…
A couple of fun items from social media.
My Vote for “Best in Show”…and Welcome to Our Newest Holiday!
Some fun with our furry friends...and a brief appreciation for the recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday.
Our Garden’s Color Palette…
A spring tribute to the joys of Nature so close at hand.
The Little Guy Wins!
Thoughts (in couplets) inspired by a gentoo penguin's flight from killer whales in Antartica.
WHEN HUNTERS BECOME PROTECTORS…
This is a story of changed hearts leading to changed behavior—in the backdrop of climate change. Spanning more than 15 years, it has heroes and villains, triumphs and tragedies, and a mostly happy ending—perhaps. As I can’t do justice to the drama and complexity here, I encourage you to read it in its entirety in the Daily Beast.
OH, RATS!!
Around this time last year, I wrote a tribute to my late friend Peter, a wonderful, generous soul with a brilliant, restless mind and a quirky wit. Among the many things Peter taught me was how intelligent rats are. He loved rats, and through his eyes and tutelage, I came to see these “filthy rodents” in a fresh way.
Paging Dr. Dog! Another Weapon in the Battle Against COVID-19
We often see them in airports, sniffing around for drugs and other questionable substances. Now, it seems, dogs are being trained to use their powerful sniffers (aka snouts) to detect the coronavirus.
Frogs Do It, Bees Do It–Even Educated “We’s” Do It…
I altered the first line of an old song (“Let’s Fall in Love”) to shamelessly draw you in to a discussion of an important topic.
As an intro, here’s a little Haiku for These Times
Social distancing—
Ants isolate selves when ill
Healthy queen makes room.
Why are ants so much smarter than a growing number of humans? I’m speaking now of the American variety (of humans, not ants), but surely there are others.
annieasksyou... 