Open Thread - Thurs 09 Nov 2023 - An Amazing Animal
An Amazing Animal:
Recently, while going down a rabbit hole about current research into the origin and domestication of dogs (I will probably write about that later) I branched off a bit into researching hyenas and I learned about a very interesting type of hyena. It is called the aardwolf (and here's a bit from National Geographic about them) , which is, in itself, an intriguing name. It means 'earth wolf'. Aardwolves are native to south eastern Africa and live in the grass and scrublands there. They are about 20 (10-30 for outliers) lbs in weight, long, skinny, with a lovely thick tail. They are nocturnal.
from: https://animalia.bio/aardwolf#description
And...
AARDWOLVES EAT TERMITES. Yes, once again, they are a kind of hyena, and hyenas are generally carnivoes, but this one eats termites and is mainly an insectivore. Aardwolves don't just eat termites once in a while, almost their entire diet is termites and they have adapted to such. For example, aardwolves have a sticky tongue to grab the termites from their mound. The surface texture of the aardwolves' tongues is tough and thick, so that they can easily handle being bitten by the up to 300,000 termites they eat a night.
So here's an insectivorous hyena which specializes in eating termites in the grass lands... wait? Termites in the grass lands? Don't termites eat trees - wood? Well, not these termites. They eat dead grass and other vegetation live in grass and scrub lands.
It was so cool to learn about this wonderful animal - the aardwolf, about its food, about its life. And it was very satisfying to realize that even in my old age, I'm still learning a lot about the world if I just keep my eyes open and pay attention!
Here's a video about rescuing an aardwolf!
As an aside - another cool animal from Africa is the aardvark. I'd learned about this animal when I was a child but never though to question what its name means until now. The name means 'earth pig'. Ohh, the things one learns!
So what weird and wonderful things have you been learning about recently? What strange animal species have you learned about? What is happening in the world that you've been paying attention to recently? Obviously, I'm not that up on the wars and politics right now, but I LOVE learning from everyone. So let's hear it!
Comments
Happy Thursday!
Hope it's a great day for everyone! We are taking down the tomato plants in the greenhouse. They have produced tomatoes for a LONG time, but it's getting too cold and they are starting to get fungal diseases and so on. So it's time to take them down, clean the greenhouse and hunker down for winter! Ohh boy ;).
I hope you enjoyed reading about the aardwolves, and post what's up with you!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Nature is amazing
your "earth wolf" reminds me of the "earth pig" AKA aardvark in some ways ..
both are nocturnal, native to Africa and bug eaters. Similar tongues too.
Different origins. Nature's original pest control animals.
Thanks for the OT!
'Nature's original pest control animals'
Exactly. It was so cool to learn about an insectivorous hyena. And it's cute!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Sparking a Passion
100 years ago tonight Harvey Nininger spotted a fireball in the Kansas sky.
Which led to a search ..
https://stardate.org/radio/program/2023-11-09
That was neat!
I love reading about how peoples' passions for things, like meteors, developed and how they created or improved the 'field' of learning. I, myself, have only seen one or two meteors (except for the meteor showers). They are so awesome!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
And what of the mongoose?
Insects are a dietary staple for many mongoose species.
So I looked up the wikipedia article on...
Mongooses. And found out they can be tamed and trained and made into pets. I kinda want one now! Although, they can eat eggs, so that might be hard on the chickens
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Hi Sima
Y
you definitely don't want a mongoose as a pet ; )
I will dig through my pictures from South Africa
this afternoon, find some pics of wild dogs. Without those dogs to split up animal herds of all types, and permanently so, they would devolve with inbreeding. They are scarce, highly protected dawgs.
Interesting OT, sima. I expect nothing less from you, chica!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
The African Wild Dogs
are neat and, I found out, classified as endangered. That sucks! I didn't realize that before. It's sad.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Animals
Love the animal stories. With all the wars and destruction going on, I find that taking a break from the news is a good thing. I do appreciate all the hard work, others on this site have done finding out and posting this information. It is different from what they report on the TV. I have had to take a break from the news.
I also have realized that it's just different versions of the same 3 stories. The first is what Israel did today to protect themself, (like bombing daycares and hospitals). The next is some heartfelt personal story about someone missing or dead. Not that I don't feel for them but where are the stories of homeless people dying in this country or those being turned away from hospitals. The last story is always about antisemitism. If you say anything even slightly pro-Palestinian, you are an antisemite. From the TV news, you would believe that the entire country is antisemite.
Your take on the 3 kinds of news
about the new war is SPOT ON. Thank you very much for that. I have been trying to classify the muddle of mainstream media news stories I've heard so I can just sorta compartmentalize them and ignore the 'angle'. And you've made that super easy now. Thank you!
As for animal stories, there's more coming soon!
