Last Commented Animals Blogs (472)

...Calico and Maine coon. The family are away, and as they watch Bravo while I'm gone, I keep an eye on their cats while they travel. Lilly is a 20 pound big tough girl---chases beefy GSD Bravo right out of their yard back into ours, during one of his rare (mis)adventures, tail tucked well betwen his legs. But poor Angel. Same age (16) as big sister Lilly. But it looks like cancer has her in it's grips. Down to well under 5 pounds, and all skin and bones. But she waits for me twice daily, and still tries to purr when I pet her. The crab must be gobbling up her food intake, as we give her two pouches of delicious looking Sheba food twice daily, and the weight loss continues. But it's one of her last life joys, and she almost chokes woofing it down. Purring and eating together---not good. People too often get this way in their last days, except appetite is often down. But she still puts up a frightful display (other side of the door glass) if dummy Bravo gets too nosey. Hope all are back from Cape Cod for her last days.

I just got done watching a PBS presentation of the title above.
Despite the catchy title, whales never actually walked.
But, their early evolutionary progenitors did.
Think about it. Whales are mammals.
Most of the mammals that live in the ocean are closely related to whales, such as dolphins.
Indeed, both the bone structure and DNA testing reveals this.

One can speculate that life itself may have started in water and much later some amphibians evolved and later full land dwellers evolved.
So, did an amphibian evolve back to full time water dwelling.
That would seem like an easier move than a land dweller doing so.
Indeed, that is closer to the truth with manatee. They appear to be closely
related to hippos, which aren't really amphibians, but do spend a large part of their life in water.

However, when one studies the bone structure, especially teeth, and DNA testing on all the known fossils,
it is discovered that whales are related to a mammal that lived sort of like a crocodile.
It had a large head, a belly that practicly dragged on the ground, and while it lived on land,
it foraged in the water. When one examines older fossils, there is another mammal
that was the size of a house cat, that appears to be an earlier progenitor.
That animal eventually gave rise to different branches that include hippos, and deer as well as the croc like mammal.

So, why would mammals move from the land to the ocean ?
Two evolutionary pressures, would be the escape from predators, and the availability of food.

Now here's the kicker. When looking at the teeth. These 2 progenitors are the closest related to elephants. During their evolution they produced elongated teeth, tusks. One extinct branch had 4 tusks. The tusks enabled them to move large objects, such as trees. Other than humans, elephants are the evolutionary branch, that most directly
changes the landscape. Indeed, as they created pathways through the forest,
it enabled our progenitors to come down from the trees and band together to travel
the savannahs via the elephant 'paved' paths. Thus, our progress is linked to the
success of elephants, and yet, humans are responsible for bringing that species
to the brink of extinction, by both elimination of habitat and slaughter while hunting for the tusks, that ironicly enabled us to come down from the trees.

I strongly suggest you watch the well done PBS video, which enables you to witness the fossils and listen to the paleontologists, as well as see the recreations of the long gone progenitors in addition to seeing the gorgeous animals & scenery.

However, that isn't available on Youtube.

But, the following quick 6 minute summary is;

If you live in South Florida, at some point, you can expect any wood structure to be infested with termites. Statistically, after extermination, termites return every 6 to 8 years. I noticed infestation about 2 years ago and spot treated the area with success. It's been on my list to have the house tented again. Delayed with all the moving and construction projects, I finally got around setting an appointment with 'bug man' and this month being the 8th anniversary since I had my house tented, my place is on his scheduled this week.

I met with the supervisor and did a walk through going around the perimeter of the house to see if anything needed to be removed that would prevent the tent from making a proper seal. Some shrubs, loose stones on the walkway and wires leading to my radio antennas. We spent a good part of yesterday clearing out lumber that was left over from a patio slab project and filled the garbage bin, recycle bin and 2 contractor-size garbage bags.

Anything of value that hasn't already been relocated to my condo was moved last night, including guitars, drones and model helicopters! The lock box with spare key is on the doorknob so I don't have to be around (like the last time) when they come to tent the place.

After tenting, I'm told to drop ant killing granules around the perimeter of the structure as ants usually find a way in to feed on dead termites.

If it's not one bug... it's another!

Wednesday she was fine - she's old, a little wobblier in the mornings than in years of yore, but lively, greedy, healthy.

Yesterday morning very wobbly, fell over climbing over doorstep, and twice on her walk when switching direction to check out a scent. Eating normally, drinking well, adapted to using both back legs together to hop up steps.

Today, unable to walk in a straight line, falling over constantly, she was throwing up clear fluid during the night, and, first time in her entire life, unable to eat this morning. She still wanted her walk but even though it was a short one, she was trailing behind me by the time we got back instead of enthusiastically at point.

Poison? Stroke? Or - looked up the symptoms - vestibular disease?

She hates vets with a passion. I won't subject her to a barrage of tests and I won't leave her there - she is a rescue dog, and can't even be left in kennels without stressing, in my days of travelling I finally had to have a house sitter as she refused food, lost fur, and turned overnight into a basket case, even in the nicest kennels you can imagine. From everything I can find on line, vets will want to do tests and most will want to keep her in. My problem is that my Spanish is exceedingly basic and all I want is - what? anti-inflammatory? antibiotic? If they refuse, then she must be put down.

