Now on ScienceBlogs: The death of Tetrapod Zoology
Don't Stick Your Fingers in the Cage
Aardvarks making out
In the wild, Andrew feeds on fish, sponges, small crustaceans, nematode worms and protozoans.
Benny's diet is very specialized, consisting mainly of the interior of Ramy nuts, nectar from the Traveller's Palm tree, some fungi and insect grubs. He is also known to raid coconut plantations, and has been seen eating lychees and mangoes, which are also plantation crops.
February 5, 2010
Category:
Zooillogix ran across some groundbreaking research being done on tapeworms. The linked abstract below takes you into the life of a tapeworm with extraordinary first hand detail. Enjoy.
I rate this PG-13
Truly, a remarkable piece of science. Only the best for Zooillogix readers.
Posted by Katie Thompson at 5:04 PM •
February 4, 2010
Category: dog • orangutaun
Get a room...
Special thanks to Hydia Blobinson for forwarding this along!
Posted by Benny Bleiman at 5:00 PM • 10 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: WildCam
Have you ever said to yourself, "Self, have you ever said to your self, 'What are African wild animals up to right now?'"
Now you can satisfy your self's overly demanding curiosity with National Geographic's WildCam. Don't worry, unlike most streaming webcam feeds, this is one you won't have to delete from your browser's history. The WildCam program is designed to inspire more talk about conservation by plopping viewers down right in the middle of the wild. Like, the real wild. Like, the no-messin-around-or-animals-gone-eat-you-up wild.
In an age where people are inundated with edited sound bytes, rapid-fire video clips, and computer-generated animation, WildCam's live streaming video gives viewers the time and space to develop a unique bond with the animals they watch. Some viewers even become "citizen scientists," making discoveries about animal behaviors and reporting them to local staff via the online WildCam forum.
And then, if you can handle it, watch the amazing "Animal Confrontation" highlight reel.
Warning: the 2:50 mark shows evidence of the carnivorous food-chain. Unfortunately, it's an auto play video, so I'm having to link to it instead of embedding. Here is it: Totally Radical Animal Confrontations
Posted by Katie Thompson at 12:42 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 3, 2010
Category: WildAid • endangered species • galapagos • shark • tiger
I'm back. After a two month hiatus from posting due to the grand opening of Bullitt, my second bar in San Francisco, I have finally adjusted my schedule to accommodate posting, and I'm pumped.
First on my list: I have been looking for years for the best endangered species group to put my support behind. I think I've found it, WildAid. Do you know about them? If you live in Asia, then you have. If you live in the states, then maybe not. WildAid is, in my mind, the most badass endangered species preservation group in the world today. Started by wildlife investigators who were fed up with busting smuggling rings only to see the criminals walk free without prosecution, the group has evolved. Now not only do they work closely with governments to ensure bad guys are prosecuted for buying, selling, and moving endangered species animals and parts across borders, but they also have focused on quelling the demand for endangered species.
How, you ask? Only by securing over 180 million dollars of free media in Asia and enlisting some of Asia's biggest celebrities to kindly remind their country-people that ingesting, say, ground up tiger penis is tantamount to killing a beautiful, endangered tiger yourself.
We have no idea what this billboard says, but obviously it is yielding results.
Wildaid is currently working hundreds of celebrities in the U.S., China, India, and other Asian countries. Jackie Chan is spearheading the tiger issue and Yao Ming (among others) is helping to stop the Chinese huge demand for shark fin soup. Here's an English version of one of their...
Posted by Benny Bleiman at 5:39 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: biomimicry
Big news! Andrew and I have a new favorite institute! I've always said that Andrew has the same hair as a Cacajao calvus! I may give the Institute a small grant to study this bizarre similarity.
Posted by Benny Bleiman at 2:41 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 10, 2010
Category: Conservation • Endangered Species Print Project • endangered species • marmot
So you know how there aren't as many members of some species as there once was, and in fact some species that used to exist no longer exist? Well, some folks still haven't gotten the message.