Take care and have a good weekend!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Aardvarks and aardwolves
Interesting video. Was lucky enough to have seen an aardwolf on a night drive in Zambia. Luckily it was out visiting a termite mound. The termite mounds you see in Southern Africa are quite amazing and the story about them is fascinating.
Was on a game drive during the day and guide asked what we wanted to see. We told him an aardvark. Unfortunately found on the head of one that had been caught by lions and dismantled.
OTC mentioned the wild dogs of Africa and they are amazing animals as well. Got to spend about an hour with a pack of them surrounding our car and engaging in various antics until the took off for their evening hunt.
Wild animals are fascinating animals to learn about and get to experience.
Thanks for the break from th horrors of the news today
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
Your expeiences with the wildlife of Africa
are wonderful. I have not been to Africa... well I've been to Egypt, not the rest of Africa. So hearing others' stories about it is really nice. Thank you! I haven't even seen an aardwolf in a zoo (not that I've been to a zoo in the last 35 years or so), never mind outside a termite mound. The wild dogs would be awesome to see too.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
omnigreet Sima et y'all. Aardvark can also be used as a verb.
One Bay area newspaper columnist frequently used it in that manner and just to see if that was more widespread than his columns I looked it up and found:
so now you know, assuming that you didn't already.
Most of my recently acquired animal lore relates to homo notallthatfookingsapientafterall and I'm sure we needn't brush up on that critter any more than necessary.
Personal stuff - Our new heat pump is installed and is busy as I write pumping heat from the outside into our house. Our house is now 70 degrees and it is 45 degrees outside, but no doubt much colder immediately above said heat pump, This is using electricity instead of the natural gas our furnace used, which is cool because we have solar, so some of that juice is our own (the sun is up) and the rest is payback from excess that we have dumped into the grid in prior periods. W00t!
Other personal - my physical therapist has decided that I am no longer a serious risk to do gratuitous faceplants or otherwise fly groundwards and need no longer visit so long as I continue to go through my daily exercise ritual at home. Also W00t! It's about 1/2 hour each way and check in + session runs about an hour, plus get ready and come down eats up a healthy chunk of the day.
Thanks for the OT and all of the aardinfo.
be well and have a good one
EDIT - type correcto, fo to go
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
That's good news about
pt and no free falling. Although, there is one good free falling I can think of:
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
hola otc. definitely good "free falling", thanks
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
'Horizontal Jogging'?
I love that! Never heard it before. Thank you!
I have thought about getting a heat pump. I think I am too far north though? I dunno. Would have to install a central heating system too. I don't have one. I think the heat pumps are great! First of all though, I'm going to go solar, like you have done. Inspiration!
I'm very glad to hear that your therapist has decided you are ready to move on. I was SO happy when my therapist did that, after I'd broken my ankle and had to spend 3 months in a toe to thigh cast. It was very hard to learn to walk again, in so many ways. 'Graduating' from the therapy rocked. Then I started going to the gym. Heh. That helped tons too. Enjoy the home workouts and I hope your improvement continues even faster, if possible.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Wingsnappers
Hi all, Hi Sima,
Hope all goes well over yonder...
That aardwolf is quite the beastie, very cool, thanks for bringing attention, and reminding me of it. What a neat animal. Hey JB, amazing you got to see one! Wow! Too cool.
OK, I just got a new book, and am just through the preface, which was awesome. "The Wingsnappers". Just published, Yale Univ Press, by (Dr.) Barney Schlinger. He is chair of Physiology Dept. at UCLA. We spent many many great days birding together, and he sent me an inscribed copy. I guess so I could see my name in the acknowledgements.
Wingsnappers is a monograph about the Golden-collared Manakin. Manakins are a unique group of tropical birds with incredible mating rituals or dances, and a wingsnap that we have just recently began to understand, and Barney was part of that. Below is da wiki, and some quick vid clips of a few types...
Over 50 species
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manakin
Blue Manakin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zxJPQlFFTI
Long-tailed Manakin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V4iJOakhGk
Red-capped Manakin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVFuDeUQmYo
Golden-collared Manakin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiyEaQTviHY
White-collared Manakin - good wingsnaps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-ADdlOcma0
I gotta fly myself now... hope not to snap my wings.
have good ones all!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Cool. Got to see assorted manakins in Belize and Costa Rica
including their little dances. I think maybe even Pnama and Ecuador. Definitely a central american bird, not too sure about Ecuador.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
manakins
Hi EL! Wow man, outstanding you got to see them. I think most of them actually are South American, but ten or so get into Central America. At least the Long-tailed gets north to southern Mexico. Wild group of birds. If I'd have had the time or dough I would have taken Barney up on his offers for me to be a research assistant at the Smithsonian Facility in Panama where he did his work for a couple decades. He helped the Nat. Geo. guys with the super fancy super high speed cameras to record the wing snaps so they could figure them out. Whaddabird!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Wow, the info about the manakins is awesome!