If anyone here knows anything about this condition, I'd really appreciate feedback. I can't take her anywhere until after my classes today so I have until this afternoon. She finally accepted a little handfeeding, drank some water, weaved off to bed and is sleeping. She's not distressed, just puzzled.

Updated: thanks to all who commented, took her to the vet in the afternoon of the blog, blood test confirmed the middle ear infection (idiopathic canine vestibular syndrome, to give it another of its names) she is taking antibiotics, corticosteroids (for 3 days only), anti-nausea tabs, and improving, she should be back to her cantankerous self within the week and on this morning's wobbly walk tried to hurl herself at a scooter - fell over, but at least she tried, which is a very good sign

I got back to New Jersey (NJ) a couple of weeks ago.
The first few days I was busy unloading the car and unpacking.
After that, there was a stormy time. We got rain and/or clouds for several days.
But, once it was sunny, or mostly sunny, I ventured out to a couple of places
for wildlife photos.

There is a place near Princeton, where there is a bald eagle nest.
And sure enough, momma eagle was in the nest when I visited.
She was arranging her livingroom, making sure all the sticks were placed just so
to prevent any little ones from falling out. I got some nice photos of her and the nest.

After I left there, I headed where there is a place, that a deer family has pretty much accepted me as part of their herd. The matriarch over time has come to realize, that I mean them no harm.
So if my presence is OK with her, the rest of the herd is OK with it too.
It allows me to take some nice close-ups of the herd members, including when there are fawns (not yet).
There's actually another herd in Princeton where another matriarch has also accepted me.
But, I saw neither hide nor tail of them the other day.

Since I've gotten back to NJ, I've actually visited with the herd I mentioned first above, twice.
They have a smaller range than the southern herd, so I can find them easier.
Both times on the way to them, I saw a female red fox. She's beautiful !
Black legs with a bright red body. But, both times she saw me , before I saw her, and when I did notice her, she was racing at top speed, away from me deeper into the woods.
This second time, however, I noticed 2 kits (baby foxes), who retreated into a ravine, as mom ran off.
So, I ventured into that area and found their den.
I got some nice shots of the 2 very cautious, but curious kits sticking their head out to see if I was still there.

I then realized what the momma fox was trying to do. She wanted me to chase her (I never would have caught her), rather than go near her kits. Very foxy lady ! Literally, smart AS a fox.

As a woodpecker was visiting various trees in the forest , he thought he heard someone crying. Flying here and there he found a little tree that was crying. He stopped by the little tree and asked. "Little tree , why are you crying ?" The little tree said while sobbing , "I am lost , I am afraid , and I don't know where my mother is ". Trying to be helpful , the woodpecker says , " I don't remember if you are a son of a Beech , or a son of a Birch, but as I remember , your mother was the best Ash I ever stuck my pecker in". studecar

Compared to dogs, cats....well, there's really no comparison. Still, I like most cats. Have had a few, but now with Bravo, couldn't keep another. But the reasons for keeping a cat indoors in urban residential areas far outweigh the usual vapid logic---"little Poopoo is much happier coming and going through her flap in the doors. It's cruel to confine her indoors." Ectoparasites, cat calling all night long, fights, marking neighbor's living areas, predators, etc. On this last item, our foxes and coyotes will take any domestic kitty. And the ospreys and eagles here can grab and fly off with all but the largest ones. Sure, you have a farm in the country, let the mouser do her job. But puleeze, be a good pet keeping citizen.

How does not 1 or 2, but 5 cats get on the bed with me and me not notice any of them?

Everything done and I'm ready for an afternoon of rugby but first must just check the chickens, big mistake, took a few bits of salad stuff with me chucked it over the fence. Oh dear I've a chicken hobbling worse than me, I'm waiting for a new knee.it then decides it didn't want catching and let's play hide and seek below the fig tree, air is now turning blue. Finally caught the little darling, under my arm and hobble to the garage to find a box, no boxes I know cat basket, cat basket is in the garage loft more blue air, now where my brains were I've no idea because I'm now climbing the ladder still with little poppet under my arm, yes it's looking at me all the time like I'm bonkers, dam can't reach the basket, back down grab a broom, back up, yes still haven't put down the chicken, hook the basket and down we come. Chicken is now sat on the kitchen table while I think, shame I didn't do that first. I know I'll go to my farmer neighbour and ask their advice, now bear in mind walking is not easy so I pop the chicken in the basket on the seat next to me and drive the 200 meters. Explain to said neighbours I think it's ill do I need to go to the vets with it, chicken is thoroughly checked while their laughing to inform me nothing wrong with it it's just old.
Back now I can watch the rugby, Sat quite happily and a mouse runs across the floor. Normally I manage to guide them out through the front door, not this one, furniture moved so it runs to the other end of the room, more furniture moved, Hoover going, yes they don't like that sound.my friend comes round to make sure I'm behaving and relaxing. Now there's the two of us trying to catch it, me with a useless leg and as she's just had an op on her shoulder one arm.what's it doing, it's climbing my bottles of wine in the rack and I'm not happy at that, as we take out the bottom row up it goes, next row up it goes, it now has a broom up its bum and sets off across the floor again. Yes finally got it in a bucket and dispatched, it should never have touched my wine.