In an attempt to bring more recognition (and funding) to the conservation cause, some mighty fine Zartists are collaborating on the Endangered Species Print Project. The project houses artwork that depicts endangered animals, but the print-run of each species' piece is limited to the number of individuals thought to still exist. For instance, a Zooillogix favorite: The Vancouver Island Marmot.
... there will only be 140 prints available.
In addition to the nature-geek eye candy, viewers of the artwork are can read information about the species' present status, habitat, threats to their survival, zodiac sign, and thoughts on the dwindling economy.
Each print purchase supports a conservation effort specific to that species. The above print benefits The Marmot Recovery Foundation (I wish I owned that domain name, marmots.org, so bad), and was created by Molly Schafer.
You must check them all out: http://endangeredspeciesprintproject.com/home.html
Posted by Katie Thompson at 3:30 PM • 10 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 3, 2010
Category:
Atlantis. The Loch Ness monster. The National Aquarium. What do these things have in common? They were only fabled to exist, until now! I know what you're thinking, "I've been to the National Aquarium in Baltimore... and I love tater tots and also was once attracted to a cousin." Well, you'd be dead-wrong about the aquarium thing! How is that? Well that's because I'm not talking about the National Aquarium in Baltimore, but the actual 'National Aquarium ' which is in DC. DUH!
And who do we have to thank for proof of existence of this fabled institution? None other than Linda Lombardi of Animals Behaving Badly who was kind enough to venture forth to the National Aquarium and procure me a shimmering shot glass. From what I understand, her trip to the Aquarium was exactly like the plot of the film National Treasure, except without Nicholas Cage, who has sucked in every move since Leaving Las Vegas (yes yes The Rock. I know).
What's that you say? Your appetite for my wasting your time about my ridiculous shot glass collection is not satiated? Well, fear not because the venerable A.M. Barre of Star-Gazy Pie, an awesome blog with a laser-tight focus on "general stuff that lives underwater," was kind enough to get us (and by us I mean me) a PERSONALIZED shot glass from the Houston Aquarium. I can only assume that the Houston Aquarium contracted with a design firm and manufacturing facility to produce this heirloom-quality collectors treasure just for me.
The new tally: 41 zoo and aquarium shot glasses! Send me one I don't already have in exchange for fame and fortune on Zooillogix.
Posted by ableiman at 9:09 PM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Bleimans in Action • alcohol • fish
There's a really good point that has been brought up many times about scientists. We suck at sharing our results with the public. Or sometimes we share, but in a way that very few people (scientists included) could understand. One of the problems may be a lack of emphasis on the big "So what?" People are much more interested if they understand the relevance of the findings to normal life. I find it helps to relate the concepts to more familiar things in my life.
For example, fish researchers from the University of New South Wales recently published a paper on the effects of small temperature increases on fish behavior. Here's how I translated the results to better understand the concepts presented in the study...
"The idea that fish have personalities may seem surprising at first, but we now know that personality is common in animal populations, and that this phenomenon may have far-reaching implications for understanding how animals respond to ecological and environmental challenges."
Some people are a-holes and some people aren't. This often depends on where they are.
Posted by Julia Chosy at 12:12 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
December 29, 2009
Spider monkeys + Jello = good times at the Bronx Zoo
Posted by ableiman at 10:22 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
December 21, 2009
Category:
If you go through our archives, you won't find too many posts that rise above toilet humor or self-depreciation (I mean, why would you want to?), but I present the exception below. It's a long one, however it's incredibly interesting. I'm sure you'll feel smarter when you're done. And don't worry, we'll be back to posting about Benny's bat obsession or Andrew's batboy resemblance soon.
So we can look back on 2009 and know we didn't waste ALL of your time:
Posted by Katie Thompson at 2:11 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
starts with a bang! 02.08.2010
the world's fair 02.09.2010
the white coat underground 02.08.2010
living the scientific life (scientist, interrupted) 02.08.2010