Thank you for that. I am deep diving into the links you've put up. And I'm probably gonna be putting the book on my 'to read' list. They are beautiful birds. The white collared manakins, the males at least, look they they have a santa claus beard. And the sounds! The blue manakins dance, or should I say dance line, is wonderful.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
manakins for the win!
Hi Sima, Glad you liked them! That 'moonwalk' of the Red-capped is incredible!
I imagine being a Barney book some of the chapters are going to be heavy dense data and analysis type stuff. Some articles he published in the Auk (Am. Orni. Union publication) have titles I can't even understand.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Hi dystopian
I got confused today. Not long after I heard the clicking Manakins you introduced us to, I heard a clicking sound outside and wondered what bird was that? I first thought it was possibly the grey warbler (Riroriro), currently very present. Then I thought maybe it was actually the first cricket I've heard this season. Cicadas are usually first, but it didn’t sound like one of them. I may not be able to identify the sound as I will be flying off shortly, but it was nice ; ).
I now think of Manakins as Mana-kins. They certainly work well together through kinship and spirit.
here's the wild dog
picture I took in S. Africa.
From the looks of it's right ear, it was used to being in a good scrap.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Nice pic!
Yep, it's ear has been a bit 'shaped' from fighting or whatever. It makes the dog look even tougher! I still want to pet it, though. Hah!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
One time walking I asked my government guide
about dogs, we'd seen tracks at a water hole as well as pig tracks. There was a language problem. He said there were two canines, one of no significance and another sometimes very feared. I though the tracks were cat anyway. The only words used were jungle dog but not in English. Jungle anything is just a shorthand way of saying wildlife not a domestic. I think what he meant was usually shy and of no consequence, other times terrifying.
It stuck in my mind and later when I had access to the internet I looked. It's called a dole. Shephard size but skinnier, usually in some sort of a loose pack and they run down ungulates many times their size, sambar, muntjak, and if in a larger pack sometimes they become heedless of individual survival and attack people, bears, and leopards, etc.
Who would think a scrawny jungle dog with bad hair.
Dholes!
I am learning about them as I learn about the origins of domesticated dogs. Thank you for talking about your experience seeing their tracks and then learning what they were. Too cool!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
cat vs dog tracks
To ID dog vs cat tracks, look for toenails. Canines do not have retractable claws, so leaves dots of toenail prints in front of each pad. Felines have retractable claws and so show no toenails, only pads.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Endangered Florida Panthers
2 endangered panthers found dead on consecutive days in Florida, officials say
There is some short video at the link that shows a few Florida Panthers, there is no explanation. It appears that one of them is injured (car accident?).
They think there are 270 of these beautiful animals left. I've seen two in recent years, one on SR 40 and another on the route 407 short cut to SR 528 not too far from the I 95 exit. These were both large males who were almost able to bound across two lanes in single leap. Quite hazardous but somehow they survived to maturity. 528 is undergoing quite a bit of residential development unfortunately. Some of the land along SR 40 is a wildlife reservation. Both areas are between the St. John's River and I 95. We've seen bears along SR 40 as well near the road. There are wild hogs, and of course gators as well. Water moccasin and pigmy rattlesnakes are not uncommon. Smokey was bit by the later in the back yard a few years ago.
I used to spend a lot of time outdoors in this area when I was younger fishing, boating, swimming, jogging, hiking, etc. I had to stop because the sun damaged my skin. I saw red tailed hawks flying around my house making a lot of noise three days ago, I don't know if they were fighting or courting. One of them was huge. I saw a bald eagle killing a squirrel on the side road to my dentists office a few weeks ago. A fairly large number of white ibis frequent the local neighborhood. We get quite a few snakes found one on the patio yesterday, a small ring snake. Ms. So always freaks out when she sees a 3 foot racer in one of her gardens.
I used to swim a km to one mile distance along the coast both when I lived near Clearwater and in Volusia County (till I got skin cancer). Although I was wary of sharks, I didn't know this-
Shark Capital of the World
I stayed in this area because I loved the environment here, especially with the diversity of the St. John's River watershed, the Intercoastal Waterway, and the ocean. It's overpopulated now.
語必忠信 行必正直
What great experiences and memories...
you have had with the wildlife in Florida. I did not realize the Florida Panther was becoming so rare, critically endangered. That makes me so frustrated and sad.
I grew up on the coast of California in an area with a lot of wild animals. I had some shark 'encounters'. Never any that were bad. Once saved a 4 ft long shark that was stuck between two rocks as the tide was going out. I think it thanked me :). Unfortunately, the area I grew up in (Santa Cruz, CA) is now overpopulated too.
I hope your skin cancer is resolved. I have managed to avoid it, so far. Working outside on the farm, I sure did get 'tans', but no cancer, yet.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so