Archive for the ‘fun with fins’ Category
Mullet With A Side of Mud Rings
There are many hunting techniques recorded for various dolphin species around the world. As opportunistic and inventive hunters, they’ve found ways to corral and catch many different types of prey using strategies that often involve barriers, physical prowess, and outright deception. In Australia one group uses sponges as tools; the females carry sponges over their [...]
What You Have In Common With A Stickleback
By drawing some deep parallels and contrasts between humans and animals Professor Robert Sapolsky makes some fascinating connections in this talk filmed at Stanford University and highlighted by TED’s Best of the Web feature earlier this week. I particularly loved the mention of stickleback behavior (of course) but the final thoughts on culture - as [...]
If I Had A Hammer(head)
Over the years I’ve heard, and even shared, many theories and points of conjecture to explain the ubiquitous question about hammerhead sharks: what in the name of Poseidon is that headshape for?
Some of the more interesting of the swirling theories included:
Increased surface area for sensory organs and enhanced ability to interpret, understand, and respond to [...]
Leopard Seals, Extreme Close Up
It was well over a year ago when I first saw National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen’s dramatic images of leopard seals, narwhals, and polar bears in their native Arctic and Antarctic environments in a quick spread of NatGeo magazine. Well, along with the release of his new book Polar Obsession, Nicklen’s camp released the [...]
