Members rjt Posted June 1, 2009 Members Share Posted June 1, 2009 River otters...they have always been my favorite....for a multitude of reasons. The great NW also has some (both river and ocean) so I kind of relate that way as well. They actually still have "play time" as adults because they are such good hunters (otters swim better than their fish prey.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ani Posted June 1, 2009 Members Share Posted June 1, 2009 By far, the most fascinating animal that I have ever encountered and interacted with has been the bald eagle. They are a major challenge to photograph, and they are fearless creatures. I hope to acquire a high action camera before their nesting season sets in again this coming winter. I'll be a fool with a camera in hand with my face to the sky trying to capture the ultimate shot of an eagle's graceful flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rasputin1963 Posted June 1, 2009 Members Share Posted June 1, 2009 I'm partial to platypuses. A warm-blooded mammal that lays eggs from its single "hole"/cloaca... hatches them, and then produces milk to suckle its young. Has birdlike feet, ducklike bill, bird-like eyes and beaver-like tail. Wrap your head around that one! Can you imagine what it was like the first time a European laid eyes on this marvel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Whales, dolphins and seals... African Grey parrots. Chimps and Bobonos. Dogs and cats. We've had a few California ground squirrels move in, and other than trying to keep the dogs from killing them, they're a lot of fun, and quite cute. I generally like the more intelligent animals. Humans sometimes qualify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed A. Posted June 2, 2009 Members Share Posted June 2, 2009 Wrap your head around that one! Can you imagine what it was like the first time a European laid eyes on this marvel? They actually thought that it was an elaborate hoax when they first saw it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rasputin1963 Posted June 2, 2009 Members Share Posted June 2, 2009 The platypus in this photo looks a little worse for the wear, no? As if he's been in some scrapes with some other creature. His feet are ragged and so is his bill.... Have they neutralized/excised the venomous spurs on this specimen? Seems like he could easily reach up and claw the lady holding him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr. Botch Posted June 2, 2009 Members Share Posted June 2, 2009 ...the bald eagle. They are a major challenge to photograph, and they are fearless creatures. They're certainly not fearless, when you're trying to photograph them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rasputin1963 Posted June 2, 2009 Members Share Posted June 2, 2009 Some info on the platypus's sting: One Australian man (lets call him Angus), choose not to follow my advice. He saw a platypus lying on a log and was unsure of what it was, so he logically decided to pick it up. The fact that he was able to approach the animal probably means that it was sick, but not so sick that it couldn't promptly turn and sting him as soon as he laid a finger on it. The venom of a platypus is very unique in that it directly stimulates nerve cells creating an extremely excruciating pain. In fact the term extremely excruciating is a grave understatement. It's more like simultaneously being shot in the face and giving birth to quintuplets, except all that pain is centered around the place you were stung. So Angus, now in excruciating pain, went to the nearest hospital. Unfortunately he was in the wilderness and the nearest hospital was a small outfit with only one doctor on staff. The doctor had of course never treated someone for a platypus sting, but he did know how to deal with pain. The doctor gave Angus as much morphine as was safe. Though due to the unusual nature of platypus venom it had no affect on the pain, but I think Angus probably felt a little better with the morphine nonetheless. The doctor ended up having to stick a giant needle into the center of Angus' elbow to paralyze the central nerve running to your hand (oh ya, Angus was stung in the hand). It was the only way to stop the pain. Angus never regained the full use of his hand because of extensive nerve damage done by the venom. (Based on a true story.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 ...the bald eagle I used to love watching them fish from the balcony of our cabin. Amazing birds. I like birds of prey in general. I raised a American Kestrel once. Cool bird. And I love watching hawks hunt too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted June 2, 2009 Moderators Share Posted June 2, 2009 Lee, can you post photos of Pepper and Pudgie? Here's one of Pudgie doing her best Virgin Mary impression. She's recently been knocked up by Tank the Impregnator (my old lead singer's Boston Terrier). Virgin my ass! And one of Pepper in the arms of my lovely daughter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rjt Posted June 2, 2009 Members Share Posted June 2, 2009 I can't remember which, but only one sex of the platypus has venom. I believe it is the male. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard King Posted June 3, 2009 Members Share Posted June 3, 2009 By far, the most fascinating animal that I have ever encountered and interacted with has been the bald eagle. They are a major challenge to photograph, and they are fearless creatures. I hope to acquire a high action camera before their nesting season sets in again this coming winter. I'll be a fool with a camera in hand with my face to the sky trying to capture the ultimate shot of an eagle's graceful flight. I spotted this guy WAY up in the air as I was driving through Vero Beach. It was one of a pair just riding on the thermals. I stopped the car, grabbed the camera and installed my 400mm lens, leaned against the car to steady myself, and shot. Good luck in your eagle chase this year. I hope I can find a few again too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed A. Posted June 3, 2009 Members Share Posted June 3, 2009 I can't remember which, but only one sex of the platypus has venom. I believe it is the male. Male platypuses are apparently venomous, while females are not. According to Wikipedia: "While both male and female Platypus are born with ankle spurs, only the male has spurs which produce a cocktail of venom" Here's something else about platypuses that I didn't know: "Monotremes (see also echidna for the other species) are the only mammals known to have a sense of electroreception: they locate their prey in part by detecting electric fields generated by muscular contractions. The Platypus' electroreception is the most sensitive of any monotreme" Kind of like a shark, from what I remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard King Posted June 3, 2009 Members Share Posted June 3, 2009 And I love watching hawks hunt too. I'm in the process of rebuilding an hurricane house here. On my way there on Saturday I heard a bunch of birds making a terrible racket in the neighborhood. I got to about two houses away from my house and spotted a hawk on the ground standing on something. As I got closer I found that he had downed a crow and was holding it pinned to the ground. I stopped about 20 feet away and watched. A bunch of other crows were the cause of the racket that I had been hearing. They were hanging around watching the hawk and giving him a verbal laceration. After a few seconds the hawk took off with the crow in his claws. He was chased by about 10 crows as he made his escape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard King Posted June 3, 2009 Members Share Posted June 3, 2009 Actually, though, my favorite Animal was Eric Burdon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members veracohr Posted June 3, 2009 Members Share Posted June 3, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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